Advocating for electoral reforms that ensure greater representation of women in decision-making bodies is essential, says Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya.
She told the Speaker’s Debate in Suva this week that the Constitution does not allow temporary special measures to allow reserved seats for women in Parliament.
“I am an advocate of temporary special measures, to fill the void of women parliamentarians,” she said.
“While this has yet to happen, we can explore temporary a special measures, in our upcoming local government elections. But this is not a question for me to answer.
“Political parties need to step up and guarantee candidacies for women. Making the barriers to entry, like candidate fees, campaign funds and party leadership positions easier for women.”
Ms Tabuya said there was also a need to tackle the issue of tech-facilitated gender-based violence and equip Fijian women as well as leaders with information and defence mechanisms.
“We, most importantly, must ensure the protection and prosecution of perpetrators.
“I’d like to share my personal experience dealing with the allegations of an affair with a fellow minister and allegations of drug use, which led to my removal as deputy leader of my party.
“While they were merely allegations, I had to endure attacks on social media, vilifying me and labelled me as the minister for bonking and weed by certain social media influencers in an attempt to character assassinate me as a woman, whereas my counterpart who was alleged did not have any repercussions from his party.
“What is a woman leader to do?
“Let alone a woman who is subjected to this type of violence, technology-facilitated gender-based violence or online violence?
“What is her recourse when it crosses borders in international laws?”
