National Forum on Women in Politics in Fiji

In this year’s Forum of the C3-Fiji Project, International IDEA is inviting women MPs, officials from the Ministry of Women, Fiji Women Rights Movement (FWRM), Fiji Women Crisis Centre (FWCC), Fijian Elections Office (FEO), civil society organizations, young aspiring interested women, women from marginalized groups, and academics to discuss the  persistent challenges and emernging opportunities regarding women in politics in Fiji. This year’s forum will also allow participants to join online so that the messages can be reached to many.

The C3-Fiji Project has organized National Forums on Women in Politics (NFWPs) in 2018 and 2019. In the last forum, a group of potential women candidates from various political parties interacted with former and current women Members of Parliament (MPs), and also with unsuccessful women candidates from past elections about what works when promoting women in politics. The academia, Supervisor of Elections (SoE), former women MP’s from the Melanesian region, and the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement joined and shared their views on succesfull strategies and approaches.

In addition, the 2018 General Elections of Fiji was discussed by the SoE who provided key statistics and information which in turn can help the future women candidates in view of upcoming General Elections in 2022. Both forums attracted high profile former women politicians and candidates from Fiji’s major political parties. The 2019 Forum was officially opened by Fiji’s Minister for Women and attended by the EU Ambassador, the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat (MSGS) Director General and two invited highly renowned participants from the Pacific Islands.

Building on the successes of the previous National Forums on Women in Politics, and to keep the issue of more women in politics at the forefront, this year's Forum focuses on strategies to attract more aspiring women in politics. The Forum is part of the C3–Fiji Project which is funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA.