Singh defines herself as a proud feminist
As a feminist, Nalin Singh finds it very fitting to be the head of one of the most cutting edge NGOs in Fiji and the Pacific region.
Ms Singh is an Executive Director (ED) of the Fiji Women’s Right Movement (FWRM) and has been attaining this role since 2017.
She defines herself as a proud feminist in that she believes that all genders have equal rights and opportunities.
“For me, it is also about respecting diverse women’s experiences, identities, knowledge and strengths, and working towards when all women can realise their full rights,” Ms Singh said.
“It is about balancing the differences between genders, and ensuring that diverse women and girls have the same opportunities in life available to boys and men.”
She said it had been a step by step process of getting into the ED’s role.
“I began as a junior staff - as a programme assistant then worked my way up. I have learnt to be motivated and to doubt myself less,” she added.
“I talk to those that I look up to and seek their advice often. I do my best to remain grounded as the work we do is for others and it can be challenging.”
Prior to joining FWRM, Ms Singh worked as the Programme Manager- Advocacy and Capacity Building for the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 7 years and a Programme Officer at the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) in Chaing Mai, Thailand for 5 years.
Ms Singh’s introduction to working in the women’s movement was through her experience with regional women’s rights NGOs.
Over the years, and through different organisations that she had worked for, the passion for working for women and creating change for the better was very much the driving force behind her work.
“Gender injustice comes in many forms and we are battling generations of patriarchal mindsets and behaviour that is a major barrier to lifting the standards for women but as women’s rights defenders, advocates and activists, it is our job to ensure that women are recognised and their contributions and rights are valued and they get to have a say in all decisions that affect their lives on a daily basis.”
So after working abroad for 12 years, Ms Singh returned home in 2017 to put to good use the experience and knowledge gained.
“It has been a wonderful 6 years for me as a feminist to contribute back to my own country,” she said.
Advocacy for gender equality
Ms Singh said the advancement of digital technology presented opportunities to push our advocacy for gender equality forward. “Awareness and information campaigns on the women’s and girls’ rights and issues can be increased through more creative ways of using technology,” she said.
“However, the digital environment is also a space where violence can occur.
“FWRM’s studies on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in 2016 also identified cyber/online violence as another form of violence and it is imperative that we take a gender responsive approach when using transformative technology and implementing digital education to address women and girls’ issues.
“At FWRM, we use social media platforms and applications that can create creative methods of reaching out to our audiences.”