Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697727074574.pdf (Fiji)
Response to Public Accounts Committee Questions and Recommendations on the Elimination of Violence against Women Report The Committee has taken note of the Auditor General’s Key Findings and Recommendations provided for on page x – xvii.

In view of this, the Committee requests if you could provide an update on the recommendations provided by the Auditor General together with the necessary evidence to substantiate the statements that will be provided for during the Committee hearing.

No.
No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Framework regulating the activities on the Elimination of Violence against Women 1.
Despite the existence of relevant provisions The Department of Women should ensure that:  To ensure dialogue and increase awareness of in the Constitution and enactment of various legislation, the MWCPA partners with Civil Society legislations in addressing gender-based  Dialogue with Civil Society Organizations, NGO’s and Women’s Rights violence, there are several challenges in Organisations, NGO’s and Women Organizations.

In addition, the Department of effecting them.


These include factors such Rights Organisations is strengthened to Women through the Ministry has established as legislation being gender neutral whereby ensure that legislative reform is Ministers Forum consisting of the mentioned victims of gender- based violence can be conducted in a more integrated and Organizations.
The existence of such forum and disadvantaged, problems at the comprehensive manner; strengthening of existing forum has enable the implementation level, and minimal use of  Prevention programs are focused on Department of Women to dialogue continuously on legislation by women themselves.

the prevention of coercive control and issues in relations to women’s development.
emotional violence, as well as physical Including the REACH program which brings rights and sexual violence, in addition rights awareness and legal aid to rural communities.

of women and girls should be actively  We note your recommendation and we shall promoted; advise the EVAW Task Force and work with stakeholders to consider law review.

 The Department of Women, through the Ministry’s 1 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Rights, Empowerment, Awareness, Cohesion (REACH) program provides a range of services to  Awareness and prevention programs rural communities, inclusive of legal aid, police, are be delivered in such a manner that medical services, social welfare services and child deliberately challenges the patriarchal protection services, consumer rights etc.
The (male dominated/male controlled) way REACH bus visits conducts outreach to remote of thinking for both men and women; areas.

REACH is a whole of Ministry and whole of government program, working with relevant  More attention is given to targeting Ministries/Departments and NGO’s to bring legal isolated and vulnerable communities services to rural areas.

where various research findings have  Agreed.


Gender based violence training has been shown that women and girls to be at undertaken continuously, working with Non- the greatest risk; Government Organizations.

The Ministry recently jointly rolled out the National Service Delivery  More effective awareness programs Protocol for responding to cases of Gender Based especially on the rights and the various Violence in partnership with CSO’s.
laws and services available to women  The Department of Women is noting AG’s are implemented at the targeted high recommendations.

The Ministry is embarking on risk areas; the development of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls within this process, is a rigorous national consultation process in order to understand and agree on the causes of VAWG and to develop options and 2 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks  Continue to collaborate with Civil solutions for address this based on evidence.
Society Organisations (CSO’s), NGO’s,  The National Action Plan will be accompanied by a Women’s Rights Organisations and National Communications Strategy/Social other bodies in order to provide Marketing) to ensure alignment and consistent sufficient awareness to women to messaging on prevention across a variety of excise their rights under the laws when channels to reach multiple levels of society in Fiji.

victimised; and To change attitudes nationally and to engage men and boys in collaboration.
 To “unlearn” old beliefs that The National Action Plan approach will be: perpetuates domestic violence such as  - Whole of Government acceptance of violence from husbands  - Whole of Population Approach and other beliefs.
 - Inclusive (ALL women and girls)  - Transformative (addressing root causes)  - Evidenced-Based (strong M&E)  - Accountable (with costed budgets and plans)  The Department is working with Ministry of iTaukei Affairs to ensure that community members are involved in community programmes.

A focused training with ITAB was undertaken at national level in 2017/2018FY and in the 2018/ 2019 Divisional Roll Out of the SDP noted the participation of the 3 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks ITAB.

