Women will need the support of men in leadership positions if they are to thrive in Fiji’s political arena.

This was the key message shared by Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) Governance Board Member Annie Rogers during the Fiji Parliament Speaker’s Debate, held under the theme, “From Participation to Representation: How Do We Increase Women in Parliament?”

Rogers urged male Members of Parliament and political party leaders to champion greater female representation, saying women have the potential to drive positive change for Fiji but require the backing of those already in positions of influence.

Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko echoed the sentiment, saying the underrepresentation of women is not simply a women’s issue but a democratic issue that affects the quality of governance and representation.

Jitoko acknowledged that Fiji still has a long way to go in achieving gender equality in politics. Of the 55 seats in Parliament, only five are currently held by women, meaning women make up just 9.1 percent of the legislature.

FWRM Governance Board member Akanisi Nabalarua said while considerable effort has been made to prepare women for politics, far less attention has been given to preparing the political system to welcome women.

She stressed that while women must continue to be encouraged and supported to lead, political institutions and leaders also have a responsibility to create an environment where women have equal opportunities to participate, contest elections, and succeed.

BY: LITIA RABUA