The Great Council of Chiefs wants Fiji's next Constitution to guarantee more women a place in Parliament, saying it is time to move beyond promises and take action.
In a statement, GCC Chairman Ratu Viliame Seruvakula says the Council is proposing a legislated quota requiring between 30 and 40 percent of Members of Parliament to be women.
He says any government elected after the 2027 General Election should no longer leave it to political parties to decide how many women they will field as candidates, with measures to improve women's representation instead written into the new Constitution.
Ratu Viliame says Fiji's current constitutional and electoral system has failed to create equal opportunities for women to participate in national and local governance, despite many capable and experienced women being ready to serve.
He says local government elections should also be used to develop future women leaders before they progress to national politics.
The GCC Chairman says many women want an electoral system that allows them to build direct relationships with their communities, be accountable to voters and earn election on their own merit.
He also says women have always played an important leadership role within the vanua, contributing to community development, preserving culture and supporting traditional obligations.
Ratu Viliame is urging the Prime Minister and the Government to support the Council's proposal, saying Fiji deserves a Constitution that gives all citizens an equal opportunity to serve their country.
