A major new report on gender equality in the Pacific has painted a complex picture for Fiji, highlighting areas of significant advancement alongside persistent challenges in health, safety, and economic opportunity for women and girls.
The Pacific Gender Outlook 2025, published by the Pacific Community (SPC) and UN Women, analyses progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While Fiji outperforms many of its regional neighbours in several areas, the data reveals that women still face substantial barriers.
Fiji stands out for its success in educating girls. The report shows that girls in Fiji are more likely than boys to complete upper secondary education. This trend of higher educational attainment for women continues into the workforce, where female managers and clerical workers in Fiji are, on average, better educated than their male counterparts.
However, this educational advantage has not fully translated into economic parity. Women in Fiji are more likely to be unemployed than men, with a gender gap evident in the unemployment rate. Furthermore, when women are employed, they are more likely than men to be in informal jobs outside the agricultural sector, which often lack social security, stability, and decent pay.
A stark finding for the region, which includes Fiji, is the crisis of violence against women. The Pacific average for intimate partner violence is more than double the global average. While the report notes that legal protections are strengthening, social norms that justify wife-beating under certain circumstances continue to enable violence.
In terms of health, Fijian women over the age of 30 are at considerable risk of obesity, a key driver of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease. The probability of dying prematurely from such diseases is high for both sexes, though slightly lower for women (30%) than men (32%).
The report highlights a clear urban-rural divide. Rural women in Fiji are less likely to deliver their babies in health facilities compared to their urban counterparts, a factor linked to the region’s high maternal mortality rate. This points to unequal health infrastructure and access in remote areas.
Furthermore, while 89% of urban households in Fiji have access to basic drinking water, this figure drops significantly in rural areas. This lack of access to clean water and sanitation exposes women and girls to greater health risks, particularly during menstruation and childbirth.
On a positive note, Fiji is recognised as a regional leader in integrating gender into climate change policy. The report notes that in the second round of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, Fiji placed a “high priority” on integrating gender across its climate policies and systems, a significant step up from its initial submission.
The Pacific Gender Outlook concludes that while Fiji has made important strides, particularly in education and climate policy, targeted efforts are still needed to combat violence against women, bridge the economic gap, and ensure that health and infrastructure services reach the most vulnerable, especially those in rural areas.
