The Minister for Cooperatives, Manoa Kamikamica, has highlighted positive developments in the participation of women and youth in cooperatives in Fiji. The Ministry has launched strategic initiatives designed to enhance female involvement in cooperatives, which include streamlined access to grants and financial resources.
Recent data shows that women’s participation in cooperatives has risen from 12 percent to 20 percent this year. Kamikamica attributes this increase to targeted outreach campaigns, specialized training programs, and financial support systems that have effectively motivated more women to get involved.
In the past three years, 398 women and youth have been appointed to board positions within various cooperatives. The Minister emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to continuing to promote the involvement of women and youth in cooperatives through the implementation of more gender- and youth-sensitive policies.