Fiji must catch up on women in leadership: Catanasiga

Fiji has “a lot of catching-up to do” on women’s participation in national leadership, says Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) executive director Vani Catanasiga, as she called on male politicians and Government ministers to learn from Tuvalu.

Ms Catanasiga made the comments while congratulating Temukisa Auina Penehuro Hauma on becoming Tuvalu’s first female Governor-General.

"Wow, I am blown away by Tuvalu and its leadership for choosing a woman governor-general," she said.

Ms Catanasiga said Tuvalu’s male leaders and Government had set an example that other Pacific Island countries, including Fiji, could replicate.

Ms Hauma’s appointment on September 30, 2026, was based on the advice of Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo, a male politician.

Ms Catanasiga said Fiji had significant ground to make up in promoting women to senior Government positions.

"If we look at Fiji, we have a lot of catching-up to do not only have we regressed in terms of women's participation in political spheres, but, also of how politics is conducted in Fiji," she emphasised.

Under the Coalition Government, Fiji has five women Members of Parliament (MPs) out of 55 MPs, while the country has never had a female prime minister or president.

Ms Catanasiga recalled attending the Pacific Leaders Forum Meeting in Solomon Islands in 2025, where the Tuvalu Prime Minister showed an interest in meeting key civil society leaders.

"I was fortunate to be part of that discussion and the one question he asked: how do I promote women's leadership, I grabbed that opportunity to share on FCOSS women's leadership pipeline that they undertook," she said.

She said it remained imperative for women to be accompanied and championed as they moved into leadership.

This was enhanced with the launch of the first-ever male allyship pilot programme during the FCOSS and Women In Media (WIM) initiated Women's Auditors Meeting on Kacivaka Tool in Savusavu last week.

Ms Catanasiga said it was satisfying to observe how the Tuvalu Prime Minister navigated from such engagements and helped push for women’s participation at the national governance level.

"It is good to see that after a year discussing with the honourable Tuvaluan PM, he has done a momentous and grand appointment".

An advocate for women’s involvement in leadership, Ms Catanasiga said the appointment should not only be celebrated in Tuvalu, but across the Pacific.

"Who would have ever thought that was even possible," she added.