THE history of Fiji’s Parliament cannot be fully told without recognising the contribution of women, says Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko.
Mr Jitoko acknowledged the contribution of women during the launch of the Celebrating Women in Parliament, 1966-2026, a booklet by the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Fiji Group in Suva yesterday.
He said the publication was more than a historical record, as it preserved the stories of women who broke barriers and helped shape Fiji’s democracy.
“It is part of our history and it should be kept for the future of our people to understand how democracy grew out of this country and especially the contribution of women to the growth of democracy,” he said.
The Speaker of the House highlighted the contribution of Fiji’s first women parliamentarians, Adi Losalini Raravuya, Loloma Livingston and Irene Jai Narayan, who entered Parliament in 1966.
“It is not a matter of just trying to fill the numbers, but it is the contribution of women themselves in the process of being part of the decision-making process.”
CWP Fiji Group deputy chairperson Premila Kumar said the publication was created to preserve stories that could have been lost over time.
Ms Kumar said compiling the booklet was challenging as information about former women parliamentarians was scattered across different sources.
“People had memories, but once you go, the memories go too,” she said.
Mr Jitoko said the publication should inspire future generations of women and girls to consider leadership and public service.
“I hope that every young woman and girl who reads this publication will see more than photographs and biographies. I hope they will see possibilities.”
