Women in Politics Worked for Me

November 15, 2004 –(femLINKpacific) The Women in Politics (WIP) project made a difference for me, said former Suvacity councillor Priscilla Singh, a participant at the National Council of Women Fiji’s Multi-stakeholders Consultation on Women in Decision Making, presently underway in Nadi:

“I am a success story of WIP, the values I learnt through WIP I will use this in future campaigns – for myself and for other women.”

Mrs Singh was sharing her experiences alongside other successful women’s candidates, former Nadi Mayor - Mrs Josephine Williams, and a former Member of Parliament in the People’s Coalition Government, Mrs Suruj Mati, as well as Ratu Meli Vesikula, and the former Minister of Home Affairs in the People’s Coalition Government, Jioji Uluinakauvadra.

However, Mrs Singh also pointed out, that whilst the initial Women in Politics project did make a difference during their pre election period, she lacked support during her term in office, a lone woman in a municipal council full of men!

Singh urged participants to consider the need to not only ensure the sustainability of such projects, especially to provide the post election support, for successful women’s candidates:

“By winning, it shows that hard work does pay off, and I served for 6 long years. It was long because in my case there were 19 men but my perspective was lost. So my plea to this forum that in reviving WIP we need a pool of professional women who can provide the moral support when you do get – that is when the real battle starts!”

The new Women in Politics project, said Singh,be instrumental in gender sensitizing political parties, as well as strengthening voter education programmes, which should includes modules on CEDAW and other human rights commitments, as well Constitution awareness.

The national consultation yesterday received the review report of the initial Women in Politics project1994 to 1999, which was authored by Suliana Siwatibau. The report highlighted that while WIP was very successful in mobilising women and propelling more into public life, its successes were short term while its weaknesses and the gaps it did not address precluded sustained impact.

The outcomes of the consultation will be a national plan of action and strategies for the future Fiji Women in Politics and Women in Shared Decision Making. The consultation ends on Thursday 18 November.

From: "femLINKpacific:Media Initiatives for Women" <femlinkpac@connect.com.fj>