30 Jun 2017

NZ's Pasifika men gather to challenge social ills

1:09 pm on 30 June 2017

Discovering one in three Pasifika women in New Zealand is abused or violated was part of the motivation for a forum in Porirua this weekend.

David Tua

Boxing legend David Tua will speak at the The Gathering of the 3000 Photo: RNZ / Mei Heron

The event, 'The Gathering of the 3000' will focus on Pasifika men and the issues they face, and hopes to tackle what's seen as the over-representation of Pacific people in the country's negative statistics.

Organiser Fa'alogo Talosaga Va'ai said abuse of women and concerns for his own family meant he had to do something.

"I'm a grandfather and I've got four grandchildren. Three of them are girls. If we put that statistic together, that means one of my three girls is going to be abused or violated."

The event opens this evening with an address from New Zealand's prime minister Bill English.

Other speakers include boxer David Tua and rugby great Sir Michael Jones.