The issues of rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and child abuse about human rights laws, basic counselor training, and advocacy took center stage at the 44th edition of the Regional Training Program.

This comes as 42 people from Fiji and the Pacific island countries have gone through a four-week training on how to deal with issues relating to violence against women and girls in their line of work and their communities.

Speaking at the graduation dinner program yesterday, Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya emphasized the importance of eliminating all forms of violence against women and children in the Pacific Region.

The minister highlights critical issues that are currently prevalent among women in the country.

“This is an ongoing issue that is related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS, and teenage pregnancies. These are issues that we face in our countries. All these challenges, as we know, are happening against the backdrop of a climate crisis, which affects our daily lives when we know about these issues.”

Participant and Women Empowerment Nauru Association Co-Founder Greta Harris stresses the need for women to have a bold and diverse voice.

“We have to shape some core beliefs and go against powerful people henceforth, but we must have courage henceforth. Training and workshops of this magnitude and the offspring of this kind of training must go on.”

The first regional training program was conducted in 1995, and to date, more than 900 women and men from around the region and Fiji have undergone this training.