Women in politics and public life

go through Christine RovoiNeutrophils

Last year, Pacific Island women politicians gathered in Auckland for a “Women’s Power” forum.
photo: UNDP Fiji

Despite Pacific parliaments advocating for gender equality, fewer women than men participate in politics and public life at the local, national and regional levels, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) says.

Data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union shows that the proportion of female parliamentarians has been declining globally for years. Only 25.6% of parliamentary seats are held by women, and the same is true in the Pacific region, where only 6.9% of seats are held by women.

In New Zealand, Parliament celebrated having a majority of female MPs for the first time in 89 years after Elizabeth McCombs was sworn in.

In 1893, a petition calling for women to be given the vote was circulated throughout the debating halls, and within weeks more than 100,000 women signed up to vote in the general election.

However, this is not the case for our friends in Fiji. Although more women vote than men in Fijian elections, women MPs only account for 10% of the total number of MPs.

The country’s gender assessment shows that 81 per cent of Fijians agree that women are underrepresented at decision-making levels.

Minister for Women Linda Tabuya said she was concerned about the lack of empowerment of women and girls across Fiji.

Speaking at the Women’s Public Leadership Conference in Suva this week, Tabua also expressed her concerns about the low representation of women and the legal status of “women in senior positions at all levels, especially in the honourable chamber of our Parliament”.

The summit was chaired by Fijian Speaker of the Parliament Ratu Naiqama Rarabalavu and the theme was “Enhancing Women’s Participation in Decision-making at All Levels”.

“Like many corners of the world, we have faced many obstacles in our quest for gender equality, but we have also made progress,” Tabua said.

“While we’ve made great strides, women are woefully underrepresented in leadership positions, a stark reminder of the cultural and structural barriers that are ingrained into the fabric of our society.

“A sizeable section of Fijians believes that our country would be better off if more women held leadership positions and actively participated in the decision-making process in all areas of politics and governance.

“However, we have to face the confusing reality. Why are the corridors of power at all levels in Fiji still largely dominated by men?

“How do we explain the discrepancy between the population that supports female leadership and the fact that women received only 8% of the vote in the 2022 elections, and despite 54 female candidates, only six were elected?”

Opposition MP Jone Usamate told the conference that international indicators showed the Pacific region had “underperformed” since 2010.

The former cabinet minister said the Pacific region had fallen to the bottom of global rankings, behind the Middle East and North Africa.

“While we have made some real progress in many Pacific Island countries over the past 25 years, it remains the only region in the world with no women in parliament,” Usamet said.

“It’s very bad, so the reality for us in the Pacific is that national leadership and politics is still very much dominated by men.

“Half of Fiji’s population is women and girls. We know that women bring a different perspective. If you want to get the best out of a country, you have to use every possible resource you have.

“If there’s only one particular view that’s dominant, you’re going to get that particular view. So I think we’re losing out. If we don’t bring that view to the table, we’re paying an opportunity cost.

“Our country has grown to this level through insight alone. So, much of what Fiji has achieved so far is just harnessing the insight and wisdom of half of our women,” Usamet said.

Tabuya also recalled how she was treated after she was embroiled in an alleged sex and drug controversy earlier this year.

The scandal cost her her position as deputy leader of the Awami League party as the party deemed the allegations had caused “irreparable damage”.

But Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka retained her as women’s minister, saying no formal complaint had been received against her and he would not act on “unsubstantiated allegations”.

– This article was originally published by Neutrophils.