FIJI is now a member of the Women in Tech Global movement – the world’s leading organisation dedicated to closing the gender gap and empowering women to embrace technology – following the launch of Women in Tech Fiji at the GPH in Suva yesterday.
With this launch, members in Fiji can access services and benefits of the global movement that has chapters in 54 countries across six continents and a membership of more than 250,000 individuals.
While launching the initiative, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs and Communications Manoa Kamikamica said this initiative had been a long time coming.
He cited the ambitious target set under the National Digital Strategy recently launched in Suva to prepare towards 10 per cent contribution to Fiji’s real GDP by 2030, which required a collective effort from all partners and stakeholders.
“To do this, we must confront a persistent challenge – the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“Globally, women comprise only about 31 per cent of STEM researchers and personnel in research and development professions. Imagine how much lower this number is for our region.”
Mr Kamikamica said that gender disparity represented a significant loss of potential innovation and economic growth, and it also impacted cybersecurity and resilience.
He said to fully capitalise on the potential of ICT and digital development, it was imperative to foster an environment where women were not only participants but also leaders in the tech space.
“By empowering women in ICT, we can unlock new avenues for innovation, enhance our global competitiveness and build a more inclusive digital economy.”
Mr Kamikamica called on governments, businesses, civil society and NGOs, academic and communities to support the initiative, and to build a future where women were not only consumers of technology but its architects, creators, innovators and leaders.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated April 15, 2025
