Reserving seats for women in Parliament risks being tokenistic - Ketan Lal

Creating special allocation of seats for women in Parliament may appear progressive on the surface, but in reality, it risks being tokenistic—elevating a few selected individuals rather than addressing the root barriers that prevent wider participation.

This has been highlighted by Opposition MP Ketan Lal following submissions by Fiji Women’s Rights Movement and Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre to the Fiji Electoral Law Reform Commission for the reservation of 30 percent of seats in Parliament for women as a temporary special measure to increase women’s representation in Parliament.

Lal says he strongly believe in inclusivity, fairness, and empowering all Fijians—regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or ability—to participate in nation-building.

He says however, the idea of 30 percent seat allocation for women in Parliament or quotas based solely on gender is not supported by all–including some vocal women in politics.

The MP says Fiji’s current 2013 Constitution and electoral system already provides equal opportunity for every citizen to contest elections and women, people with disabilities, youth, and individuals from all walks of life have the right to stand for public office.

Lal says we must not confuse equal opportunity with enforced representation.

He says instead of setting rigid quotas, we must focus on reforming and challenging political party structures to actively identify, support, and promote capable women and young leaders.

Lal says we must build capacity, invest in grassroots leadership, and give women the platforms they need—not hand them pre-determined seats.

He further says representation must be earned through trust, merit, and public service—not handed down through symbolic gestures.

Lal says when we fixate on gender-specific allocations, we risk sidelining equally deserving individuals from other underrepresented communities—like youth, the disabled, or ethnic minorities.

The Opposition MP says this creates a dangerous precedent and fractures the vision of inclusive politics we all strive for and this is not a matter of diminishing the contribution of women.

He says on the contrary, it is about ensuring that no gender is placed above another.

He also highlights that true equality means giving everyone an equal chance—not predetermined advantage; it means creating space for all voices, not a privileged few.

Lal says lets remain committed to an inclusive, fair, and united Fiji.

He adds we must work towards political reforms that uplift all Fijians—not just a selected group.

He further adds that we must challenge ourselves to create a culture where women don’t need quotas to lead—they simply lead because they can, and because the system supports them to do so.