FIJI’S OPENING STATEMENT AT THE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE FOR THE 6TH STATE REPORT AT THE PACIFIC CEDAW TECHNICAL COOPERATION SESSION

Statement by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Hon. Sashi Kiran.

The Chairperson,
Esteemed Members of the CEDAW Committee, Ladies and Gentlemen 
 
Bula Vinaka and warm greetings from the Government and the People of Fiji. 
 
I wish to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land past, present and future, Vanua o Nadonumai, Turaga naTui Suva and by extension the paramount Chief of Rewa and Confederacy of Burebasaga, noqu Gone Marama Bale Na Roko Tui Dreketi. 
 
The Government of Fiji expresses its sincere gratitude to the Committee for bringing the CEDAW Technical Cooperation to the region. We are deeply honored to host you for the first time and to provide our people with the invaluable opportunity to actively participate in public consultations and thematic dialogues with your esteemed members.
 
As a long-standing signatory to CEDAW, and a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, Fiji places great importance on meeting our obligations under the Convention, and our delegation will do our best to answer your questions today. Fiji had undertaken a comprehensive consultative process to formulate our 6thState CEDAW Report and is committed to the full and equal realization of women and girls’ human rights, to securing substantive gender equality and the empowerment of diverse women socially, politically and economically.

Being here, I am humbled by the great Fijian women who have gone before me, trailblazers, feminists and women leaders who represented Fiji on this platform. Madam Chairperson, I would like to introduce the Fijian delegation here today with me : 
• Ms. Eseta Nadakuitavuki, the Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Social Protection
• Ms. Emily Kamoe-Veiqati,  Director for Women
• Ms. Amelia Nairoba and Ms. Anushka Artika, Senior officers from the Department for Women
• Ms. Selai Korovusere, the former Director Women and the current National Co-ordinator for the National Action Plan on the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls
• Ms. Suliana Taukei, Principal Legal Officer of the Office of the Attorney General and her Team
• Mr. Iowane Tiko; Director Curriculum Advisory Services of the Ministry of Education and his Team
• Dr. Rachel Pillay, National Advisor on Family Health
• Ms. Ajinita Devi, National Program Officer Maternal, newborn, reproductive and gender
• Mr. Joeli Ditoka, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs
• Ms. Rosa Motufaga from the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations
• Ms. Monica Dawai, Chief Business Advisor at the Ministry of Trade
• Ms. Arieta Dimuri from the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management
• Mr. Akuila Savu from the Ministry of Defense
• Ms. Makereta Sotutu, the Registrar General
• Ms. Genevieve Jiva, Manager, Climate Change Division 
• Ms. Sainiana Kirisitiana, Acting Chief Agriculture Economist and her Team
• SP Ruci Nasemira, Head of Women’s Advisory in the Fiji Police Force
 
Chairperson,
Fiji is an archipelago of 330 islands, with a population of 884,887 of which 49.3% are women. The country has held regular elections since the end of military rule in 2014, with the latest in 2022. Fiji’s governance is decentralized, consisting of four divisions and fourteen provinces, each with its own diverse cultural identities and geographical challenges.

The Fiji Constitution outlines the country's government structure, which includes the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary. Fijian women are crucial to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the nation. They contribute significantly to family life, community leadership, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and increasingly in leadership roles. However, challenges such as gender-based violenceand underrepresentation in decision-making persist.
 
 The Government of Fiji is committed to addressing these issues. We are committed to regional frameworks like the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific, the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration, and the Triennial Conference of Pacific Women Outcomes Document in shaping the country's approach.
 
We look forward to an interactive dialogue on Fiji’s progress, challenges, and aspirations as we continue working towards achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, reflecting on the progress we have made while identifying areas for further improvement since the submission of the Sixth State CEDAW Report.

Chairperson,
The National Development Plan that was widely consulted recognises that although progress has been made to achieve gender equity and empowerment, it is still lacking in many facets of Fiji’s national development. Although females make up 49.3% of Fiji’s population, they are under-represented in many economic and social aspects. The World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Fiji 128 out of 146 countries. The Government takes this seriously and the NDP ensures that achieving gender equality and empowerment is mainstreamed. 
 
The lead coordinating agency of all CEDAW efforts is the Ministry for Women, Children, and Social Protection, that houses the Department of Women -also known as the Fiji's National Women's Machinery, which ensures that gender-responsive policies and programs are not just developed but are effectively implemented and monitored across all levels of governance. 
 