Late last year during the 16 Days of Activism to end VAWG, the Ministry partnered with ITAB to further this commitment working with communities.

2.

There is no specific policy developed for  The Department of Women should  The Department of Women is noting AG’s EVAW.

However, this is incorporated as a ensure that policies relating to EVAW recommendations.
We shall strategise to work section within the National Gender Policy are regularly reviewed in consultation with other stakeholders in terms of review of which gives the overarching direction for with relevant stakeholders.

policies.

The Department is currently developing EVAW and is managed by the MWCPA.

Although this effort is acknowledged, the National Gender Policy has not been revised since its adoption in 2014.
In addition, the “No Drop Policy” has not been reviewed since its establishment in 1995 and re- affirmation in 2013.

However, the Fiji Police Force has indicated that they have recently completed the review process with the revised policy still in its draft stages.

the new Strategic Plan which replaces the former WPA.

 The Department of Women has reviewed the National Women’s Plan of Action as part of the progress report for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action +25.
 Recently work undertaken in relation to the reviewing and evaluation of policies is being undertaken through consultation with stakeholders and women’s groups.

 The EVAW Taskforce is also working on consultations on shelter standards for agencies managing homes for survivors of gender-based violence.

 The Department just established the Domestic 4 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Violence Support Fund as a pilot initiative.
 The DoW has now moved into a consultative approach working with CSOs not only on EVAW but on other programs and activities.

3.

It has been four years since the  An inclusive and coordinated approach Agreed.

The Department of Women is noting AG’s establishment of the National Gender Policy to the review and evaluation of policies recommendations.
We will strategize on how this can be in 2014 which may not be and regulations should be implemented with the Fiji Police Force under the new 2020- sufficient to form strong coordination spearheaded by the Department of 2025 Plan of Action strategic framework.

initiatives to address the issue of violence Women.

against women.
against women.

It is therefore pleasing to see that based on the evidence gathered during our audit, coordination exists in four out of six coordinative initiatives outlined in the National Gender Policy regarding gender based violence.

However, there is still room for improvements with respect to the following initiatives:  Monitoring the effectiveness of the No Drop Policy in domestic violence cases in the Fiji Police Force; and Agreed.

The Ministry will consider how to monitor the No Drop Policy.
We shall include review of the Domestic Violence Act into the new Strategic Plan.

5 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks  Analyzing the effectiveness of the Domestic Violence Act 2009 and ensure continuing review of its provisions based on the effectiveness of the implementation of the law.

Given that the Service Delivery Protocol has just been finalized, its implementation cannot be assessed just as yet.

4.
4.

Absence of review of Fiji’s legislative  The Department of Women should The Department of Women is noting AG’s compliance with CEDAW provisions.

ensure that efforts are coordinated with recommendations.

Consultative approach has begun and However, the DoW has confirmed that for stakeholders such as NGO’s and being strengthened.
Fiji’s current situation, the preparation of the CSO’s to conduct reviews on Fiji’s CEDAW State Reports, its follow-up legislative compliance to the CEDAW For example, consultative process of review was report, the provisions, based on the most undertaken in 2019 for the preparation of the Beijing Beijing Platform for Action (BPA) review appropriate indicators similar to the one Platform +25 and the summary report will be available on reports and the Country Gender used in the UNDP and UNIFEM review our website.
Assessment will constitute the most suitable report.

We intend to continue this review process as advised.

review process.

5.

Strategic Objectives of the International The Department of Women should ensure that: The Department of Women is noting AG’s Action Plan placed more emphasis on  Plans for the development of the next recommendations and the recommendations will be 6 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks preventative or pro- active measures WPA are properly aligned to the Beijing observed as the department develops the new WPA whereas WPA had more focus on reactive Declaration and Platform of Action.

aligning to CEDAW, BPA and the SDGs.

measures in terms of responding to victims  Strategic objectives in the WPA of gender based violence.
Therefore, there is document clearly capture what the weak alignment between strategic objectives action plans purports to reflect.

and the action plans due to the lack of effort by the DoW in undertaking research work on the root causes of violence against women.

