POLITICAL leaders have been challenged to address the stark gender imbalance in Parliament, with Fiji Women’s Practice Parliament Prime Minister Annie Rogers warning that discrimination is costing the country talent, sound judgement and opportunity.
Men account for 90.9 per cent of Parliament’s membership, while women make up just 9.1 per cent. Speaking at the Fiji Women’s Practice Parliament 2026, Ms Rogers questioned whether such a disparity could be justified in a country seeking capable leadership and equal opportunity.
“Are we saying that leadership is distributed 10 to 1 in favour of men?” she asked.
She said the under-representation of women was not simply an issue of fairness, but carried serious economic, governance and democratic consequences.
“Every capable woman held back is expertise lost.
“Discrimination is expensive. It costs us talent, sound judgment, and opportunity.
“This is an economic issue, a governance issue, a democratic issue.”
Ms Rogers said Fiji needed to widen its pool of leadership talent and remove barriers preventing women from participating in decision-making.
She outlined four commitments to improve women’s representation, including transparent pathways into leadership, practical support through mentoring and campaign resources, accountability through published targets and regular reporting, and temporary special measures introduced through consultation and a lawful process.
“What is done must be measured. What falls short must be explained.”
Ms Rogers rejected the idea that leadership opportunities should remain concentrated among men.
She warned that the treatment of women in leadership would shape future generations, influencing how young people viewed authority, inclusion and equality.
