Gender inequality is a significant challenge for many nations in the world, counting those in the Pacific. A critical aspect of gender inequality is the empowerment of women, with a focus on economic opportunities, decision making and women’s well- being. In many Pacific island countries, it has taken decades for the enduring view that a women’s place in society is at home in accordance with spiritual beliefs, custom, tradition, and norms. Empowering women represents a diverse range of concepts and may vary widely among individuals, cultures and countries. This essay will examine the benefits of empowering women at an individual level, benefits which can be summarized as economic, political and social.
Firstly, economic empowerment is one of the most important driving forces behind economic growth and poverty reduction. Economic empowerment interprets women’s ability to act on their own and make decisions on matters that affect them. In order to increase economic advancement of women, there is an urgent need to formulate the right policies that can allow such an objective to grow unhindered by uncertainty and doubt. Education policies that encourage and offer training opportunities in developing women’s entrepreneurship opportunities and improving women’s access to finance is another major instrument in generating income, reducing poverty and improving the standards of health and so forth. Formal and non- formal education systems are the key foundations for more women participating in the economic arena.. A local example by the Minister for Women, Dr. Jiko Luveni in a statement at the final day of the Pacific Women in Business Conference 2012 states that “Promoting women in business contributes to poverty alleviation”. She also mentioned, “when women are empowered and earn an income, they invest back into their families and communities”. (Pratibha 2012) Therefore, engaging women in economic activity will provide a platform for developing other forms of empowering women.
Secondly, women can express the issues that affect them by participating and becoming more involved in policymaking, national parliaments and local government bodies especially Pacific women who are under- represented in the decision making environment. In order to make the process of women in nation building develop more quickly in the Pacific, there is a real need to have a focused leadership training program where a pool of future leaders are selected annually for specific training for future leadership roles in different areas of society. An interview with Mr. Vincent Walter Lobendahn, a Retired Fiji Government Minister was conducted. He concentrated mainly on the small nation state of Singapore. As said by Mr. Lobendahn, “Singapore focuses on the top ten percent of students who gain high passes in their final secondary/ high school examination every year. From those selected there are a higher percentage of young women who are offered leadership roles…. The women who had been included are now holding top jobs in government and In the private sector and their influence in society is progressing steadily”. As stated by the Australian Government AUSAid website, “women hold just five percent of the region’s parliamentary seat, compared to nearly twenty five percent In Australia”. In 1991 and 2006, eight women were elected in the House of Representatives (out of the total of 71 members), twice as many as 2001, but still well below a “critical mass””. (The Constitution Commission 2012). Thus, Pacific women should speak up with confidence and make their voices heard when addressing issues within their communities.
Thirdly, gender- based violence is the most universal human rights breach evident in today’s society. Violence occurs in families, communities and across borders. Violence against women has only in recent times been recognized as a human rights worry. Furthermore, this type of violence should not be tolerated and never accepted under any circumstances. It takes many forms- domestic violence, rape, trafficking and so on. Violence of women is widespread across Asia- Pacific. For instance, “sixty four percent of women in the Solomon Islands, thirty six percent of women in New Zealand and thirty four percent of women in Vietnam reported having experienced physical and/ or sexual violence by an intimate partner”. (UNiTE 2011) So, governments, civil society, the private sector, women’s organizations, young people, individuals need to join forces and fight for violence against women.
In conclusion, the benefits of women’s empowerment at an individual level are economic, political and social empowerment. In other words, women are the cornerstones of the economic, political and social scopes. Women need to be made aware of their economic and civil rights and be equipped with self- confidence to raise their voices and be successful in a patriarchal society. Therefore, it is imperative in Fiji that people appreciate the many contributions and sacrifices women have made in their families and communities. Equal treatment of women is not just the right thing to do- it is also good for business.