Kiran urges more women to step into politics as Pacific ranks lowest in world for female representation

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, is calling for more women to join politics, highlighting that women make up only 6 percent of all parliamentarians in the Pacific — the lowest regional average in the world.

While speaking at the launch of the Better Than This campaign at the Holiday Inn in Suva, Kiran said that in Fiji, women currently hold only 5 out of the 55 seats in Parliament. In the 2022 General Elections, only 16.3 percent of candidates were women.

Sharing her own experience in politics, Kiran stressed the importance of visibility and said there is still a lot of work to be done to improve female representation.

She says the campaign will help explain the value of women in leadership roles, demystify the political process, and build support and unity among women.

The Minister says the initiative aligns with the Ministry’s goals for gender equality, inclusive development, and strong democracy.

She says the Ministry fully endorses the campaign and will promote it through its networks, encouraging more women to step forward, break barriers, and lead boldly.

Better Than This is a non-partisan social movement organised by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. It aims to increase women's political participation and leadership through digital engagement and community outreach, while promoting respectful and inclusive political discourse.