Fiji published the Fiji Country Gender Assessment Report in 2023, which is a comprehensive analysis on the situation of all women and girls, which represents the Government of Fiji’s commitment to “Leave No One Behind”. 
 
In 2024, Government of Fiji commissioned the design of the second phase Gender transformative Institutional Capacity Development Program (2025-2030); the continuation of the gender mainstreaming journey that began in 2020 supported byGovernment of New Zealand which complements the Gender Responsive Budgeting led by the Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development & Statistics (MoF), with the support of key implementing partners - the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) and the Pacific Community (SPC). 
 
This program is a direct response to the Government of Fiji’s commitment to gender mainstreaming and will help towards building long-term technical capacity required to implement a whole of government transformative approach to gender mainstreaming that has been rolled out to all ministries and departments with a total of 53 programs currently running. 
 
 To provide an example, The Ministry of Agriculture has incorporated gender budgeting into most of its programs and projects. The 2020 Agriculture Censusidentified wide disparity in the composition of crop and livestock farmers with women making up only 14% compared to men at 86%. The formulation of the Gender in Agriculture Policy 2022-2027 aimed to reduce identified gender gaps and ensuring equal access to resources for women and men. With the increased focus on providing equality of funding opportunities and inputs/tools to women, the number of women assisted increased by 28% (compared to target of 5%) to 2,027, which equated to 39% of the total beneficiaries.The Gender Mainstreaming Action Group (GMAG) is active and institutionalized within the Ministry. The Ministry has also developed a database and dashboard for their GRPB projects.
 
Another example- Madam Chairperson - The GRPB process was instrumental in establishing a comprehensive gender focus initiative in the Fiji Police Force (FPF).From 1 % in 2016, women in top management has now increased to 19%.  
 
In April, 2024, the Fiji Government approved the Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) Strategy. This initiative aims to build resilience and provide support to vulnerable population before and after shocks, including anticipatory actions and climatic parametric insurance in partnership with Sun Insurance and the Reserve bank of Fiji with 2000 recipients under the Social protectionschemes. 
 
At this juncture, I would also like to provide data on other existing social protection schemes in Fiji :
o Disability Allowance Scheme –is accessed by 13,816 with 6,080 women and 7,736 men as beneficiaries 
o Social Pension Scheme for senior citizens aged 65 yrs+: total of 56,714 beneficiaries with 31,593 women and 25,121 men. 
o Care and Protection Allowance – total of 11,900 beneficiaries with 6,783women and 5,117 men 
o Family Allowance Scheme – benefitting 24,012 households, 12,966 women led and 11,046 men led households 
o Rural Pregnant Mothers Scheme – total 640 women beneficiaries  
o Transport Allowance Scheme - Elderly (60 yrs+) category has 28,761 beneficiaries with 10, 933 women and 17,828 men; and 
o Persons with disabilities category has a total of 833 beneficiaries with 210 women and 623 men.  
 
Additionally, the Fiji Government hasdeveloped Fiji’s National Policy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2024-2033 which has a human rights-based approach, viewing persons with disabilities as capable of making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society.
 
Health 
Reproductive Health Services: Fiji’s 2020 Health Facility Readiness Service Assessment found that 95% of health facilities provide family planning services.The logistics management for supplies has improved, with stock outs decreasing from 45% in 2022 to 22.5% in 2024. Staff training on contraceptive logistics management continues, with a training of trainers (TOT) conducted in the Central and Western divisions in 2023. In 2023, 87% of sub-divisional hospitals provided adolescent reproductive health services, 60.9% provided gender-based violence (GBV) services and 100% provided family planning services.
 
Fijis first Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Policy:  was endorsed in February 2025, aiming to deliver comprehensive services for mothers and children, from conception to the child’s fifth year. The policy ensures that essential services continue during health emergencies and that post-partum care includes non-communicable disease screening, family planning, breastfeeding support, and mental health services.  
 
 The Maternal Perinatal Death Surveillance Response (MPDSR) was developed with UNFPA support to monitor and improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. A national training on this guideline took place in 2023, training 24 supervisors nationwide, 87% of facilities offer antenatal care (ANC) services, and 81% provide postnatal care (PNC), with all divisional hospitals providing these services. Tertiary hospitals also provide telehealth support for high-risk women.
 
 In 2024, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) initiatedStandard Operating Procedure for Cervical Cancer with the finalization of CervicalCancer Policy and Plan for Fiji.  MHMS also conducted a pilot program for HPV self-swabbing, which included on-site testing and treatment. 
 
