Fiji Women's Rights Movement

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural organisation based in Suva, Fiji, that works to remove discrimination against women through attitudinal changes and institutional reforms. FWRM believes in the practice and promotion of feminism, democracy, good governance and human rights.[1][2] FWRM is known for its public opposition to military rule in Fiji since the first coup in 1987,[3] and for its innovative approaches and core programmes related to intergenerational women's leadership in Fiji, particularly young, indigenous and locally-born women.[4]

In 2016, FWRM launched Girls Digital Stories, a project aimed at challenging bullying and discrimination, through the narratives of 10-12 year old girls, using storytelling and digital art.[5]

History

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement was founded by 56 women in 1986, including those who had set up the first support organisation against gender-related violence in Fiji, the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC). They were determined that their group would "seek to change laws and policies which discriminated against women or that failed to adequately address their concerns".[6] The founding members included FWCC's Shamima Ali, human rights lawyer Imrana Jalal, Adi Kuini Bavadra, Alefina Vuki, Helen Sutherland, ‘Atu Emberson-Bain and Penelope Moore (who became FWRM's first Coordinator or Executive Director).[6]

Political activist Virisila Buadromo was the organisation's Executive Director from 2001 till 2015, when Tara Chetty took over.[7]

Achievements

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement is noted for its work on promoting the political participation of women, including through constitutional reform.[8] FWRM, with its partners FemlinkPACIFIC, the National Council of Women (Fiji), and Soqosoqovakamarama iTaukei, formed the Fiji Women's Forum in 2012 to increase women's participation in leadership. While Fiji has one of the highest proportions of women in parliament in the Pacific (16% in 2014), FWRM and the Fiji Women's Forum have been determined to improve women's representation in political and public life.[9]

FWRM's programme for the empowerment of girls, known as GIRLS (Grow-Inspire-Relate-Lead-Succeed) has been called "one of Fiji’s, if not the region’s, finest feminist-based gender equality projects for 10-12 year girls."[1][10] This is part of the organisation's significant efforts at supporting intergenerational feminist leadership in Fiji and the Pacific.[11]

References
  1. "Fiji Women's Rights Movement". Pacific Women pacificwomen.org. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  2. "Fiji Women's Rights Movement". Oxfam New Zealand oxfam.org.nz. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  3. Sutton, Barbara; Morgen, Sandra; Novkov, Julie, eds. (2008). Security Disarmed: Critical Perspectives on Gender, Race, and Militarization. Rutgers Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-8135-4359-8.
  4. Fraenkel, Jon, ed. (2007). From Election to Coup in Fiji: The 2006 Campaign and Its Aftermath. ANU Press. p. 168. doi:10.22459/FECF.06.2007. ISBN 9780731538126.
  5. Mudunavonu, Peni (20 June 2016). "Aim to stop bullying". Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  6. "FWRM Herstory: Celebrating 25 years of balancing the scales 1986~2011" (PDF). Fiji Women's Rights Movement. 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  7. "FWRM Board Appoints New Head". 18 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  8. "Tara Chetty: Fiji democracy and women's rights". Development Policy Centre. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  9. "Promoting greater women's leadership in all areas of decision making". Pacific Community rrrt.spc.int. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  10. "GIRLS lead 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign". Pacific Women. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  11. "Transformative Women's Leadership: An Interview with The Fiji Women's Rights Movement". Global Fund for Women globalfundforwomen.org. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
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