FWRM Welcomes New Gender Transformative Institutional Capacity Development (ICD) Initiative

Fiji launched a ground-breaking Gender Transformative Institutional Capacity Development (ICD) initiative on Wednesday to promote and improve gender equality.

The overall goal of the initiative is to create an enabling environment to ensure integration of all women and girls' needs, interests, concerns, contributions and perspectives into policies, strategies, programmes and budgets and with the establishment of effective coordination mechanisms as well as enhancing technical knowledge, competence and resources on transformative gender mainstreaming across government institutions.

“We congratulate the Fijian Government and the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) on this achievement and welcome the new initiative as a strengthened commitment by the government towards advancing gender equality,” said FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh.

“For years, women’s human rights group have been advocating for this and we are taking positive steps towards realising it. This is the first time an initiative like this is being implemented in our region.”

The initiative is in line with international commitments such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which Fiji has ratified and the Beijing Platform for Action +25. The ICD supports the implementation of national commitments including the Fiji National Development Plan, National Gender Policy and the forthcoming Fiji National Action Plan to prevent Violence against Women and Girls.

FWRM is supporting the implementation of the ICD as a technical partner, working closely with the MWCPA.

“Relationship-building is at the core of this initiative and we hope to contribute to this effort towards making national policy gender-transformative which will enhance capacity development within the various government ministries,” said Ms. Singh.

“It’s encouraging to note that efforts on promoting a gender-responsive approach are happening at the national level. Not only will this enable ministries and other government agencies to do gender programming and budgeting but they will be able to transform the way they approach their work to improve the lives of all in Fiji,” said Ms. Singh.

FWRM reiterates that women’s and girls voices, experiences and perspectives must be included at all levels to ensure that policies, programmes and governance is responsive and effective to everyone’s needs, without leaving anyone behind.

FWRM is looking forward to working with the MWCPA, government and civil society partners for the implementation of the ICD.

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