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Pacific Women Lead Intergenerational Dialogue to Advance Political Participation

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Pacific Women Lead Intergenerational Dialogue to Advance Political Participation

Source: UN Women

Nadi, Fiji – Over 30 women leaders, youth advocates, parliamentarians and gender equality champions from across the Pacific have gathered in Nadi, Fiji, for the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Regional Intergenerational Dialogue: Waves of Change – Pacific Women in Politics Across Generations, held from 30 September to 1 October 2025.

Convened by UN Women’s Fiji Multi-Country Office under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership initiative, the two-day dialogue brings together diverse voices to reflect on progress, share lived experiences and co-create strategies to advance women’s political participation across generations.

The event opened with remarks from Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, Fiji, who highlighted both progress and setbacks in women’s leadership in Fiji and across the Pacific, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate change.

“Fiji met and even surpassed the SDG 5.5 target in 2018 when women in Fiji made up 20 per cent of Parliament. But in our most recent election in 2022, women’s representation declined to just 10.9 per cent.”

“Women will only participate fully when we also address the intersecting issues of gender-based violence, unpaid work, economic exclusion and unequal access to communication,” said Ms. Nadakuitavuki.

During the two-day dialogue, panel discussions will reflect on the 30-year legacy of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Platform for Action. Breakout sessions will explore the role of social norms, legal frameworks and strategies to address gender-based violence in politics.

Full article here.

 

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https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/stories/press-release/2025/09/pacific-women-lead-intergenerational-dialogue-to-advance-political-participation

Nadi, Fiji – Over 30 women leaders, youth advocates, parliamentarians and gender equality champions from across the Pacific have gathered in Nadi, Fiji, for the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Regional Intergenerational Dialogue: Waves of Change – Pacific Women in Politics Across Generations, held from 30 September to 1 October 2025.

Convened by UN Women’s Fiji Multi-Country Office under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership initiative, the two-day dialogue brings together diverse voices to reflect on progress, share lived experiences and co-create strategies to advance women’s political participation across generations.

The event opened with remarks from Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, Fiji, who highlighted both progress and setbacks in women’s leadership in Fiji and across the Pacific, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate change.

“Fiji met and even surpassed the SDG 5.5 target in 2018 when women in Fiji made up 20 per cent of Parliament. But in our most recent election in 2022, women’s representation declined to just 10.9 per cent.”

“Women will only participate fully when we also address the intersecting issues of gender-based violence, unpaid work, economic exclusion and unequal access to communication,” said Ms. Nadakuitavuki.

During the two-day dialogue, panel discussions will reflect on the 30-year legacy of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Pacific Platform for Action. Breakout sessions will explore the role of social norms, legal frameworks and strategies to address gender-based violence in politics.

Full article here.

 

Region
Partner
UN Women
Focus areas