Fiji: Why violence against women is a climate crisis

Countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, World Source: Australian National University Please refer to the attached file. Alison Davidian Ralph Regenvanu At the end of April 2026, Cyclones Maila and Vaianu were active across the South Pacific at the same time, hitting Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji and stretching weather services and emergency teams thin as they tried to manage both events at once. This is what Pacific women are living through. The storms themselves usually pass within hours. For some women, the danger does not. Evacuation centres have become a familiar refuge in the Pacific, and a familiar danger. Families sleep side by side on classroom floors. Privacy disappears and tensions rise. For a woman experiencing violence, the options narrow quickly. The road to the police station is damaged. Clinics are closed or overwhelmed. Phone networks are down. The systems meant to protect her are out of reach. Community leaders, church groups and women-led organisations work under enormous pressure to keep families safe in these centres. Without proper resources, training and design standards that build in privacy and protection, good intentions are not enough, and the burden continues to fall heavily on frontline actors. At the same time, ministries responsible for women’s affairs across the Pacific are increasingly recognising violence against women and girls as a cross-cutting issue, including in the context of climate change and action. They are working to strengthen coordinated, multi-sector responses that bring together police, health, justice and social services, and are beginning to integrate prevention into wider resilience and climate adaptation efforts. While this s...

Original source: Relief Web