Apenisa Waqairadovu 
[File Photo]
The Cabinet has approved the submission of its sixth State Report on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to the United Nations Committee.
The report highlights key areas impacting women and girls in Fiji.
It outlines general information about their status, the effects of COVID-19 on women’s rights, and efforts towards recovery.
It also focuses on the visibility and implementation of the CEDAW treaty, the role of national machinery and non-governmental organizations in advancing women’s rights, and measures addressing gender-based violence, child marriage, trafficking, and exploitation.
The report includes significant developments such as the decriminalization of women exiting prostitution, criminalizing statutory rape, redefining sexual assault laws, and promoting women’s participation in politics, education, and the economy.
Health issues, including access to abortion and improved cervical cancer screening, are also addressed. Additionally, the report underscores support for rural women and disaster risk reduction initiatives, particularly for vulnerable groups, including women with disabilities.
Fiji ratified CEDAW in 1995. The treaty, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women worldwide.
