Conversations around the movement of city dwellers to villages and the human security implications were one of a number of key items discussed this week during the district convening of the Savusavu Rural Women Leaders Community Media Network (RWLCMN).
With the theme of Women, Peace and Security shaped through Community Media during COVID19, commemorating International Day of Peace ("Peace Day"), which is observed around the world each year on 21 September, the women leaders considered the consider specific risks of diverse women (LBT, rural women, women living with disability etc.), and considered community action that is critical to build a sustainable and peaceful world for all of us.
“The changes that have been brought by COVID19 – of the changes in our village, is the number of school dropouts. After the lockdown – some youths in the age group from 15-18 years prefer to stay home and not return to school. So they have left school aside to go to farming,” said a network member.
These have led to both an increased focus on the land as well as a greater hive of social activities at night.
The network spoke about the impact particularly on some young people, noting too the contribution to further conversations in villages.
“The other thing that has changed (is) the life of the young people. It is also a great time for them to come to the village. We spend a lot of time during our family meetings – and we get to talk to each other about the things that is happening,” mentioned Adi Ema.
The Savusavu network also offered detailed insight into the movement of relatives from urban localities to villages in the Cakaudrove Province, and these included previous workers from Nadi in the airline industry, who have “returned to the land” to farm.
In the June Savusavu convening, the discussions of the women’s network centred around information on the CoronaVirus and the limited medium of communications such as internet, radio, TV and electricity. These were some of the contributing factors to the lack of information received and limited translation of this information to simple digestible materials and directions for people living in the rural communities and villages to follow.
Social distancing in relation to transportation was also an issue for geographically distant rural communities and villages.
Food Security was the most crucial issue during the pandemic, with changes now occurring with an improvement in accessing information. In June, key challenges revolved around the limited food access and the loss of income contributing to the increase in gender based violence, fear, anxiety, blood pressure, stress and mental health.
Some of the positives included more family time; increase in backyard farming and proper budgeting.
femLINKpacific is further documenting the current series of district convenings and will be conducting the Western Division convenings next week.