SODELPA Youth Board now 43% female

The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Youth Annual General Meeting (AGM) has marked a new milestone for gender inclusivity, with women now making up 43 per cent of the party’s youth executive board.

Among the newly elected members is Angeline Tikoitoga, a business strategist, operations consultant, and sustainable development advocate, who has been appointed vice-president of SODELPA Youth.

Ms Tikoitoga joins two other women and four men on the executive board, a balance she says reflects the growing confidence and participation of young women in political and civic spaces.

“I was not expecting to be nominated, but when the team approached me, I felt a responsibility to participate, to make a change and to be a voice for the youth, especially for young women and girls who are looking for a reason to stand up and participate.”

Drawing inspiration from her civil servants parents, Ms Tikoitoga said integrity and commitment were values that continued to shape her leadership journey.

Beyond her corporate experience of nearly nine years, Ms Tikoitoga has been active in community and advocacy work, collaborating with NGOs on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and gender empowerment programmes.

Through the Better Than This initiative, she works alongside youth activist Temesia Tuicakau to encourage women’s political participation and strengthen male allyship in gender equality efforts.

She highlighted upcoming community projects, including initiatives aimed at supporting street dwellers and empowering vulnerable groups.

Looking ahead to the next general election, Ms Tikoitoga hopes to see stronger youth engagement and representation at national level.

“More than 70 per cent of our population is made up of females, yet fewer than 10 per cent are represented in Parliament.

“And while nearly half of Fiji’s voting population is between 18 and 35, about 12 per cent of parliamentarians are under 40. I want to see that change.”

Ms Tikoitoga said her focus now was to “walk the talk” by showing that meaningful change is possible through genuine service and participation.

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