THE Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) has expressed disappointment that proposed electoral law amendments have failed to include measures aimed at increasing women’s representation in Parliament.
FWRM executive director Nalini Singh told the Parliamentary Standing Committee yesterday that temporary special measures had been among recommendations made by women’s organisations during the Electoral Reform Commission’s consultation process.
“It is a very significant issue that was brought into the submission process with the Electoral Reform Commission and it represents the issue that women have been raising for over a decade or so,” Ms Singh said.
She said women’s organisations had been hoping the issue would be addressed through the current round of electoral amendments.
“We were really looking forward to having that included in this round of amendments, but unfortunately we have missed that.”
Ms Singh said women were once again left feeling ignored in the electoral reform process.
“The women of Fiji are very disappointed to not being heard again.”
She urged MPs on the committee to recognise the opportunity to introduce measures to improve women’s political representation.
“I hope that in the outset, you will recognise that this was an opportune time to introduce some measures somewhere because there were a plethora of different ways in which we could have been addressing the issue suggested in our submissions, but none of it made it into this round.
“So we are very disappointed with that.”