6.

The Policy and Research Unit within the The Department of Women should: The Department of Women structure has been reorganized DoW depend on the research carried out by  Strengthen its Policy and Research as such with effect from 2018.
Civil Society Organisations and Non- Unit.

Government Organisations for the  Properly demarcate work, so that Monitoring and Evaluation is now being conducted by the development and implementation of research work is separate and distinct Poverty Monitoring Unit in conjunction with designated M&E Women’s programs.

They have not engaged from the monitoring and evaluation officers.

or conducted any proper research to gauge function of the Department.

the true root-cause of violence that women face.


Therefore, there can be a risk that the conclusions drawn from these research findings could lead to ineffective measures and programs implemented, given the change in times.

7.

Indicators for the achievement of target 5.2 The Department of Women should strengthen The Department of Women is noting AG’s of SDG 5 revealed that the provision and its coordinating and data collection recommendations.

7 No.
7 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks availability of data is important.

However, and given the multiple agencies, in Fiji’s context, collating strategies in collaboration with relevant The Department is now in the process of undertaking a there is no single responsible agency for stakeholders such as the Fiji Police Force and Cabinet Approved National Gender Assessment which will coordinating and collating data.

However, other stakeholders.

review evidence.


there is clear correlation between the programs and projects outlined in the NDP to the activities in the WPA.

The EVAW Desk of the Department of Women is currently collating information in regards to cases of gender-based violence through the Domestic Violence Helpline and in collaboration with the Fiji Police Force.

Information of Gender Based Violence cases from the DPP’s office and MEPIR will be included.

8.
8.

In considering the changes over time, the We acknowledge this achievement.

However, Challenges included the: MWCPA was able to properly transit please advise what were the challenges and  Commitment from various between the two Women’s how was the MWCPA enabled to overcome Stakeholders/Development Partners identified as Plan of Action.

this?

implementers to the Women’s Plan of Action.


 The establishment of the Taskforces on the identified five (5) thematic areas of the WPA which also commits Stakeholders to be a part of this forum in implementing the strategic direction for action identified in the WPA.

 The non – progression of some Taskforces.

 Absence of systematic monitoring and evaluation systems for all programmes under the WPA 8 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks thematic areas  There was no national baseline data available at the time.

Enabling Factors:  The first WPA was progressive in its implementation due to the progressive Taskforce that were in place.
Taskforces were chaired by designated DS’s while the Ministry acts as the Secretariat to the Taskforces;  The establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Women;  The Transition between the first WPA to the 2nd WPA noted a midterm review undertaken in 2004.
The review provides the basis and recommendation on the way forward for the 2nd WPA (2010 – 2019);  The implementation of the WPA was allocated annual budget from government;  The Department of Women expanded its staffing since the first WPA was launched in 1998.

9.

The DoW has successfully transitioned over We acknowledge this achievement.

 This was not a policy decision initially.

the years since 1960 from being a section As above - was this a policy decision or was this 9 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks within Government, looking after Women’s to align Fiji to the international interest, to the DoW within the MWCPA in benchmarks/legislations/conventions/etc.

 The Women’s Section became the Ministry of 2009.

The Department has continued to Which resulted in the creating of the DoW?

Women mandated by government to undertake a pursue its roles as primary advisor to Government on public policies that affect women.
wide range of responsibilities to ensure women’s equal and active participation in the economic, social and political sector.

Since then, the Ministry of Women portfolio has moved administratively over the year to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (1991), Ministry of Information (1997), Ministry of Women and Culture (1998), Ministry of Women, Culture and Social Welfare (1999) and Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (2014).

10.
10.

While the Fiji Police Force has developed its The Ministry of Women Children and Poverty The Department of Women is noting AG’s strategic plan for the duration of four years, Alleviation (MWCPA) should tailor make the recommendations.

