Minister for Cooperatives Manoa Kamikamica has highlighted promising developments regarding the rise of women and youth-led cooperatives in Fiji. He noted that the Ministry has rolled out strategic programs designed to boost female involvement in cooperatives, which includes enhanced access to grants and financial resources.
Recent data indicates that the proportion of women participating in cooperatives has increased from 12 percent to 20 percent this year. Kamikamica attributed this improvement to targeted outreach campaigns, specialized training programs, and financial support that have successfully encouraged greater involvement by women.
In addition, over the past three years, 398 women and youth have been appointed to board positions within various cooperatives. The Minister expressed the Ministry’s dedication to further enhancing participation among women and youth through policies that are sensitive to gender and youth needs.