Panellists at a recent discussion on “Breaking Barriers: Increasing Female Participation in Local Government Elections in Fiji” organised by Dialogue Fiji have called for greater media representation and fair coverage of women in politics.
Organised by Dialogue Fiji, the event featured speakers such as the Assistant Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Honourable Sashi Kiran, Femlink Pacific Executive Director Fay Volatabu, former elections supervisor and legal expert Jon Apted, and USP Head of Journalism, Dr Shailendra Singh.
Volatabu highlighted the crucial role of media in promoting female participation in politics.
She recounted her experience co-founding the I Am Woman Magazine as a response to the underrepresentation of women in media following the 2014 elections.
“Our research revealed that women were only familiar with Dr Jiko Luveni and Ro Teimumu Kepa due to their prominence in the media,” Volatabu shared.
Volatabu explained that creating the magazine was a platform to put women at the forefront of media.
Dr Singh added that women in politics faced a “double whammy”, arguing that they were underrepresented and negatively portrayed in the media.
“Research indicates that media portrayal of women in politics is both negligible and negative,” Dr Singh said during the panel discussion hosted by Dialogue Fiji.
He emphasised that the media either rendered women invisible or perpetuated harmful gendered stereotypes.
“Women get insufficient coverage and when they do get covered, the reporting is stereotypical, focusing on their femininity, gendered roles, beauty or lack thereof,” he said.
Dr Singh emphasised the importance of media in shaping public perceptions and influencing electoral outcomes.
He highlighted journalists’ lack of training and support in covering women in politics, calling it a “missed opportunity” of the media’s potential to break these barriers.
“Excluding media is a big mistake considering media’s reach and the apparent power to influence.”
Dr Singh closed the discussion with remarks on seeing local elections as a “springboard” for national elections.
“This may be overlooked but it is an important first step in achieving parity in international parliament. Unless we achieve some kind of equilibrium in local elections, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve it in national elections.”
Nilesh Lal, Executive Director of Dialogue Fiji, hoped for concrete actions and outcomes at the end of the panel discussions.