The MWCPA has now a strategic plan the MWCPA, at the time of the audit, did not National Strategic Plan to meet the needs and which is a five year plan from 2018 to 2022. have a strategic plan.
The Ministry however objectives of their Department, through the has now formalized a 3 year strategic plan development of a strategic plan for the Ministry However, the WPA has been reviewed and the Department for the years 2019 to 2022. itself which will be cascaded to the ACP of Women is now developing a Strategic Plan/Framework encompassing gender based violence.

for the next 5 years.

11.

While we acknowledge the efforts of both The Ministry of Women Children and Poverty Agreed and accepted.
Planning is now strengthened with lead agencies in publishing their Annual Alleviation (MWCPA) should develop Annual the inclusion of a more robust Corporate Division and more 10 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Corporate Plans (ACP), there was a delay in Corporate Plans (ACP) for the Ministry and efficient monitoring of all Ministry work units.

the preparation and Business Plans for the Department of Women in endorsement of the MWCPA ACP for the a timely manner.
The Annual Report for 2017-2018 which is the year of this years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018.

In addition audit, has been compiled and published.
to the non-preparation of the 2017/2018 The Department of Women should: Department of Women Business Plan, the  Develop and customize Annual Work The Ministry submitted the Cost Operational Plan for 2019 formulation of other organisation plans such Plans (AWP); to 2020 on time and has undertaken a midterm review and as the Annual Work Plans for the MWCPA  Capture targets/outputs in the is now drafting 2020-2021. were not consistent over the years.
On the Individual Work Plans for the effective other hand, the Fiji Police Force have measurement of the agency’s or consistently prepared and published Annual department’s performance.

Corporate plans.

12.

Non-establishment of the Executive Gender The Department of Women through the EVAW The Department of Women is noting AG’s Management Team and National Advisory Taskforce should establish the Executive recommendations.
This will be reviewed under the new Committee since the adoption of the WPA in Gender Management Team (EGMT) and the plan of action/strategy, to determine the process.

2009.

National Advisory Committee.

However, there is now a Permanent Secretary EVAW Task Force established to review National Action Plan and to focus on ending VAWG using a whole of government approach.

11 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks 13.
The EVAW Taskforce is the most active The EVAW Taskforce should consider: The Department of Women is noting AG’s thematic desk in the Women’s Plan of  Faith-based organisations actively recommendations.

Action.

However, there are weaknesses in involved in the prevention of violence relation to inclusivity, coordination, against women and girls through their  Faith Based Organizations are a part of the EVAW sustainability, and administration of the missionary work as well as through Task Force.
In addition, the NAP Advisory Group taskforce.

their welfare and support; includes faith based organizations as key advisors.

 Organisations that have been discussed and agreed upon to be part  The Department through the Ministry is holding of the Taskforce should be done in a consultations in 2020 on the development of the timely and consistent manner.

Prevention Action Plan and the role of various service providers is critical in this process.
The EVAW Taskforce should ensure that:  Scheduled meetings are adhered to as captured in the Taskforce Terms of Reference;  Develop a Training register to capture an analysis of each stakeholder involved in the fight for EVAW;  List the training facilitators and the type of trainings they provide and the number of training already provided, dates and its facilitator;  All issues, recommendations,  The Taskforce members were endorsed by the Ministry Executives.
Organizations members of the Task Force were invited to participate at the Taskforce meeting.

Last Taskforce meeting was held on 11th October, 2019.

 The Department is working towards schedule meeting on a quarterly in accordance with the TOR.

The last 2 meetings in 2018 were in July and October.

The next meeting will be in January, 2019.

12 No.


Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks proposals, requests and suggestions  The next Taskforce meeting will be held after the are resolved and conducted delegation has returned from the CSW64 meeting accordingly in a timely manner; in New York in March 2020.
 The EVAW Taskforce Secretariat should ensure that meeting minutes  The Department had developed a Service mapping are properly signed and endorsed by form which had been sent to Taskforce members.

the Chairperson, prior to circulation of However, only 2 stakeholders responded.

