Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

My partner and I have moved three times in <strong>the</strong> past year. I was living with extended family, but was
forced to move as certain members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> family were verbally abusive (drinking outside my living area
and shouting insults). People broke into my home regularly, adding to my insecurity. We <strong>the</strong>n moved
in with my partner’s family as she had commitments to her family, and her mo<strong>the</strong>r and sister were
very supportive. But some male family members were withdrawn and our relationship never openly
acknowledged or spoken <strong>of</strong>. This is very hard when you are trying to live open, honest lives and have
good relationships with people you care most about. The patriarchal nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> family structure
made it hard for women members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> household to intercede.
Meanwhile, we tried to get rental accommodation in Suva, but despite our high combined salaries,
we were not able to do so in a six-month period. On <strong>the</strong> first two occasions I inspected <strong>the</strong> property
and <strong>the</strong>y agreed, <strong>the</strong>n when my partner arrived to inspect, <strong>the</strong>y suddenly declined. When questioned,
<strong>the</strong>y said that <strong>the</strong> property was no longer for rental, <strong>the</strong> next time <strong>the</strong>y had decided to live in it <strong>the</strong>mselves
(I <strong>the</strong>n saw it advertised a month later). The last time I rang up and gave my name and place <strong>of</strong> work
and references. When I received no reply I rang over and over but <strong>the</strong>y would not take my call. When
I finally got through <strong>the</strong> landlord said he would not rent to us, but no reason was given. My partner
is quite well known, and maybe he had heard that we were partners. This has been <strong>the</strong> experience
<strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r lesbians in Suva, sexual orientation and partnership <strong>of</strong> ‘out’ lesbians is a source <strong>of</strong> gossip.
Refusal <strong>of</strong> access to housing may not be due to sexual orientation in each case, but <strong>the</strong> fear and anger
is still <strong>the</strong>re, especially when <strong>the</strong>re appears to be no logical reason for changes in attitude. This is <strong>the</strong>
reality <strong>of</strong> living in a situation where your full rights are not respected, and where you are always aware
<strong>of</strong> that fact.
That is not <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> my search for adequate and appropriate housing. My partner and I now
live in our own home. For most lesbians in Fiji this is not an option. But when we arrived in this
‘safer space’, almost daily we still had verbal abuse and comments shouted at us by young people
passing our house. The nights at weekends are still sometimes a problem as stones are thrown
on <strong>the</strong> ro<strong>of</strong> or young men in particular shout out abuse in Fijian, or make joking, loud comments
as <strong>the</strong>y pass.
The reaction <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> our families and friends was to say, ‘it is because you are living in sin’ or
‘you need a man in that house’, or ‘just forget it and come home’. This is despite <strong>the</strong> fact that we are
in our mid-thirties, she is in a managerial position and we both have adequate incomes to sustain
us, and still contribute to <strong>the</strong> extended family economic needs.
Case Study 2 – Low income compounds <strong>the</strong> problem (names are not real)
Salote and Lela are Indigenous Fijian women who lived as partners in suburban Suva. Salote is <strong>the</strong>
mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> a teenage boy. They were living and renting a small wooden house for 3 years. They sell
takeaway food when <strong>the</strong>y can. The landlord gave <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> required one month notice under Fijian
law to move out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> premises, giving <strong>the</strong> reason that he would renovate <strong>the</strong> property. When <strong>the</strong>y
moved out <strong>the</strong>y had to separate, Lela went to live with her parents and extended family in an already
cramped housing and Salote and her son lived with <strong>the</strong>ir extended family. Later <strong>the</strong>y were told by
past neighbours that <strong>the</strong> landlord had told people he had removed <strong>the</strong>m because <strong>the</strong>y were in a lesbian
partnership.
172 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND