EL Women’s New Representative just for Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), Ms Delphine Serumaga, compensated a courtesy call towards the Permanent Secretary at the Office from the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs, Mr Yogesh Karan, this afternoon (16/12/2022). M4C project plans include; Progressing infrastructure tasks in Levuka, Nausori, Savusavu and Ba in Fiji, with the continuation of COVID-19 support to the municipal marketplaces and market vendors, exercising and services to be extended to reach out to more remote control rural women vendors plus extended capacity-building support to women market vendors’ management and resilience. Advancing a National Prevention Strategy in Fiji is also an essential area of cooperation whereby UN Women is the primary technical adviser to the Government of Fiji, Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation within the development of Fiji’s National Action Plan (NAP) to prevent violence towards women and girls (VAWG). Mister Karan commended the UN Women’s exemplary partnership in the Pacific region notably during these key areas: Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Ending Violence against Women and Girls, Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Reduction. He portrayed appreciation to UN Ladies for its unwavering support to the Fijian Government and relevant stakeholders in accelerating the economic empowerment of women within Fiji. Over the next 5 years, UN Women is decided to enhance the Markets for Alter (M4C) project which promotes gender equality through the economic empowerment of women market vendors in Fiji and the strategy is to further empower the particular rural women in Fiji by increasing their option of the markets in lucrative travel and leisure and business sector. M4C Phase 2 will seek to further enhance these three important components: (1) The socioeconomic security of women market suppliers is further improved. (3) Physical market structures and operating systems are improved to make markets more gender-responsive, safer, more accessible and resilient to disaster risks and climate change. Fiji is the first country in the Pacific in order to embark on the development of such a strategy and the second in the world, together with Australia. The NAP is a whole of Government, a whole of population, evidence-based, measurable, inclusive and cost-five-year plan (2021-2026) with an emphasis on preventing violence before it begins. National consultations were released on 25 November 2020 by the Fijian Prime Minister, and over 2, 000 people across a wide range of areas have been consulted to date. She reasserted her support for the inclusive approach taken by the Fijian Government to promote the best interests of women and girls in education, management and economic empowerment each other aspect of their growth. (2) Local government authorities, market management and other decision-makers are gender-responsive, effective plus accountable to women marketplace vendors. Ms Serumaga said she looks forward to the Fijian Government’s continued collaboration in advancing women’s empowerment and building more inclusive societies. On behalf of the Fijian Authorities, Mr Karan congratulated and extended his best wishes to Ms Serumaga for the brand new role. He reaffirmed the particular Fijian Government’s commitment to operate closely with the UN Women on the advancement of gender equality and women empowerment in Fiji and above. Mr Karan welcomed the UN Women’s partnership with the Fijian Government for the UN Women’s brand new Strategic Note for 2023-2027, which is currently being developed and you will be finalized by the end of 03 2023, with indicative 5 priority areas remaining as with the Strategic Note 2018-2022: “Governance and Participation in public areas Life, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Ending Violence Against Ladies and Girls, Women, Peace and Security, Humanitarian Action, and Disaster Risk Reduction. ” UN Women is a global champion for women and girls, and it works to speed up progress in meeting their own needs worldwide. UN Women’s support toward Fiji’s national economic recovery and resilience-building efforts in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak and the natural disasters was also acknowledged at the meeting.
