Eight out of ten women in the world have no access to their country’s formal justice system.
This statistics was revealed by Secretary General for Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, Dame Meg Taylor.
“We need to ensure that the foundation for justice remains in society,” she said.
Violence against women is a current issue that is prevalent in the region and a collective effort is needed to address it.
“It’s disturbing that two out of three women experience violence by an intimate partner,” Dame Meg said.
In Papua New Guinea, Gender based violence remains a challenge in achieving gender equality.
Many incidents of assault cases reported to police involving family violence do not progress far in the legal system due to complainants being withdrawn.
Other parts of the pacific also experience the same and Dame Meg said women’s empowerment in the communities is paramount in addressing violence.
The challenge now is to find a balance and push for laws that will also empower women to be involved in decision making.
She said domestic legislation need to be implemented across the pacific.
“It’s a combination of cultural norms that drive violence against women and girls,” the PIFL General Secretary said.