Ulamila Cakau has made a heartfelt and urgent appeal to women, encouraging them to embrace their roles within the home to foster positive change in their communities.
Speaking as the Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection at the 2024 Fiji Women’s Mock Parliament, Mrs. Cakau shared a personal conviction she believes could be transformative for women everywhere.
She emphasized that by fully embracing their roles as mothers and community members, women have the power to transform their homes and consequently address societal issues such as drug abuse and other social challenges.
Mrs. Cakau underscored the home as a “safe space,” highlighting it as a crucial environment where women wield significant influence.
“In this home, you and I have power and authority. We have the time and ability to make a difference within our families and our nation,” Mrs. Cakau said.
“In this space, it is up to us to make our marriage work, in this space we birth and nurture our babies, in this space we teach, teach, and teach again,” she added.
“We teach values, we teach about God and love, we teach wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, kindness, respect, and humility. Women present and watching today, how do we do this? We need time, understanding, grace, and commitment. We must walk the talk.”
Mrs. Cakau stressed the importance of consistency between words and actions, noting that children are the first to notice such discrepancies.
“Get off the phone, get off social media ladies! Get your children off social media, get them to read. In the critical years of our children, we must pay the price, we must make time.”
“Let’s do it ladies, let’s return to the four walls of our homes, make a difference, and come out victorious.”
Mrs. Cakau’s message was clear: by dedicating themselves to their roles within the home, women can effect meaningful change and emerge victorious in their efforts to improve society.