About 100 people have marched in the New Caledonian capital of Noumea to protest against what they see as government inaction to curb violence against women.
The rally was called by the group Women in Anger just days after the latest killing of a woman at the hands of her partner.
The marchers went from the seat of government to Congress and to the French High Commission to deliver a letter calling on support for their cause from France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron.
March organiser Valentine Holle told La Premiere television she wanted the government to come up with a feasible plan of action.
“We need to change the tribal laws and traditional rules and we need the French state to acknowledge these issues. We also need the French state to seat themselves around the table with civil society and discuss a viable solution,” Holle said.
The weekend march was the second such protest in Noumea in less than a month and follows another rally earlier this year.
In mid-July, a 35-year-old woman was killed in Noumea.
Seven times higher than France
Crime figures released for New Caledonia show that last year the incidence of domestic violence was seven times higher than in mainland France.
The statistics released by the French High Commission show the number of reported incidents had grown by 13 percent from 2020.
Reports of sexual violence had increased by more than 30 percent.
The report shows that abuse of alcohol and drugs is frequently linked to violent offending.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz
