The government has recognized significant gaps in national development related to gender equity and empowerment, as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) report. The report highlights the lack of representation of women, who make up 49.3 percent of the population, in various economic and social areas.
According to the report, Fiji ranks 107th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap Report. The government is committed to ensuring that gender balance and empowerment initiatives are integrated into development strategies.
The NDP emphasizes the importance of incorporating gender considerations into development processes, sector policies, and budgeting to facilitate sustainable development. The report also underscores the need for institutionalizing gender mainstreaming at all levels of governance to guarantee equal opportunities and tackle systemic inequalities, including gender-based violence.
Vani Catanasiga, executive director of the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS), supports these initiatives and stresses the necessity for men to play an active role in this transition. In an interview, Catanasiga called for more women-focused job opportunities to alleviate economic challenges and urged a reevaluation of detrimental cultural norms.
“Men must help facilitate that transition,” Catanasiga stated. “We need to address some of our cultural norms. There are just some cultural norms that are harmful to us as a people. We need to think more creatively about how we bring more women into jobs so that we can grow our economy. It makes economic sense to give women those opportunities.”