The Pacific Rainbow Advocacy Network (PRAN) is a community-led organisation established in 2008 through the ‘Sekoula Project’ by Empower Pacific. The Lautoka-based network has more than 80 members with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, homeless people, single mothers, people living with disabilities and former and current sex workers. PRAN advocates on the issues and needs of its members, including human rights, decriminalisation of sex work and access to essential services.

Project title: COVID 19 and TC Harold Relief project for PRAN members
Project date: 6 months (September 2020 to February 2021)
Grant Value: FJD 8,000
Focus area: COVID-19/TC Harold response

PRAN is working on initiatives to help its vulnerable members receive relief supplies, pivot to alternative forms of livelihood and access healthcare services in a safe space. This work is supported by the Australian Humanitarian Partnership through the Fiji Women’s Fund.  After completing a needs assessment, PRAN will provide tailored relief packages for members who need help, including those who are homeless, single mothers or living with disabilities. The relief packages will contain food and non-food household items, and household equipment for members whose homes were damaged during the cyclone.

The network is also helping its members plant vegetables such as eggplant, cabbage and okra in their backyards to build food security. They have identified land plots in Ba, Lautoka and Nadi to plant income-generating crops such as yaqona and cassava. This will help provide a sustainable livelihood alternative for the members. PRAN also plans to establish nurseries to ensure a consistent supply of seedlings and to keep the project going in the long term.

PRAN will also collaborate with Medical Services Pacific (MSP) to enable their members to access sexual, reproductive and health services and facilitate referrals to MSP for any of their members experiencing domestic violence.

Project Title: Data information on needs and issues for PRAN members
Project date: 8 months (March 2021 to October 2021)
Grant Value: FJD 20,000
Focus area: Baseline survey for PRAN members to identify their different needs and issues

Despite protections for Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people (LGBTQI) enshrined in Fiji’s Constitution, they are among those experiencing the highest rates of violence, marginalisation, discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation.

PRAN is working toward improving access to justice for its members through awareness programmes to help them better understand the laws of Fiji and their rights. They also plan to incorporate community empowerment trainings on leadership, resource mobilisation and selfcare techniques.  PRAN  will conduct a baseline survey for its members to identify their different needs and issues that will be used for the development of a simple toolkit for their community awareness workshops and the implementation of the Security plan that was funded through the Urgent Action Fund in 2019.

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