STEPHANIE COPUS CAMPBELL, KYLLIE CRIPPS, SARA E DAVIES, JANE FISHER, ASHER FLYNN, SAUI’S LOUISE MATAIA MILO, NALINI SINGH AND JACQUI TRUE
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations globally—nowhere more so than in the Pacific region. While the region is often characterised by alarming statistics and framed through narratives of remoteness or cultural exceptionalism, this framing obscures the diversity, strength, and leadership within Pacific communities. At the 2024 World Health Summit, a group of Pacific researchers, leaders, and practitioners came together to challenge these narratives and shape a Pacific-centred path forward to prevent VAWG.
A region of diversity and strength
Stretching across millions of square kilometres of ocean and more than 800,000 square kilometres of land, the Pacific is home to deeply diverse and interconnected communities. From Aotearoa New Zealand to Australia and across the South Pacific Islands, the region is shaped by complex histories, spiritual traditions, and systems of care and leadership—many of which were disrupted by colonisation and continue to face external pressures.
Participants at the Summit acknowledged that prevention solutions must be rooted in local knowledge, Indigenous leadership, and holistic, culturally grounded approaches. As one panellist stated, “We cannot continue to impose external models of prevention. We need to decolonise our responses and embrace Pacific ways of knowing and doing.”
Listening and learning from the community
The session in Melbourne was not a panel in the traditional sense—it was a community dialogue. Over 100 participants from the health, education and policy sectors shared ideas, voted on priorities, and contributed to a collective “Call to Action” for VAWG prevention. This collaborative approach mirrored the values underpinning Pacific-centred frameworks: relationality, respect, inclusion and collective responsibility.
Key priorities that emerged included:
- Reframing prevention through positive cultural and social relationships
- Community-based dialogue and training for frontline workers and leaders
- Listening to survivors and co-designing culturally appropriate solutions
- Ensuring access to services and information in isolated areas
- Promoting attitudinal change in schools, workplaces, religious settings and sporting clubs
Culture, faith and prevention
Participants highlighted the need to reclaim and revitalise cultural practices that support healing, reconciliation and accountability. Cultural activities—like mat weaving—can play a powerful role in strengthening family and community bonds. Similarly, faith-based communities were identified as vital channels for promoting prevention, with spiritual values of compassion, justice and interconnectedness offering a strong counter-narrative to violence.
Crucially, participants stressed that neither culture nor religion should be used to justify violence. Instead, they can be harnessed as powerful assets in reimagining and building violence-free communities.
Towards community empowerment and resilience
While the Pacific faces significant structural challenges—from fragile institutions to climate-induced disasters—these cannot become excuses for inaction. The session made clear that prevention efforts must be long-term, inclusive and accountable. Community empowerment, culturally grounded prevention, and survivor-led approaches are key.
Importantly, the Call to Action is not a prescriptive roadmap—it is a platform for Pacific voices, values and visions to lead the conversation. As the region navigates development pressures, shifting geopolitics and climate risks, this Call to Action is both timely and vital.
A shared commitment
Preventing violence against women and girls in the Pacific is a moral, cultural and political imperative. The 2024 World Health Summit session demonstrated what is possible when Pacific communities are placed at the centre of the conversation—not just as recipients of programmes but as the designers, implementers, and custodians of meaningful change.
The Call to Action is not generalisable—and that is precisely its strength. Grounded in lived realities, it recognises that effective VAWG prevention must be local, relational, and context-specific. Moving forward, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and donors must commit to listening to Pacific voices and investing in Pacific-centred prevention.
Only then can we hope to end violence and create a future where women and girls live free from fear and harm—connected by culture, strengthened by community, and empowered by leadership.
Stephanie Copus Campbell (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Kyllie Cripps, Sara E Davies, Jacqui True and Asher Flynn, (ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW)), Jane Fisher (Monash University), Saui’a Louise Mataia Milo (National University of Samoa) and Nalini Singh (Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Suva, Fiji)
This blog is a synopsis of a published Commentary inspired by the interactive discussions at the 2024 World Health Summit session on “Pacific Priorities for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls.” The session brought together policymakers, researchers, health practitioners and community advocates to co-identify a Pacific-centred Call to Action—priorities that now inform culturally grounded and community-led approaches to preventing violence against women and girls in the region.
