A call is being made by Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran for women to be more aware and take interest in politics because decisions made in parliament affects lives.
Kiran with the International Republican Institute is conducting workshops throughout the country to encourage more women to participate in the local government elections.
While speaking to fijivillage News, Kiran says while conducting workshops in Tavua and Rakiraki, she was surprised at the lack of awareness on what an election is, even though we have just been through it and they also did not know what a parliament does.
Kiran says a lot of women are hesitant to join politics and when they asked why, the women said they needed capacity building, confidence and emotional and mental support and they were scared of social media humiliation.
She says women can make a lot of difference if they decide to support each other emotionally, mentally, with information and knowledge; and once they decide to rise, there is nothing to stop them.
Kiran adds out of 55 members of parliament there are only five women but if men and women, people from different geographical areas and in different age groups come together, then they make better decisions and better policies that will serve all interests in Fiji.
