Fiji is seeing women succeed at levels higher than men in both education and economic opportunities, signaling a significant shift towards gender equality.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran highlighted this during the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination against Women today.
Kiran says in the education sector, women are outpacing men.
She says 91 percent of adolescent girls are enrolled in secondary school, demonstrating a stronger transition from primary to secondary education compared to their male counterparts.
She further says in tertiary education, women also dominate with 55 percent of all graduates from Fiji’s tertiary institutions being women.
She adds this success is a testament to the government’s commitment to providing equal educational opportunities.
The Minister says the government's efforts to empower women are having a profound impact, with women receiving more tertiary scholarships and loan schemes than men over the past five years.
She says these opportunities have helped women enhance their skills and greatly improve their employment prospects, contributing to economic growth.
Kiran says the government continues to invest in women’s education and economic independence, allocating $100,000 annually for vocational training tailored specifically for women.
She says institutions like the Ba Women's Forum, Makoi Vocational Training for Women and Lifebread Training Centre have trained an average of 809 women between 2019 and 2023, providing them with practical skills that enhance their employability.
She further says women in Fiji are not only succeeding in education but are also increasingly taking the lead in shaping their country’s economic future.
Kiran says this shift marks a major achievement in the ongoing drive for gender equality and women's empowerment.
