Solidarity and support for women and men working for peace in the Fiji Islands

As Fiji’s initial 30-day Emergency Decree extends into its second 30-day period, International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) offers our solidarity and support to our partner agencies and to all women and their communities living in Fiji. The abrogation of Fiji’s Constitution and Declaration of Emergency will directly impact the economic, social and political environment for all people living in Fiji, extending the underlying uncertainty, division and fear that are legacies of four coups in 20 years. 

The experience of IWDA and our partners is that despite the fact that ongoing conflict impacts differently on women and men, women remain largely excluded from formal peace building, conflict prevention and conflict resolution activities – in Fiji and the wider Pacific.  One of the few pathways for Fiji’s women to engage in dialogue with national and regional leaders – the annual Forum Regional Security Meeting – was effectively removed on 30 April 2009, when Fiji was suspended from full participation in the Pacific Islands Forum.

In this context, civil society organisations are playing a key role in enabling women to be heard. Agencies such as femLINKPACIFIC, the Pacific Centre for Peace-building, Women’s Action for Change, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement and Commonwealth Local Government Forum Pacific Project have been working with women and men to build spaces for dialogue, develop leadership capacity and skills, and reduce violent responses to conflict and trauma. IWDA respects and supports the work and achievements of our partner agencies, alongside other organisations in Fiji, in contributing women’s and other marginalized people’s voices to national and regional peace building activities.

Women bring different perspectives, approaches, and networks that can contribute to building and maintaining peace. The UN Security Council has formally recognised both the right and the need for women to contribute fully through UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Effective and sustainable conflict resolution and transformation in Fiji will require both women’s and men’s voices, ideas, skills and commitment. This will require support for women’s representation in formal spaces of decision making and also attention to intergenerational dialogue with meaningful participation of high need and marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities, and children.

IWDA urges all parties and development partners to ensure that women’s key role in conflict prevention, peace-building and conflict resolution is recognized, resourced and institutionalized in national and regional forums, giving effect to their right to participate in creating lasting, inclusive peace.

In the face of significant challenges, women in Fiji continue to demonstrate amazing resourcefulness in managing their family needs and in looking for ways to build safe, peaceful homes and communities. IWDA applauds their ongoing efforts, and stands with our partners in seeing women’s meaningful involvement as central to a sustainable resolution to the current situation in Fiji. 

For more information, please contact: Jane Sloane, Executive Director, IWDA on +613 9650 5574

Tags: Fiji, peace building, Safety and Security

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 under Fiji, Projects, Recent.