Market vendors, especially women, will have safer and more secure workplaces with the handover of CCTV cameras and public address systems to eight municipal councils.
The equipment, worth $146,343.47, was handed over under the Markets for Change programme to strengthen security, improve communication and enable faster responses to incidents in municipal markets.
UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office Deputy Representative Eri Taniguchi says women spend a large part of their day in markets, connecting with other vendors, accessing information and services and supporting one another.
Taniguchi says when markets are not safe, women's livelihoods, well-being and opportunities can be affected, with concerns such as theft, violence and harassment making it harder for women to work and participate fully in economic life.
She says creating safer markets is therefore not only about security, but also about creating an environment where women can work, do business and participate with confidence and dignity.
The handover follows the Memorandum of Understanding on Safer Markets signed in October last year by the Fiji Police Force, municipal councils and the Market Vendors Association, with support from IFAD and UN Women.
Australian Deputy High Commissioner Elizabeth Petrovic says women make up between 70 and 85 percent of market vendors in Fiji.
Petrovic says vendors need to feel safe, while customers, families and communities also need to trust that markets are safe places.
She says the Australian Government is proud to provide the support requested by the Fijian Government and to partner in strengthening safety in markets.
Petrovic says the handover includes 50 CCTV cameras, eight LED display screens and public announcement systems.
She says the equipment is expected to make a practical difference for market vendors and help create markets that are safer, more welcoming and more resilient.
Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa says CCTV cameras can act as a deterrent and also assist in investigations.
He says the equipment will not only assist vendors and municipal councils but will also support the Fiji Police Force in creating safer communities and marketplaces.
Nalumisa says the municipal councils receiving the equipment should use the systems proactively, integrate them into their operations and emergency plans and coordinate the cameras with police operations.
He also addressed concerns about surveillance and privacy, saying the systems are intended to protect public spaces, assist in detecting crime and provide timely information during emergencies.
Nalumisa says strict operational guidelines will be put in place to ensure transparency and accountability.
