A recent gathering of over 30 leading women, youth advocates, parliamentarians, and gender equality champions from the Pacific was held in Nadi. This important meeting, titled the Women’s Leadership Regional Intergenerational Dialogue: Waves of Change – Pacific Women in Politics across Generations, was organized by the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office under the WYDE initiative. The event aimed to enhance women’s political participation and leadership in the region.
The assembly began with Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Permanent Secretary for Women, Children, and Social Protection, expressing concern over the declining representation of women in Fiji’s political arena. After surpassing the Sustainable Development Goal 5.5 in 2018 by having women hold 20% of parliamentary seats, Fiji saw this number fall to 10.9% in the 2022 election. Nadakuitavuki stressed the importance of overcoming obstacles like gender-based violence, unpaid labor, economic exclusion, and limited communication access to improve women’s representation.
Alison Davidian, UN Women Fiji MCO Representative, noted that the Pacific was early in establishing its gender equality framework ahead of the 1995 Beijing global conference. Despite this early start, today’s representation lags, with Pacific women accounting for only 8% of parliamentary seats. Davidian underscored the need for systemic change, political commitment, and accountability to recognize and enhance women’s leadership.
The dialogue included valuable sessions such as mentorship opportunities connecting young leaders with experienced politicians, youth-led initiatives challenging gender stereotypes, and strategic conversations on legal reforms, coalition building, and storytelling as vehicles for change.
EU First Counsellor Carine Hanssens highlighted the global issue of underrepresentation, pointing out that women comprise only 27% of parliamentarians worldwide. The EU’s investment of €11.5 million through the Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative represents a significant effort to boost women’s involvement in decision-making processes.
Participants in the dialogue aimed to promote key recommendations in advocacy, mentorship, and collaboration. These efforts are intended to align with ongoing initiatives like the Beijing+30 and other global platforms focused on gender equality.
This dialogue is part of a broader regional effort to foster advocacy and systemic change, echoed in other recent forums. Mentorship programs, advocacy for systemic reforms, and addressing the unique barriers faced by women are recurring strategies intended to strengthen women’s roles in political spheres.
The collaborative and continuous advocacy efforts are paving a promising path towards enhancing women’s voices and ensuring a more equitable political and societal landscape in the Pacific. Through united efforts and sustained political will, the future holds considerable promise for advancing women’s participation and leadership in the region.