DESPITE development in the North, many rural women are still struggling to access basic services.
Social Protection Minister Sashi Kiran said communities in rural areas continued to face challenges accessing services that were readily available in urban centres.
“Women in rural areas should be able to get the same services that women in urban centres like Lautoka or Suva receive,” she said.
Ms Kiran said women’s groups in villages and settlements had raised concerns about access to health services, legal aid, and economic opportunities.
She said many women also struggled to reach higher education because of distance and limited resources.
“While we have strong numbers of girls in education, some rural girls are still unable to make it to secondary school or tertiary studies because of distance and other barriers,” Ms Kiran said.
She also acknowledged the heavy workload carried by rural women.
“Our women wake up before everyone else. They plant, harvest, run families, and hold communities together.”
She said stronger partnerships between government agencies and community organisations were needed to ensure services reached even the most remote villages.
