Fiji represented at Commonwealth virtual meeting on COVID-19
Fiji participated in a first- ever Virtual Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers for Women’s Affairs and Gender and Development on COVID-19. The high level meeting held last Thursday, allowed for robust dialogue among international communities to build solidarity and commitment towards gender advocacy and social inclusion in global response to building back better, post- COVID recovery.
The discussions at the meeting focused on the Commonwealth’s four priorities on gender equality pertaining to:
■ Women in Leadership,
■ Women’s Economic Empowerment,
■ Ending Violence against Women and
Girls
Gender and Climate Change
Fiji’s High Commission in United Kingdom capitalised on this platform to share information, enhance the existing partnerships and explore further potentials to advance women’s and girls’ rights and interests post COVID-19.
While representing Fiji at this meeting, Fiji’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Mr Jitoko Tikolevu, said: “Fiji reiterated the unique relation between Women and Climate Change, particularly women’s access to green jobs and climate-resilient livelihoods as a key stepping stone to help economies bounce back.
“Member countries provided updates on key challenges currently encountered with gender inequality and COVID-19, strategies been adopted to address this, and results that have been achieved through implementation, lessons learned; as well as good practices that have been adopted,” High Commis
sioner Tikolevu said.
The meeting also discussed the “crises beyond the pandemic- Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Climate Change.”
It was also observed that across every sphere, from health to the economy, that the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls, globally. Gender based violence, and economic hardship has significantly increased and that women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change.
Women leaders ranging from Heads of State and Government, to youth leaders shared their insights based on their experiences before and during this crisis. Exchanges focused on the dimensions of GBV and gender and climate change.
The meeting was chaired by Professor Margaret Kobia, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender, Government of Kenya and co-facilitated by the Commonwealth Secretary- General.