Leaders of the Market Vendor Associations from Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands joined government ministers and other Pacific partners to discuss progress on women's economic empowerment at the 13th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women in Suva.
The Market Vendor Associations are part of UN Women's Markets for Change project, a six‑year initiative funded by the Australian Government and implemented in partnership with UN Development Programme that aims to ensure marketplaces in rural and urban areas are safe, inclusive and non‑discriminatory, promoting gender equality and women's economic empowerment.
Approximately 80% of all market vendors in the Pacific are women, and their earnings make up a significant portion of income for many low-income earning households.
The meeting will end this Friday.
