[Source: Supplied]

Empower Pacific Board Chair, Kokela Naicker has emphasized the urgent need to transform social norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls.

Naicker, addressing a candlelight vigil held at the Empower Pacific head office in Lautoka, highlighted the critical role of ensuring survivors have access to quality response services and supporting institutions and organizations in upholding their commitments to gender equality and GBV prevention.

Naicker says there is a need to strive to work towards ensuring survivors have access to quality response services and to support institutions and organizations to meet their commitments to gender equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

[Source: Supplied]

She says everyone has an important role to play in the eradication of GBV and the implementation of the National Service Delivery Protocol that allows for well-coordinated responses to ensure the provision of appropriate, timely and quality services for victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

The Board Chair says working together allows for us to promote equal rights and opportunities through approaches in education and access to essential services.

Citing alarming police statistics, Naicker revealed that 27% of total crime cases reported in October were domestic-related crimes against women.

She says of these cases, 156 involved women between 18 and 38 years old, 51 between 39 and 59 years old, and six over 60 years old.

She says these are really shocking statistics from the Police Force.

Naicker says we must pose uncomfortable questions to ourselves and shake everyday rituals that give way to the action of carrying out gender-based violence.