TABUYA HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
FIJI’S MINISTER FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION SAID THIS NEEDED TO BE DONE THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL INITIATIVES ‘Progressing gender equality and the empowerment of all Pacific women and girls is critical to building resilient communities.’
Despite all the challenges, women and girls, in all our diversity, still get up every day and fight. These qualities remind us that women and girls are powerful agents of change.
When they thrive, so do our communities, countries, and our region.
These were the words of the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum at the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The session is scheduled from March 6 to March 17, and is held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, U.S.A.
Progress in the region
Ms Tabuya said the Pacific had existing regional policy
frameworks that asserted the importance of technology as an accessibility tool including for quality education and providing educational opportunities for all women and girls.
“The Pacific Regional ECommerce Strategy and Roadmap, Pacific Aid for Trade Strategy and the Roadmap for Economic Development promote women’s economic empowerment through technological initiatives, such as online banking solutions, and financial services to women in rural areas to promote their financial inclusion,” Ms Tabuya said. “Several Pacific Island countries have formed Women in IT groups and provide scholarships, training opportunities, internships, online networks and annual camps for women and girls.
“Rural women in Fiji and Vanuatu use mobile devices, and media platforms to communicate weather and preparedness updates.
“The Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration guides regional and national actions for progressing gender equality, women’s empowerment, and commits to integrating gender perspectives across development sectors, including digital technology development.”
Key challenges and responses
Ms Tabuya added that while the region had made some progress, more was needed to be done.
She said gender inequality remained a key barrier to
stability, economic progress and well-being.
“I am reminded of the realities we face every day – increasing rates of genderbased violence, the burden of unpaid work, low representation of women in decision-making positions, and dealing with the disproportionate impacts of climate change, among other things,” Ms Tabuya said.
“Many women continue to face barriers in accessing technology due to a lack of digital literacy, social and cultural norms, and lack of financial resources.
“Many women and girls in rural and maritime communities do not have access to internet and cannot afford data, smartphones and computers. This has real impacts on their lives and rights, including education and employment.
“Women and girls with disabilities face accessibility barriers that prevent them from fully participating in and benefiting from the digital age. Assistive devices and disability-related digital technology, software and services are not affordable and accessible.
“Online gender-based violence, cyber security issues, further impedes Pacific women and girls’ full and effective use of online services and social media. The use of social media to attack people’s character, reputation, and spread misinformation are also barriers to political leadership of Pacific women, which is significantly low.”
Ms Tabuya said we had seen,
during the outbreak of COVID-19, how critical accessing and using digital technology was for education.
She said there were many communities in the Pacific where women and girls had limited access to computers and internet, greatly impacting their ability to attain quality education. “Progressing gender equality and the empowerment of all Pacific women and girls is critical to building resilient communities,” Ms Tabuya said.
Way forward
“We must work together and adopt a holistic approach to ensure that digital technology is inclusive, equitable, accessible, affordable, and safe,” Ms Tabuya said. “We need real commitment and concrete actions to transform the way we produce, consume and live otherwise our world as we know it, will disappear. Technology and innovation can greatly improve the lives and livelihoods of all women and girls.”