The role of women in the media was a key topic during the 7th PINA Media pre-summit discussion, marking a first for the biannual gathering of regional media leaders. Leading up to the summit in Niue, women journalists from seven Pacific island nations participated in a two-day Power Up program, which was funded by The Asia Foundation.
This year, members from Women In Media (WIM) Fiji took part in the discussions, which were facilitated by femLINK Pacific. WIM Fiji coordinator Lavenia Lativerata emphasized the significance of the two-day event for women journalists throughout the Pacific, even as it served as a side event to the broader regional summit.
Lativerata stated, “The recognition of the work performed by women journalists in mainstream media and news story production is critical.” She added that this focus was one of the motivations for PINA to incorporate these discussions into the summit agenda. The Power Up program has allowed participants to share their experiences with female journalists from other Pacific island countries.
She highlighted that the workshop provided an opportunity for WIM Fiji to connect with other regional female journalists and inspire them to establish their own chapters. “For Fiji, it’s a chance to connect, empower, and thrive, and I hope our female colleagues across the Pacific take this opportunity to learn from our experiences,” she shared.
Reflecting on WIM Fiji’s growth since its inception two years ago, Lativerata noted considerable progress, thanks largely to the support from the Fijian Media Association, which acknowledged the importance of uplifting the chapter, given that many content creators in Fiji’s media landscape are women.
Lativerata expressed gratitude for the support from their male colleagues, who are allies in their efforts. “A representative from Women In Media Australia mentioned how this was a valuable lesson for their chapter,” she said. “It is encouraging to know we are setting a benchmark even for established groups like Women In Media Australia, which was instrumental in our formation.”
In addition, Fay Volatabu, executive director of femLINK Pacific, remarked on the significance of being involved as a civil society organization in the PINA Summit. “This was a landmark event because women were able to propose five different recommendations to be presented to the PINA Board,” Volatabu noted.