The fisheries industry is one of Fiji’s key resource-based sectors and the challenge at hand is creating equal opportunities for men and women who are employed formally and informally in this industry.
These were the sentiments of Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa while launching the National Stock take of the Institutional and Enabling Mechanisms that Support Gender in Fisheries in Fiji.
Vuniwaqa says that women's small-scale economic activities are not seen as independent economic ventures and their marketing participation is viewed as part of their daily chores of meeting family needs.
She says women fishers are still expected to fulfill their traditional duties and obligations while having to keep up with modern market economy demands.
The Minister says women in Fiji are increasingly moving away from traditionally defined areas of fisheries participation and are taking on commercial and post-harvest activities, and setting up small-scale businesses.
She says that the role of today’s women fishers has not evolved, but rather it has expanded and concerted efforts are required to change this in order to translate this under-recognized economic activity of our women into sustainable ventures for our economic development.
Vuniwaqa says we can no longer afford to let our women fishers remain invisible and it is with keenness, that I render the support of my Ministry to further develop this area of work.
She says we need to work together to let women fishers enjoy the same resources and recognition as their male counterparts.
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