This will be the minutes to the members of the looked into as part of the consultation on the Taskforce.

Prevention Action Plan.


The Department of Women should ensure that: • The Department of Women is noting AG’s  All members of the EVAW Taskforce recommendations.

The Department EVAW Desk has are present at the scheduled monthly recently established a training database consisting of meetings as per Terms of Reference; the training provided in collaboration with government  A quorum is called before any meeting and NGO’s, dates of training , training participates with proceedings.
sex and age desegregated data.

• The Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations on the recommendations, proposals, requests and suggestions are resolved and conducted accordingly in a timely manner.

 The Department of Women sent meeting notices to 13 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Taskforce members and follow up ensuring that members are present.

We do ensure there is a quorum.


As per the Terms of Reference the meeting can only proceed with sixty percent representation or more.

The 1st meeting for FY 2020 noted 74% member’s agency participating at the meeting.

14.

Management of Financial Resources is The Department of Women should ensure that The Department of Women is noting AG’s compromised by the absence of budget all Budget proposals are properly kept and recommendations.
The MWCPA Accounts send monthly proposals and the non- maintenance of maintained.

departmental expenditure breakdown and this keep the expenditure listings for the EVAW vote for department well in check with its utilization.

the MWCPA.

The WPA desk officer should maintain an expenditure listing/ledger for the EVAW thematic In addition, some of the specific EVAW activities have area, and the remaining thematic areas for that proposals (e.g.

DV helpline, SDP roll out, ZTVFC Training matter.

etc.)

15.
etc.)

15.

Management of Human Resources is The Department of Women to ensure that: The Department of Women is noting AG’s compromised by the increase in vacant  All vacant positions are filled with the recommendations.

This is an administrative process for the positions at the MWCPA, Policy and appropriate candidate as soon as whole Ministry.

Corporate’s recruitment schedule will see Research unit not carrying out its intended practicable; the advertisements of all the DoW posts after DSW.
This is purpose and absence and unsigned  Strengthen the Policy and Research currently on schedule in line with the review of DoW JDs.

Individual Work Plans.

Unit; On the other hand, even though the Fiji research work is separate and distinct reorganized structure effective since 2018.

Police Force has had increased percentage from the monitoring and evaluation  Properly demarcate work, so that The Policy and Research Unit’s strengthening under the 14 No.
Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks composition of women from 2014 to 2017, function of the Department; We will continue to finalize this work process to do the women still make up a small percentage of  IWP’s for all substantive post holders same for the thematic desks of the department.

the Fiji Police Force work force.

Even so, are properly developed and signed by women in prominent positions within Fiji the incumbent as well as their Police Force are still very low.
immediate supervisors.

Implementation and Monitoring of Activities on Elimination of Violence Against Women 16. Review of the National Domestic Violence The Department of Women should ensure The Department of Women is noting AG’s Helpline Statistics and Challenges report proper maintenance and up keep of records recommendations.

The MWCPA Poverty Monitoring Unit compiled by Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre pertaining violence against women.
Monitored the DV Helpline in 2019 and the review found noted that there is a lack of urgency by adequate management controls in place.

We acknowledge relevant stakeholders in responding to The Ministry of Women, Children & Poverty that the reporting should be more consistent and statistics domestic violence incidents.

Alleviation and Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre more timely and in line with the Agreement.
Several instances were noted where reports 5.7, paragraph 5.9, paragraph 5.21, and Information include in reports to date, includes the number were not submitted by FWCC to Ministry of paragraph 8.2) in the Grant Agreement.

of calls received with sex desegregated data, types of should ensure honoring stipulations (paragraph Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.
The inconsistent reporting by the Fiji Women Crisis Centre indicates poor monitoring and reviewing of projects by the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.

As a result, we could not substantiate whether the referral calls have been violence reported, areas from which the calls were made, referrals made to agencies/service providers.

