Press Release: Ministry Welcomes ICT Boost to Progress Gender Equality in Fiji

Permanent Secretary of the Fiji Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Jennifer Poole (second from left) with Ministry staff, receives ICT resources from UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office Representative, Sandra Bernklau (third from left). Photo: UN Women/Gregory Ravoi

Suva, Fiji – The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) has welcomed much-needed resources for information management, communications, and technology (ICT) from the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, boosting efforts towards achieving gender equality.

The resources include thirteen laptops that will support the MWCPA’s Women’s Interest Officers in all Divisions to more effectively lead efforts to end violence against women and girls in Fiji. This mobile equipment will strength the capacity of the Department of Women with remote workstations and improve communications, effectively strengthening the women’s machinery at a critical time.

“COVID-19 has changed the way we connect as well as the way we work. Now more than ever, the Ministry needs to further strengthen its coordination role, to effectively facilitate and engage with Fijians virtually and to continue to progress response and prevention of violence efforts in Fiji. We thank our long-time partner, UN Women, for their continued support. These ICT resources could not have come at a better time”, said the Permanent Secretary, MWCPA, Jennifer Poole.

Collaborative work between UN Women and the MWCPA includes support towards ending violence against women and girls through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership). This work also supports the development of the Fiji National Action Plan on the Prevention of Violence Against All Women and Girls which is led by the MWCPA, with a focus on preventing domestic violence, intimate partner violence and sexual violence against all women and girls with an emphasis on stopping violence before it starts.

“UN Women is proud to continue supporting the role and responsibility of the Ministry as it leads efforts to progress gender equality. In early October, we were pleased to brief the Hon. Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar, and her team on our key areas of work in Fiji – most of which is done in partnership with the Ministry. It’s been a privilege for UN Women to closely partner with the Ministry on every step of this journey, and we hope these ICT resources contribute to the overall effort,” said UN Women Fiji MCO Representative, Sandra Bernklau.

Other key areas of collaboration also include gender and protection in humanitarian action, women’s resilience to climate change and disasters, women’s economic empowerment, as well as technical support for gender data analysis and gender responsive budgeting, and ultimately working towards COVID-19 recovery for a more equal and sustainable future.

Contact Details

• Joeli Vueti
  Media Liaison Officer
  Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation
  Phone: +679 3312199 / +679 9907223
  Email: [ Click to reveal ]
  
  
• Shazia Usman
  Communications and Media Specialist
  UN Women
  Mobile: +679 9239857
  Email: [ Click to reveal ]