Lali: A Pacific call to action against sexual violence

On a clear morning in July, a drumbeat sounded, gathering Pacific leaders together to answer the call to prevent and respond to sexual violence in our communities.

The sound signalled the launch of Lali, a workforce development collaboration between Pacific-led organisations Le Va, Poutu Pasifika and Alo Fā, supported by Pasefika Proud and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).

Following a warm welcome and lotu from MC Pakilau Manase Lua (Pasifika Equity Lead for Wise Group and Le Va), four strong Pasifika women, all leaders in the sexual violence prevention and response space, shared their thoughts on the importance of the collective kaupapa of Lali.

Serena Curtis, General Manager Pacific and Community Capability for MSD, spoke about bringing together the three organisations as a genuine act of trust and faith in Pasifika-led solutions.

Alo Fā General Manager Rasela Luapo shared the story behind the name Lali, the traditional wooden slit drum used throughout the Pacific:

“When the lali is sounded, it alerts the village of something important, and the response is to gather, to listen and to act,” she said. “This is our call to action – the lali has sounded, we have heard the call, we are gathering and we must respond.”

For Timu Sylvia Yandall, Service Delivery Manager for Poutu Pasifika, the true achievement of Lali sits in the relationships built long before any framework was drafted:

“When we collaborate, connect, serve together, share our knowledge and ourselves generously, combine our strengths, capability and capacity together with integrity, humility and courage, we do more than deliver trainings or services. We create pathways of safety, of healing and hope for generations to come.”

Le Va Chief Executive Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati spoke about the vā – the relational space of trust, respect and care that connects us to one another, and what it means when that space is broken. “Sexual violence is perhaps the greatest rupture of that vā,” she said. “It breaks trust. It silences voices. It isolates people from the very relationships that should protect them. Too often, that silence is what allows harm to continue.”

Three organisations, one continuum of care, and a funder willing to invest in a Pasifika-led approach. This spirit of collective strength runs through how the three organisations have shaped their roles.

Le Va leads community capability building through the ‘Our Village, Our Responsibility’ workshop,  grounded in the belief that preventing and responding to sexual violence is a shared community responsibility. The programme supports community members to strengthen protective environments, challenge harmful attitudes, engage in prevention conversations, and contribute to safer Pasifika communities.

Alo Fā has developed a training programme for the formal Pasifika workforce, equipping practitioners to understand and respond to disclosures with care. And Poutu Pasifika brings specialist supervision, reflective practice and clinical capability to support the people doing this mahi day to day.

Those in the room at the launch of Lali – partners, funders, community leaders and practitioners – were united by a shared belief that the answers to keeping our people safe have always lived within our communities.

Dr Mati also spoke of hope, of parents having conversations they never imagined, of church leaders choosing courage over shame, of communities refusing to look away. “That is how harmful attitudes begin to change,” she said. “That is how we strengthen the vā.”

The sound of the lali drum has always called people together. May this partnership continue to do the same.

Learn more about the Lali initiative.