Violence against women (VAW) is endemic in every country and culture, with the worldwide cost estimated to be 2% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) p/a, or US$1.5 trillion. In the Pacific Islands, home to many heterogeneous Indigenous groups, the prevalence of intimate partner violence is more than double the global average.

As VAW spans across multiple sectors of society (health, justice, economics, political systems and structures) it requires a multi-sector response grounded in Indigenous community-centred principles and leadership. To effectively tackle VAW through a public health response, we must start with understanding the current suite of interventions in the Indo-Pacific region and evaluate these interventions within the local context. From there, how do we best understand the current priorities for Pacific nations in primary prevention?

This workshop-style session will explore what primary prevention looks like in practice and how we can adapt promising community-level initiatives and scale them up to broader populations in the Pacific. We will unpack diverse perspectives from policy, practice, and research on the various colonial, gendered and climate-risk related contributors to violence against women, and the solutions that can address them to prevent and reduce VAW.

Led by the recently established Centre of Excellence of the Prevention of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), partners and participants will be invited to directly contribute their specific expertise and insights to a joint statement on “Pacific Priorities in Prevention”.