Minister for Industry and Trade, Premila Kumar says she is shocked to see the statement issued by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre condemning her views on why women need to work harder and stop accusing men for their lack of achievement.
Kumar says the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre was not present during the panel discussion at the Fiji Institute of Accountants Women in Leadership Event.
The Minister says she was speaking in terms of self confidence.
Speaking to Fijivillage at the Women in Business International Women’s Day celebration, Kumar said that she still stands by her comment that all of her comments made was through her experience and the topic during the panel discussion was based on how to get into leadership positions in the workforce.
When questioned about her comment on women NGOs not speaking out for a woman parliamentarian who was facing difficulties, Kumar says she stands by her earlier comment.
Kumar had earlier highlighted that sisterhood is not evident when a woman is in trouble and this could be a reason why women are not taking up leadership roles and this was obvious when none of the women NGOs spoke out in defence of a woman parliamentarian who is currently going through a rough patch.
Meanwhile, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali says that challenging women to work harder will not resolve the issue of development as most women work extremely hard to please everyone at home, in the community and in the workplaces.
Shamima Ali says the main challenge to women’s growth at every level of society is the patriarchal structure that we live in that promote gender inequality and discrimination.
They say it is sad to hear comments of this nature from Premila Kumar during International Women’s Day.
Ali says such comments are tantamount to hate speech and leaders in the society need to become more gender sensitized.
The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre also highlighted that they wish to correct Premila Kumar on her comments about women NGOs not speaking out for a woman parliamentarian as feminist NGOs have always spoken out against any violence of women’s rights regardless of their status or position in society.
Ali says they respect the fact that the Minister was inspired by a man, but this does not apply to all women in the society as statistics show that 64% of women experience physical and sexual violence or both by a husband or an intimate partner.
They say it is important for leaders especially those in parliament to make informed comments and make them responsibly.