15 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks progressively improved.
Review of documents pertaining to the project on National Domestic Violence Helpline noted that the frequency of reporting made by FWCC was not aligned with the reporting period as specified in the Grant Agreement.

FWCC submitted reports on a monthly basis whereas the Grant Agreement specified a quarterly reporting system.

17.
17.

The assessment of the Relevance, The Ministry of Women, Children & Poverty The Department of Women is noting AG’s Efficiency, Effectiveness, Inclusiveness and Alleviation should strengthen its internal recommendations.

sustainability of the Department of Women’s processes and ensure proper maintenance and Zero Tolerance Violence Free Community up keep of records pertaining to violence against The ZTVFC evaluation is now completed with a final report were noted through the delays in hiring women.
completed.

Recommendation of the evaluation have external evaluator to undertake the provided lessons which contribute to the development of evaluation of ZTVFC project.

The Ministry of Women, Children & Poverty the National Action Plan on Prevention of VAWG.

Alleviation in collaboration with relevant The Ministry did not review the SOP stakeholders should ensure that SOPs are This is noted regarding SOP’s, however, the ZTVFC (Standard Operating Procedures) to assess reviewed from time to time.
program is now being phased into the National Action Plan the effectiveness of accountability of records pertaining to each phases of the Zero on Prevention of VAWG.

16 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks Tolerance Violence Free Community Projects.

As a result, records pertaining to the identifications, commitment and declaration phases of each project engaged with ZTVFC were generally lacking with the Ministry of Women, Children & Poverty Alleviation.

18.
18.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) The Ministry of Women, Children & Poverty Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.

between the MWCPA and Fiji Police Force Alleviation must carry out review of the MOU The Department will be reviewing the MOU with Fiji Police expired in December 2018 and is yet to be between Fiji Police Force.

Force in 2020. renewed.

Performance Review and Reporting of the Activities on the EVAW 19.
DoW is yet to develop a comprehensive The Department of Women should appropriately Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.

annual monitoring and evaluation plan for plan and budget the monitoring and evaluation monitoring the impact of EVAW programs.

activities for the EVAW thematic area as well as The amount budgeted for the the other thematic areas.

implementation of the WPA for the years 2014 to 2016/2017 were not fully utilized which resulted in a savings amounting to $858, 634.56.
Such savings could have been used for improving the monitoring process 17 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks 20.

The establishment of the monitoring The Department of Women should ensure that a Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.

framework which includes the Ministry for monitoring and evaluation framework is This will be facilitated in the new work plan.
Women Executive Team & National developed to guide staff in actually carrying out Women’s Advisory Council did not the monitoring and evaluation activity.

eventuate.

However, the DoW has established a draft monitoring and evaluation framework which is now strengthened through the Annual Planning Process (i.e.

through the Costed operational Plan and Strategic Plan).

21.
21.

Delays in the preparation and submission of The Department of Women should ensure that Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.

the Fiji State Reports to the CEDAW timelines set by the CEDAW Committee is Committee.

adhered to.

22.

Collaboration between Government and The Department of Women should strengthen Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.
NGO’s on issues regarding violence against Collaboration with NGO’s on issues regarding This is an area that the Department has been working on women can be strengthened.

VAW.

and we will continue to strengthen.

We have a range of collaborative mechanisms including the EVAW Taskforce, Advisory group and other consultations in progress.

23.

While we acknowledge the efforts of both The Ministry of Women Children and Poverty Department of Women is noting AG’s recommendations.
lead agencies in publishing their annual Alleviation should ensure that Annual Reports 18 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks reports, the MWCPA Annual reports for are prepared and submitted to its Minister All the Annual Reports up to the FY 2017-2018 have been 2014, 2015 and January to July 2016 were according to the timeline specified in section 69 published.
The Ministry is currently compiling the 2018- submitted to the cabinet office in May 2018 of the Finance Instructions.

2019 report.

which is contrary to the legislative timeframe stipulated in Section 69 of the Finance Instructions 2010.

Gender Responsive Budgeting/Mainstreaming 24.

