Women honoured at WIN 2024

MORE than 200 women from all sectors in the country gathered for a two-day Women Invigorating the Nation (WIN) 2024 Convention at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.

Organised by the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council (WEBC), the convention is an annual event established in 2022 as a platform to help address the needs of women to all levels of business as well as serve as a network base for women entrepreneurs.

While delivering her opening remarks, chief guest and Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya said the convention showcased the strength, creativity, and impactful contribution of Fijian women entrepreneurs.

“Your journey, my dear sisters, marked by relentless hard work, resilience, innovation, and commitment is vital to our collective success as a nation,” Ms Tabuya said.

“Most importantly is lays the foundation for a future where our daughters are not only well represented across all sectors of the economy, but also shattering glass ceilings, assuming their deserved roles as leaders and decision makers in boardrooms and cheers to you all for playing this part.”

United Nations Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Dirk Wagener said many of the issues holding back women’s empowerment were driven by social and cultural norms regarding the role women and men should play.

“As government, the private sector, civil society, and partners, we must use all levers at play to shift the status quo — policy, legislation, financing, education.

“In this regard, let me welcome the efforts of Fiji as the first Pacific Island Country to develop and launch a whole of government, whole of society, inclusive and costed national action plan on violence against women and girls.”

The two-day event ends today.