The Fiji Women’s Mock Parliament will help break down barriers and provide women with the skills and knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact in politics and governance.
While speaking at the opening of the 2024 Fiji Women’s Mock Parliament, Deputy Speaker and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua says women Members of Parliament around the world are growing at a very slow pace.
She says in Fiji, 10 women were elected into Parliament in 2018 which unfortunately has fallen to 5 MPs now and it is miserable.
Qereqeretabua says it is great to see that the Mock Parliament is revived after a lapse of 7 years as this is an important initiative aimed at empowering women to be aspiring politicians and national leaders.
The Deputy Speaker further says this is just one of the many ways in which Parliament is promoting the participation of women in the democratic processes.
She says the next three days of this Mock Parliament aim to also provide an opportunity for women to build their capacity and confidence to take part in the democratic and decision-making processes and to become change-makers in their respective communities.
She adds hopefully this initiative will help women contest for elected positions in Parliament.
The Fiji Women’s Mock Parliament started yesterday and will end tomorrow.
