Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[Source: Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection - Fiji/ Facebook]
Achieving true gender equality demands political will, bold actions, feminist leadership, and meaningful partnerships for transformative change.
Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya shared this while speaking at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
She said while progress has been made on the Beijing Declaration, the bold promise of equality, dignity, and opportunity for women and girls is yet to be fully realized.
Tabuya also said that Fiji recognizes that the promise of Beijing 1995 cannot be fulfilled by maintaining the status quo or relying on symbolic gestures.
She also said that Fiji has pledged to advance the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action with renewed focus and determination, and called on global leaders to honor the legacy of the Beijing Declaration with tangible actions.
Tabuya outlined Fiji’s achievements, such as the 57% of tertiary graduates being female, the enactment of gender-sensitive legislation and policies, improved maternal health services, and increased reporting and recognition of the need to address gender-based violence.
She emphasized that progress must translate into meaningful change and highlighted Fiji’s transformative initiatives that are in the pipeline.
The Minister urged participants to critically examine how financial and technical partnerships for gender equality are structured and delivered, warning against ineffective leadership that fails to address local needs.
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