Fiji has a growing public health and national security crisis, being the second-fastest-rising HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region. A disturbing surge in infections—especially among those under 39—is being driven by intravenous drug use and dangerous practices like "bluetoothing,". This reckless trend is not only fueling HIV transmission but disproportionately endangering the lives of women and girls. 

The government has responded with urgency—through the National HIV Surge Strategy and the National Counter Narcotics Strategy—adopting a whole-of-nation approach for prevention, harm reduction andtreatment.
 
 In 2023, the country introduced Point of care testing for screening HIV cases. This saw an  increase in number of  HIV-positive cases across the nation. To respond effectively, the MHMS declared a National Outbreak of HIV in January 2025 and has been responding with growing advocacy of testing and treatment.

Education
Madam Chairperson, Fiji is committed to enhancing the educational landscape, striving to provide equitable and quality education to all its citizens. Recentassessments indicate Fiji’s net enrolment rate (NER) in primary education is almost100%.
 
 The Government of Fiji has implemented various measures to support families with school-age children. These include providing free textbooks to all primary and secondary schools, offering Free Education Grants to government-funded schools (including Early Childhood Education, Primary, and Secondary schools), and assisting eligible parents back to school support cash, bus fares for their children’s transportation to schools. In areas not accessible by bus, free boats and engines are provided for students attending maritime schools. 
 
Net Enrolment Rate in secondary school (85%) is just under the NDP target of 86%. Adolescent girls are more likely than boys to transition from primary to secondary school; among children aged 14–18 years, 91% of girls are enrolled in secondary school. 
 
More women then men have been recipients of Tertiary Scholarships and Loans scheme (TSLS) scholarships over the past five years.  Almost 55% of all those who graduate from our tertiary institutionsare women, greatly improving theiropportunities of employment. 
 
Ministry of Women continues to allocate $100,000 annually to institutions that offer vocational training tailored for women. Notable beneficiaries include the Ba Women's Forum, Makoi Vocational Training Center for Women and Lifebread Fiji's Alamanah Training Center, which have trained an average of 809 women between 2019-2023. These centers equip women with practical skills, enhancing their employability and fostering economic independence.​

Economic empowerment
Empowering women economically is a cornerstone of Fiji's commitment to sustainable development. The national vision is to create a more inclusive economy, where women play an equal role in driving growth and prosperity. While economic empowerment programs are offered across Ministries and through the support of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, women now have greater access to financial products across service providers, in order to bring a coordinated approach, Cabinet approved the development of the National Action Plan for Women's Economic Empowerment in 2024. The plan outlines strategies to promote women's participation in the economy, focusing on access to resources, markets, and services, as well as addressing legal and cultural barriers. 
 
The national action plan aims to tackle structural barriers that limit economic participation, particularly in the informal economy, rural and maritime areas, and marginalized communities. These include unequal access to financial services, restrictive lending practices, limited digital financial inclusion, and socio-cultural norms that constrain women’s financial decision-making. 

Women’s leadership
Chairperson
We are taking several significant steps to promote women's participation in political and public life. We are focused on legal, policy, and societal reforms to help increase women's involvement in politics and decision-making. Fiji Law Reform Commission is undertaking consultations on Electoral Reforms and Temporary Special Measures are under consideration.  
 
With the support of International Republic Institute we have conducted 25 district levels awareness and capacity building workshops to help prepare women to enter politics. Through engaging current and former women politicians, the initiative created a powerful platform for experience-sharing and dialogue. Participants openly explored the systemic and social barriers, while discussions encouraged aspiring candidates to develop their profiles and plan campaigns. 
 
More than 2000 community women’s organisations are registered with our Ministry. We are developing district women’s forums to roll out leadership programs across these networks.
 
 Parliament of Fiji organized Women’s Practice Parliament that generated a lot of interest among women on how Parliament works. Youth Parliament is on Parliamentary calendar this year. 

Access to Justice
Chairperson
Access to justice means ensuring that everyone, especially vulnerable canunderstand their legal rights, access legal services, and navigate the justice system effectively to resolve their legal challenges. Legal Aid Services provide free or subsidised legal representation in criminal, family, civil, and employment cases as well as domestic violence, child custody, and other family matters.
 
