Fay Volatabu, the executive director of FemLINKPacific, urged political party leaders to ensure support for women by instituting a quota for female candidates in upcoming elections. During a panel discussion organized by Dialogue Fiji, she pointed out that Fiji lacks a general quota or reserved seats for women in Parliament.
“Political party leaders, please ensure that you support women,” Ms. Volatabu emphasized. She highlighted the necessity for political parties to nominate women to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target 5.5.
Quoting the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), she stated, “So, if you want to shoot at me, shoot at IPU because that was there. I’m just quoting it.” She called on political parties to break down barriers and promote female participation in Local Government elections.
In a poignant message, she referenced Margaret Thatcher, saying, “If you want something, ask a man. But if you want something done, ask a woman.” Volatabu stressed the need for political parties to reconsider their approach to quotas for women in politics.