Vuniwaqa says status of women and girls in Fiji has improved tremendously for the past 25 years

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa says she can confidently say today, that the status of women and girls in Fiji has improved tremendously for the past 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

In her message for International Women’s Day, Vuniwaqa says today marks a significant day for all of us, as we commemorate the immense contribution of women from all diversities, who have tirelessly been a pillar of strength and comfort to their individual families, villages, settlements and communities.

Vuniwaqa says Fiji’s ranking on the World Economic Forum’s global gender gap shifted 15 places up from 121 to 106 out of 187 countries in 2018.

She says significant achievements and development of women and girls’ participation particularly in the areas of education, maternal mortality, women’s representation in leadership positions, increased public awareness and recognition of women’s rights as well as progressive legislative frameworks have been welcomed.

She says whilst they acknowledge these development strides, Fiji is still challenged with the high prevalence of violence against women and girls, discriminatory social norms, behaviours and attitudes, limited participation of women in the formal economy, adolescents’ limited access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights information and services, high incidence/mortality rate of cervical and breast cancers, limited institutional capacity, knowledge and resources on gender-transformative programming as well as availability of sex-disaggregated data and analysis.

She adds 2020 is significant as it marks notable milestones for the advancement of gender equality not only in Fiji but also around the world. Vuniwaqa says this is a pivotal year as we observe this year’s theme – “I AM GENERATION EQUALITY: REALIZING WOMEN’S RIGHTS – for an Equal Future.”

The Minister says Fiji and global communities are taking stock of progress made for women’s rights since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995.

The Minister says the Fijian Government through the National Women’s Machinery, will continue to uphold its commitment in protecting women’s rights through the fulfilment of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women principles.

Vuniwaqa adds gender equality is no longer an option; it is the best chance we have in meeting some of the most pressing challenges of our time – from climate crisis to economic calamity and violence against women and girls.

She says this International Women’s Day, and as the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation embarks on new gender equality initiatives like the Country Gender Assessment, the Gender Transformative Institutional Capacity development, and the National Action Plan on the Prevention of Violence against women and girls, she pledges that the interests of all women will remain a priority in all their gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives.

Vuniwaqa also paid tribute to stakeholders who work with the government towards gender equality.