 Ministry of iTaukei Affairs looks after the affairs of the indigenous people. The Coalition Government has reinstated the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs/Sugar, reflecting a commitment to addressing theneeds of diverse communities. This ministry plays a crucial role in promoting social cohesion and addressing the unique challenges faced by various ethnic groups, including marginalized women.​

Madam Chairperson Fiji has established Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission:The establishment of this commission demonstrates Fiji's commitment to addressing past injustices.​ The Commission is expected to conduct hearings on harm done through the political upheavals since 1987. 

Gender Based Violence
Chairperson
Government acknowledges the high prevalence of gender-based violence in Fiji and is focused on strengthening tertiary, secondary and primary prevention approaches aiming to stop violence before it happens. Fiji has boldly called out patriarchy as the root cause of violence. This is our commitment to reviewing systems and structures that contribute to our high rates of violence.
 
In June 2023, Fiji launched the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023-2028.  I acknowledge the Government of Australia for its technical and financial assistance in the development and the implementation of the plan for the next 5 years until 2028.  Fiji Government has also dedicated budget for the implementation of the plan. 
 
As a result of high level dialogues with traditional leaders after the reconvening ofthe Great Council of Chiefs (GCC), the GCC Regulations 2024 now includes violence against women and children as 1 of its 12 strategic directions. This paves theway for the implementation of the initiatives under the plan to be implemented across the 15 provinces that includes Rotuma.
 
To influence children early in life, the Ministry of Education through their revised curricula is building comprehensive social, emotional skills for healthy, non-violent, gender equal, respectful and safe relationships among primary and secondary school students.

TFGBV and Online Safety 
Technology facilitated gender based violence is a growing concern, Chairperson, Fiji has over 96% coverage of connectivity and we have to ensure that our people  are empowered with the necessary tools to be safe online.
 
Educational outreach remains a cornerstone of our prevention strategy. Online Safety Commission is conducting Community awareness through schools and communities using deeply rooted traditional values of veidokai and veilomani, promoting respectful, compassionate, and safe conduct in the online space. 
 
Fiji recently acceded to the Council of Europe Budapest Convention – the only binding international instrument against cybercrime. Given the transborder nature of cyber crimes and technology facilitated gender based violence (TFGBV) and that servers on which electronic evidence for crimes are hosted, may be located in a separate country, becoming a State Party enables our criminal justice system. Cabinet has endorsed for Fiji to sign the Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention and for the Ministry of Communications to undertake the necessary steps for accession.
 
Through the Convention, Fiji is part of the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention Committee AI Working Group which is mandated to do a mapping study on cybercrime, e-evidence and AI. This will build capacity and enable us to address AI generated child abuse and exploitation materials. 
 
Fiji has been actively contributing to the UN Open Ended Working Group on ICTs(UNOEWG) since it was established in 2019. Fiji has been part of the UN OEWG Women In Cyber Fellowship since 2020 and has strongly advocated for the full and meaningful participation and leadership of women in ICT.
 
Fiji has been actively involved in negotiations of the UN Convention againstCybercrime. This was successfully negotiated and is the first multilateral anti-crime treaty in over 20 years and harmonises child protection. UN General Assembly adopted it on Christmas Eve of 2024.
 
The Ministry through Digital Fiji has also focused on bridging the digital divide by empowering the next generation with technical skill sets and peer mentoring so that young girls can view technology as a career path in order to address the global ICT shortage. An example of this is the successful completion  of 4 month Girls in ICT  Programme conducted at Vunimono High School with a cohort of 55 girls from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. 

Climate Change 
Madam Chairperson, Fiji is acutely aware of the vulnerabilities posed by climate change, particularly its disproportionate impact on women in rural and coastal areas. Last week, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change entered into force 13 parts of the Climate Change Act 2021. The Act not only recognizes the importance of considering gender equality and social inclusion in climate change responses, but also ensures the engagement of women in its implementation.

Madam Chairperson, I have shared a brief summary of some of the progress made by the Fijian Government since we submitted our 6th State report. We acknowledge that improving the status of women is an ongoing process and we will continue to assess and address the gaps in our efforts to achieve gender equality.
 
We recognize that our progress would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of Government Stakeholders, development partners, non-governmental organizations,feminist organisations and civil society groups and I express our appreciation for their contributions.
 
At this juncture, I would like to thank the Pacific Community, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, UN agencies and donor partners who have enabled this week’s proceedings. Madam Chairperson, I thank you and the experts for your time and we look forward to your guidance from your observations. 
 
My delegation and I look forward to an insightful and productive discussion with the Committee. Thank you.