by Maxine Tuwila Lesivou
“Preparedness is vital. We need to prepare for the worst even when warnings given says otherwise. We are nearing disaster period so we need to prepare for what is to come so we do not have the same issue as the previous cyclones,” said Vasiti Cakau the Rainbow Pride Foundation (RPF) Tebara cluster leader and also a Community Health Worker in Nausori.
Cakau was speaking at the Central District Convening that was concluded in Nausori on Tuesday.
Echoing Cakau’s statement was Viti Soro a representative from Naduru Women’s Group based in Nausori.
Soro said that we need to give women equal opportunities in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) committees so that they can lead in their roles as women leaders.
“Women must be respected at all times by the community and everyone. We need to be given the same opportunity as men. Women can plan for their future even with lack of resources and opportunities during disaster” she added.
“Women’s Weather Watch is a platform that we use to disseminate information on disaster preparedness. We should be given spaces like this because we can plan ahead of time.”
Women Leaders from our District in Nausori shared that majority of their villages and settlements are without a DRR Committee and this is a barrier to disaster preparedness.
“We as women leaders need to network a lot with relevant stakeholders so that we’re able to connect with them at different levels especially for us a humanitarian worker,” said Litia Naitanui the representative from the Fiji Disable People’s Federation (FDPF) Rewa Branch.
Naitanui outlined that it’s important to utilise initiatives that are in place to help support our women leaders that are working as first responders especially in times of disaster.
“With the support of other leaders and community members, we can tackle problems that arise during disasters,” she added.
Discussions also focused on the increasing number of violence against women and girls (VAWG) during this pandemic.
“We need to empower women and girls to come out of their comfort zones so that they can voice out the issues that they’re currently facing in their homes and communities,” says Nanise Cakau the President for the Community Health Workers in the Rewa sub-division.
This Divisional Convening looks at providing support to network partners in accessing information as well as highlighting violence faced by women and girls especially during this crisis, the “Double Pandemic”.
With a specific focus on VAWG and the “Double Pandemic”, this convening looked at equipping Rural Women Leaders present on the day to put forth their recommendations to be presented to policy makers to act on.
Fifteen (15) diverse women leaders from our Nausori district in the Central Division met on Tuesday to further discuss their recommendations in bridging the gaps in times of Disaster.
These recommendations will include the need for ensuring that these Women’s Human Security Priorities (WHSP) are met and addressed.
Communities represented in this convening include District Advisory Councillors (DAC), members of the LGBTIQ + community, Women living with disability, Young Women, members of the District Council of Social Services (DCOSS) and Community Health Care workers
