More than 360 women artisans are showcasing their talents at the sixth National Women’s Expo at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.
Women, Children and Social Protection Minister Lynda Tabuya said at the opening ceremony yesterday the expo had a proven track record — benefitting women artisans in more ways than one.
“Sales records over the years have progressively grown despite the number of exhibitors being strategically lessened to ensure the highest quality and supply was prioritised,” she said.
Ms Tabuya said the national event would be an ongoing program with the Government recognising the role women play in the handicraft and fashion industry in Fiji.
The theme of the event is ‘DigitaALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality’ which is aligned to the UN theme for the International Women’s Day.
“Innovation and technology provide unprecedented opportunities and it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our future societies,” Ms Tabuya said.
Some activities that will run through the three-day event include the Fiji Rural Women’s Fashion Show, gender-based violence training, women in leadership training, financial literacy, book keeping, flower arrangement, sewing maintenance, pattern drafting and tie-dye skills training.
“The National Women’s Expo is a powerful symbol of what can be achieved when we come together as a nation,” Ms Tabuya said.
“It is a call to action, urging us to further invest in the potential of our rural women artisans, to create an enabling environment for their businesses to flourish, and to promote their products on both the national and international stages.”
