“My community was not aware of this sickness - the virus pandemic - and they didn’t have enough information.”
This was shared by Reverend Angela Prasad of the Labasa Anglican Association of Women during femLINK’s district consultations in Vanua Levu last month.
Rev. Prasad says COVID-19 had put a lot of strain on communities, financially and emotionally.
“People didn’t have enough money to buy the food and to put the food on the table for large families with little space they could not do this social distancing and it was a problem to them,” she said.
Economic and health security have been at the top of the priority list for many families since Fiji closed its borders in March.
“The layoff from work tends to increase the number of people that are staying in a particular village at this point in time,” said Mareta Tagivakatini, President of the Labasa Market Vendors Association.
Tagivakatini added that even in villages, people had turned to bartering groceries for items needed.
But even while families worry about cost of living, personal security has also been at the forefront of discussions between members of the Rural Women Leaders Community Media Network (RWLCMN).
Over the last few months, the Fijian Government has introduced restrictions to curb community transmission of COVID-19.
These restrictions include curfews from 10PM to 5AM and for a time, stopped inter-island travels.
“Those that were around town specially the sex workers they were chased by police officers even before curfew when they are struggling to make ends meet,” said Tagivakatini.
“Policies should ensure protection. Security for the community instead of [security forces] abusing their power to create fear in the communities,” shared Louis Gill, a member of the House of Colours, a community organisation for LGBT youths in Labasa.
“I lost my confidence when it came to the security forces because I had the fear that it might result in gender-based violence with them.”
[In May, several news outlets reported police officers were under investigation for alleged brutality; read: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/416639/multiple-police-brutality-investigations-underway-in-fiji.
Also: https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/commission-finds-use-excessive-force-in-alleged-police-brutality-2/]
To hear more from women leaders in Labasa, visit: https://soundcloud.com/femlinkpacific/femtalk-89fm-june20-labasa-whsf-macuata-convening