Fiji booklet looks to encourage women into politics

Transcript

A publication telling the stories of women's political experiences has been released in Fiji.

The Fiji Women's Forum Coordinator Kelerayani Gavidi says the booklet includes a profile of the Speaker of the House Jiko Luveni.

Ms Gavidi told Koro Vaka'uta the book is part of an effort to increase the participation of women in decision-making.    

KELERAYANI GAVIDI:  There was talk of this need to highlight the visibility of women in political participation or rather women and their stories, their experiences, their lived realities in terms of their involvement in the political landscape, in Fiji's political landscape.  It was from that idea that this project was birthed, however in terms of objective, one involved just increasing the visibility of women and their political stories.  Not only in this publication but really in our communities.  We also would like to highlight inter-generational messages or linkages between our older women and our younger women and how there are many young women here in Fiji who have this interest to dive into our political landscape but it goes also with the fact that there hasn't been much highlighted on women's involvement in the past, so what would it be like to increase both awareness and knowledge on women's political stories.

KORO VAKA'UTA:  Does this contain stories of prominent people in politics currently like the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker of the House?  Is it those types of people that this is looking at?

KG:  The booklet is a collection of women's involvement in politics but really also the involvement in various capacities.  It is not only limited to women who have been candidates and politics or those who make it into parliament but it also highlights women's experiences with voting, women's experiences with campaigns and political campaigns.  Women's involvement with raising the awareness of civic education in the community.  It is really a multi-dimensional look at women's political stories.  In terms of profiles, the booklet does not have the Leader of the Opposition.  It does have profiles related to the Speaker of Parliament and quite a few other women who have been instrumental in Fiji's past.

KV:  Pacific-wide we are seeing more of a push for women to get involved in the political arena or in decision-making, is this a part of that effort too?

KG:  Definitely.  It is not only about highlighting what is happening in the past and experiences that women have had here in Fiji but also a push towards that, increasing awareness, encouraging women who have an interest in that area in particular.  Urging them to move ahead, come forward.  To highlight that you can't progress as a nation if you don't consider the aspects and experiences of your women.

KV:  How is this booklet accessible to the public?

KG:  The booklet is intended to be a resource and we would love to have it on everyone's shelves, however there is limited copies that have been printed.  A particular audience we would like to target is the high schools so we are hoping to circulate these books later on next year but for the benefit of the launch there was 100 books printed.  There will be more copies printed, probably by next month.