Gender inequality, the growing HIV crisis and gaps in social protection remain urgent challenges in Fiji, says Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran.

Delivering Fiji’s opening statement at the Constructive Dialogue for the Sixth State Report during the Pacific CEDAW Technical Cooperation Session, Kiran said that although progress has been made, challenges remain and require urgent action.

She pointed to Fiji’s low ranking in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report, 128 out of 146 countries, as a clear sign that women continue to face barriers in many areas of society.

Despite making up nearly half of the population, women remain underrepresented in leadership, employment, and access to resources.

Kiran said the Government is working to change this by placing gender equality at the center of its National Development Plan. She confirmed that 53 gender-focused programs are now being implemented across various ministries.

She outlined improvements in agriculture, where a gender policy introduced in 2022 resulted in a 28 percent increase in the number of women farmers receiving support. This far exceeded the initial target of five percent.

Kiran also noted progress in the police force. The number of women in senior roles has increased from one percent in 2016 to 19 percent this year, following gender-responsive reforms.

She said Fiji is now in the second phase of its Gender Transformative Institutional Capacity Development Program, which will run until 2030. This long-term effort is backed by the New Zealand government and local partners and aims to strengthen support for women’s empowerment.

Kiran stated that women are among the main beneficiaries of government welfare schemes. Over 31,000 women receive support under the Social Pension Scheme, while nearly 13,000 women-headed households benefit from the Family Assistance Program.

To further strengthen support for vulnerable families, Kiran said Cabinet has approved a new Adaptive Social Protection Strategy. This includes access to insurance that can help people better prepare for disasters and economic shocks.

In health, she said the Government was expanding access to family planning, maternal services, and cervical cancer screening. A new Maternal and Child Health Policy has been approved and pilot projects for HPV self-swabbing are underway.

However, Kiran raised alarm about Fiji’s fast-growing HIV epidemic. She said the country now has the second fastest-growing rate in the Asia-Pacific region. This rise is being driven by intravenous drug use and risky practices like “bluetoothing,” where drug users share blood to get high.

She said young people especially women and girls are most at risk.

In response, Kiran said the government declared a national HIV outbreak in January and is rolling out point-of-care HIV testing and a new HIV Surge Strategy. A Counter Narcotics Strategy has also been approved to help tackle the spread of drug use.

Kiran states that while Fiji is committed to ensuring no one is left behind, major challenges remain.

She called for stronger partnerships and more support to ensure that Fijian women and girls live in safety, dignity and equality.

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