Is public spending reaching both men and women?

Who are the beneficiaries?

 We haven’t yet analyzed the MWCPA spending to ascertain how it is segregated between males and females.
The MWCPA has undertaken Gender Responsive Budget Training and capacity building of staff and developed a Gender Responsive Budget manual and is planning to work with the MoE and other line Ministries to commence Gender Responsive Budgeting.
This is a new initiative;  Currently the MWCPA works closely with stakeholders such as the NGOs, FBOs and CSOs to raise awareness to end VAWG and to provide GBV services for men and women;  We recognize there is a need to specifically identify a budget dedicated to EVAW and including appropriate gender analysis on budget allocations across government.

25.

How effective is the resource allocation in meeting the needs of both men and women?
 The ZTVFC evaluation has indicated that EVAWG budget has indeed created and raised awareness to end VAWG and assisted communities to better response to Gender Based Violence.

 With training in Gender Responsive Budgeting, we aim to improve budget analysis across the Ministry.

 This GRB will also link with the departments Institutional Capacity Development (ICD) initiative and shall be inclusive of the Fiji Police Force and other Ministries.

19 No.
19 No.

Key Findings Auditor General’s Recommendations MWCPA Remarks 26.

How effective is the budget implementation in achieving the overall gender goals?

There is evidence from current evaluations that activities and programs under the EVAWG desk, have raised awareness on EVAWG.

We have services and SD and referral protocols in place to respond to VAWG which communities are now more aware of.

However, we now need to work on prevention of VAWG.
It is evident from current data, that gender-based violence is a nationwide situation.

Therefore, we will now conduct a national consultation on prevention.

27.
Please provide the sex-disaggregated data for cases referred under Violence against women, men, boys and girls, Cases referred under Violence against women, men, boys and girls through the Domestic Violence Helpline is as follows: Domestic Violence Cases Referrals for Women and Girls from the DV Helpline : March 2017 – November 2019 Agency Year Fiji Police Force Fiji Women's Crisis Centre Legal Aid Commission Family Court Department of Social Welfare MHMS HRC Cyber Crime 2017 201 279 38 11 35 0 0 0 2018 163 390 27 7 19 0 0 0 Total 2019 173 357 537 1026 17 6 13 1 0 2 82 24 67 1 0 2 20 Domestic Violence Cases Referrals for Women and Girls from the DV Helpline : March 2017 – November 2019 Online Safety Commission 0 0 Ministry of Education Ministry of Labour Save the Children FENC Bayly Fund Provincial Office TLTB Total 567 606 576 1749 The above table shows the cases of domestic violence for women and girls for the year March 2017 - November 2019.
Most cases were referred to The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre during the three year’s period totaling to 1,026 (59%) followed by the Fiji Police Force with a total of 537 (31%) Legal Aid Commission with 82 (5%) cases.

Department of Social Welfare 67 (4%) cases and Family Court with 24 (1%) cases.

There were other cases ( less than 3) referred to other agencies including Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Cyber Crime, Online and Safety Commission and others.
Domestic Violence Cases Referrals for Men and Boys: March 2017 – November 2019 Cases Referrals for Men and Boys Agency Fiji Police Force Year 2017 36 2018 2019 0 3 39 Total 21 Cases Referrals for Men and Boys Fiji Women's Crisis Centre Legal Aid Commission Family Court Department of Social Welfare MHMS HRC Cyber Crime Online Safety Commission Ministry of Education Ministry of Labour Save the Children FENC Bayly Fund Provincial Office TLTB Total The above table shows the cases of domestic violence for men and boys for the same period; March 2017 - November 2019.
Most cases were referred to Fiji Police Force totaling 39 cases (38%); followed by the Department of Social Welfare with 28 cases (27%); Legal Aid Commission with 22 (21%); Family Court with 13 (13%) There were other cases referred to other agencies including Human Rights Commission and Provincial Office.

Interestingly, there was no cases referred to the Fiji Police Force for men and boys in 2018.

End.

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