With women making up only 9 percent of Fiji’s Parliament, a new campaign titled "Better Than This" was launched today to push for greater female political representation and leadership across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Sashi Kiran says the campaign, led by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, is a critical step toward equality, as Fiji prepares for the 2025 municipal and 2026 general elections.
She says it is more than a slogan - it's a call to action, a call for women to lead in our homes, our communities, and our Parliament.
She adds that across the Pacific, women make up just 6 percent of parliamentarians, the lowest regional representation in the entire world.
Kiran says Fiji's National Development Plan is ambitious and seeks to elevate women's representation in parliament from 10 percent to 30 percent by 2030.
She says that representation matters and we need to educate ourselves on why it matters to vote for women, to enable them in decision-making spaces.
She adds that when women are absent from decision-making, our laws and policies risk overlooking the experiences and needs of half of our population
The Minister says that the campaign aims to address the many barriers women face in entering politics — from gender bias and financial constraints to online abuse and a lack of support.
She adds that it will support women through voter education, training, and by building networks of solidarity for aspiring leaders.
Kiran stressed that if one women puts her hand up, a dozen more should stand behind her, underscoring that when women lead, democracy wins.
