My first Magazine UNDP REACH Impact Stories v13 web_FNL | Page 11

It is really hard for
deaf persons to
communicate on
social issues such as
domestic violence.
Deaf women living with
violence do not know
where to go and how
to seek assistance.
It is difficult to
communicate without
sign language.
Asena Waqa
A member of FAD
Sign language interpreters were invited to the recent
REACH awareness and service delivery sessions to
provide the deaf community with easier access to the
services.
A member of FAD, Asena Waqa, highlighted the
challenge of accessing justice and services as a woman
and deaf person.
“It is really hard for deaf persons to communicate on
social issues such as domestic violence. Deaf women
living with violence do not know where to go and how
to seek assistance. It is difficult to communicate without
sign language.”
“I obtained a lot of information during the awareness
session which will be useful for my colleagues and
friends as well. I requested the officer from the
Department of Women to come and talk to deaf women
to raise awareness of accessing the services,” she added.
Fiji ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD) on 7 June 2017. The CRPD adopts a
broad categorization of persons with disabilities and
reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities
must enjoy all human rights and fundamental
freedoms. Aligning with the aims of the CRPD, the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill was introduced in
Fiji Parliament in 2016.
The Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH)
for Rural and Urban Fijians Project aims to promote
peace building, social cohesion and inclusiveness
by reaching the furthest behind first. The REACH
Project is implemented by UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji in
partnership with the Ministry of Women, Children and
Poverty Alleviation, and Legal Aid Commission and is
supported by the Government of Japan and UNDP.
It supports the achievement of Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) 16 which highlights UNDP’s
commitment to promote peaceful and inclusive
societies for sustainable development and to provide
access to justice for all, to build effective, accountable
and inclusive institutions at all levels. It also promotes
SDG 5 which seeks to achieve gender equality and
empowerment of all women and girls.
*An advocacy video, ‘REACH service delivery in sign language’ which
presents the awareness and service delivery session with FAD
members is available on UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji YouTube (http://
bit.ly/2lWYWRH)
IMPACT STORIES Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project
11