Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran has opened formal talks with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on a new programme aimed at boosting the digital skills of Fijian women, a development the ministry says will strengthen women’s socio‑economic participation nationwide.
Kiran met with KOICA’s new Deputy Country Director Seoyeun Bang, accompanied by Hankyulsam Cho, to discuss collaboration on the Digital Literacy Program for Fijian Women, an initiative supported by KOICA. The programme is being positioned as a practical measure to deliver on the Women’s Economic Empowerment National Action Plan (WEENAP) 2025–2030 and will focus on three pillars: improving digital literacy, supporting women’s entrepreneurship, and building institutional capacity within government and community organisations.
Officials said the programme will prioritise outreach to women in the Central and Western Divisions, specifically targeting rural and maritime communities as well as informal settlements where access to digital tools and training is often limited. The ministry intends to give first priority to women who are already receiving assistance through its services and to members of registered women’s groups, with implementation to be coordinated through the Department of Women in the Ministry.
Kiran underlined the rationale for the programme, noting that digital skills are increasingly essential for meaningful participation in the economy. “Digital literacy is crucial for enabling women to participate meaningfully in today’s digital economy,” she said, acknowledging KOICA’s continued support for initiatives that expand skills and opportunities for women.
The meeting represents the latest step in Fiji’s broader push to remove barriers to women’s economic participation. Government strategies such as WEENAP link gender equality interventions to economic gains; a previous ministerial assessment cited by the ministry suggested that reducing gendered barriers could yield significant economic benefits. KOICA, as a bilateral development partner, has supported other social and capacity‑building projects in the Pacific and its backing of a targeted digital literacy effort signals an emphasis on skills that can feed directly into entrepreneurship, employment and access to online services.
Details on funding, exact timelines and the rollout schedule were not released following the meeting. Ministry officials indicated that further planning sessions with KOICA and implementing partners will outline training modules, delivery mechanisms tailored to remote and maritime contexts, and monitoring arrangements to ensure the initiative reaches the groups identified as priority beneficiaries.
As the programme moves from planning to delivery, its success will be measured not only by the number of women trained but by whether increased digital capability translates into sustained income‑generating opportunities, stronger women’s organisations and improved access to services — outcomes the government has made central to achieving WEENAP’s objectives through to 2030.
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