The Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lynda Tabuya, met with the UN Women’s New Representative for Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), Ms Delphine Serumaga at the Ministry's Head Office at Civic Towers in Suva.
During the courtesy visit by the UN Women’s New Representative, Minister Tabuya thanked UN Women for their continuous support towards the Ministry over the years. Minister Tabuya also acknowledged the Secretariat and members of the Technical Working Group for the finalisation of the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against All Women and Girls (NAP). “The Fijian Government recognizes its obligation to prevent violence against all women and girls. The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) playing a lead role in the development of the National Action Plan to prevent violence against all Women and Girls (NAP) and works closely with all relevant stakeholders including civil society and faith-based organisations”.
“The government believes that we need a whole of population, whole of government, evidence-based, inclusive and funded National Action Plan to be better placed in preventing violence against all women and girls in Fiji. Nationwide consultations and dialogues with Fijian women, men, girls and boys, stakeholders from key settings/sectors and communities were undertaken in 2021 to inform the development of the National Action Plan. The NAP will set out short, medium- and long-term measures to prevent violence against women and girls by challenging its underlying root causes. It will influence social norms, promote community leadership and set a much stronger culture of equal and respectful relationships between men and women”, she added.
Minister Tabuya concluded by affirming that the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation will continue to work closely with UN Women in promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in Fiji.
UN Women’s New Representative for Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), Ms Delphine Serumaga, said she was pleased to meet with the Hon. Minister and her team at MWCPA to re-affirm their relationship with the Ministry and commitment to progress their shared goals towards the advancement of women and girls in Fiji.
“Our engagement with the Ministry in this joint work will enable us to advance the full realization of women’s rights and opportunities in Fiji where, amongst others, we work in the areas of women’s resilience to disasters, women’s economic empowerment, women’s leadership and ending violence against women and girls,” said Ms Serumaga.
“We also remain dedicated to supporting the Ministry in the launch and implementation of the NAP to prevent violence against all women and girls, in providing technical support towards other national frameworks, as well as continue working in close partnership with the Ministry and the broader women’s civil society organisations towards ending violence against women and girls in Fiji".