The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) is advocating for greater inclusion of men in conversations about women’s issues to enhance understanding and support.
FWRM team leader of the Intergenerational Women’s Leadership Program, Selita Tikobua, acknowledged while FWRM’s forums and discussions traditionally focus on women, involving men in these spaces was essential.
“Since we’re a women’s organisation and usually advocate for contentious issues surrounding women, we hold discussions or forums and send out invitations, which are mostly extended to women to amplify our issues,” Ms Tikobua said at the Fiji Human Rights Movement roundtable discussions.
“However, we found we also need to include men within our spaces, because the messages we try to portray are often aimed at men.
“So, how can we come to that level of understanding, and help them understand what our issues are?”
Ms Tikobua cited research on menopause as an example where only women participated in data collection and suggested it would be beneficial to involve men, such as husbands, to foster broader understanding within families.
“This approach can help build understanding across the board and within families.”
