Fiji’s Foreign Affairs Sees Historic Rise of Women in Senior Leadership

Women now represent approximately 43 percent of the workforce in Fiji’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holding senior leadership and professional roles both domestically and internationally. This shift exemplifies the ministry’s commitment to promoting gender equity and inclusion through transparent recruitment processes aimed at ensuring equal opportunities for women in Fiji’s diplomatic missions.

The ministry recently released a statement underscoring the government’s determination to enhance women’s participation and leadership within the foreign service. Notably, for the first time in the nation’s history, women hold top positions in the ministry, including the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Protocol, marking a significant milestone in gender representation.

Several women have made remarkable strides in diplomacy, including Colonel Siliva Vananalagi, who served as Fiji’s first female Military and Police Advisor to the United Nations in New York. Other influential figures are Keleni Seruvatu, who acts as Deputy Permanent Representative at Fiji’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, and Laite Ratuvuki, a Counsellor at the Fiji High Commission in Canberra. The ministry ensures that every Fijian diplomatic mission includes at least one female officer, with 16 women currently stationed abroad and 35 at headquarters in Suva.

Looking ahead, the Ministry aims to further empower women by increasing their representation in senior diplomatic roles, including as Heads of Mission. To facilitate this growth, it is developing a structured career pathway for experienced staff to advance into ambassadorial and leadership positions. This initiative is bolstered by the establishment of the Fijian Institute for Diplomatic Training in Nasese, designed to create a skilled professional base of diplomats equipped for high-level diplomacy.

Guided by Fiji’s Foreign Policy and the National Development Plan, the ministry emphasizes that women’s empowerment and gender equality are pivotal in ensuring a balanced workforce grounded in merit. This commitment not only strengthens the ministry but also promises a more inclusive future for women in diplomacy across Fiji.