Express collective will to do better for our women: FCOSS
HAPPY International Women's Day Fiji. Today as we celebrate IWD, FCOSS hopes that we are taking time to really highlight, elevate and applaud the women that make our families, our communities, our vanua and our country strong.
This year's IWD theme also requires that we consider that women of Fiji are diverse and as such face a variety of challenges that hinder the realisation of their full potential.
#EmbraceEquity as a theme must therefore serve as a reminder that providing equal opportunities for women may not be enough, given the variety of challenges facing our women.
Challenges that face women in rural communities may not necessarily face corporate women in the private sector for instance.
FCOSS hopes that IWD will be about expressing our collective will to do better for our women by ensuring that we
a) recognise that women face different circumstances;
b) and as such require a variety of responses and support to enable their full and meaningful participation, development and contribution to our families, communities, vanua and country.
This just means that inclusion isn't just a sentiment or a blanket approach to dealing with women's equality.
It is intentional and deliberate and therefore requires patience, vision and faith from all sectors of Fiji's society.
In saying this, it would be remiss of me to not pay tribute to the men and the women who did exactly this and have enabled FCOSS to continue to flourish 65 years after it was initially formed. These are people like Sitiveni Kunaika, Lorine Tevi, Hassan Khan, Asela Naisara, Paula Sotutu, Cema Bolabola, Emele Duituturaga, Drew Havea and others who have since passed.
Elders who dreamed of a better Fiji and created pathways for women's leadership from the community to ascend to national platforms to enable the realisation of that vision.
Because of their vision and faith, community women like District Council of Social Services leaders such as Taufa Qoro of Lami, Sophy Radrodro ad Esther Karanavatu of Nasinu, Miliana Iga and Wati Vakaloloma of Suva, Sereana Fenton and Vasiti Cakau of Nausori, Vani Tuvuki and Kelera Lewenilovo of Ba, Irene Kumar and Unaisi Bakewa of Tavua, Shakuntla Parma, Litia Masei of Lautoka, Tima Ralolokula, Julekha Mustapha and Yasmin Khan of Nadi, Sera Coster of Labasa, Sotiana Sorovakatini of Bua, Luse Wilson and Meresiana Roqica of Cakaudrove for instance.
There are many more whose names may not appear here. In doing so, they effectively created the next generation of community women leaders and advocates, many of whom rose to take on the challenge of supporting families under siege from Covid 19 and multiple disasters in the last few years. May the women of Fiji continue to thrive and may we continue to embrace equity for our women