Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

That rainbow shirt you wear hurts my eyes!
Your skin. so brown, so white, so ‘not me’.
Well, you all just hurt my head.
My love has no Constitution.
There are no rules <strong>of</strong> engagement here.
Just a blue passport where
My name and yours are written in invisible ink.
So for now I will walk freely but uneasily
In this undeclared, independent land.
For I feel that any time <strong>the</strong>y will see me.
And behind me, you.
Then tell me, my loves,
What kind <strong>of</strong> country will we be
– Noelene Nabulivou, Fiji
Lesbians in <strong>the</strong> Pacific face discrimination across a range <strong>of</strong> housing situations. In nearly 100% <strong>of</strong> cases,
lesbians seeking to access rental properties find <strong>the</strong>mselves discriminated against Due to <strong>the</strong> provincial
nature and small-town mentality <strong>of</strong> communities in <strong>the</strong> Pacific, it is <strong>of</strong>ten difficult to secure and maintain
rental properties because once a women is identified as a lesbian she is forced to move. This makes
tenure very insecure and creates a very transient community. For many young lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transsexual individuals (LGBT), eviction from <strong>the</strong> family home and subsequent homelessness can
be a source <strong>of</strong> tremendous trauma, negatively impacting personal security and privacy.
“This is my story <strong>of</strong> finding a safe space for my partner and myself. My partner and I
have moved three times in <strong>the</strong> past year. I was living with my 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). They even broke into my home regularly, to add
to my insecurity. We <strong>the</strong>n moved in with my partner’s family, as being <strong>the</strong> main moneyearner,
she had financial commitments <strong>the</strong>re. But <strong>the</strong> male members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> household
became increasingly silent, uncooperative, and <strong>the</strong>n hostile to both her and myself.
Meanwhile, we tried to get rental accommodation in Suva. I inspected a property and
<strong>the</strong>y agreed, but when my partner arrived to inspect, <strong>the</strong>y suddenly declined. When I
questioned <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y said that <strong>the</strong> property was no longer for rental or <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 ever given. My partner is quite wellknown
in Fiji, and it seemed likely that 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 where so many <strong>of</strong> us are known widely
for our sexual orientation.” (Case Study 1, Fiji)
Due to <strong>the</strong> widespread discrimination against LGBTs in custom, law and community, <strong>the</strong>re is a high
drop out rate <strong>of</strong> young LGBTs from schools, resulting in illiteracy and low self-esteem. LGBTs also
face discrimination in <strong>the</strong> work place. The difficulties faced in accessing education and employment
means that many LGBTs earn low incomes, operate within <strong>the</strong> informal economy, and engage in sex
32 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND