The Gender Gap Grows in Fiji
The Global Gender Gap Index produces an overall gender equality ranking for 142 countries across the globe. Quantitative levels of equality are assessed based on four primary indicators, these include: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.
Overall, Fiji ranked 122 out of 142 for gender equality, marking a decline of 19 places in the past five years. Further, Fiji placed 125th for economic participation. The highly imbalanced ratios among leaders in both formal and informal settings are indicative of the assumption of women as caregivers and men as breadwinners. This division limits women’s economic participation.
IWDA’s Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women program challenges this assumption and has assisted in the delivery of Gender Action Planning Workshops. These activities are designed to encourage participants and councils to develop strategies that will enhance women’s economic independence. While the Global Gender Gap Index does not measure everything, it quite clearly shows that more must be done to support women’s advancement.
View Fiji Women’s Rights Movement analysis of the Global Gender Gap report here:
