RECOGNISING that the Pacific as a region has the lowest level of women’s political representation globally, continued concerted efforts are being made to ensure equal representation in respective national parliaments.
Thirty women parliamentarians from six Pacific island countries are participating in the Pacific Women in Power Forum organised by the United Nations Development Programme Pacific Office in Fiji (UNDP).
Fiji’s Speaker to Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau in his address said there was a need for more equal representation to ensure more equal, stable and prosperous societies.
“Women are an essential, crucial catalyst to sustainable developments, so let us ensure their empowerment so we can live in a more equal, sustainable, stable and prosperous world,” Ratu Epeli said.
The two-day forum, with funding support from the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Japan, provides a space for Pacific women MPs to interact and engage on key issues relevant to their leadership roles and the Pacific context in general.
Some of the topics discussed in the forum include the development of support networks for women MPs, encouraging more women in politics, the development of effective candidate training, and information on economic empowerment, integrity and leadership.
Through this forum, UNDP promotes South-South Pacific and knowledge-sharing and cross-learning.
These connections provide an effective platform for interaction and sharing of best practices for Pacific women MPs who share common contexts and challenges.
More reports from the forum are in today’s edition of The Fiji Times.
