This weekend, 14 to 16 March, a diverse group of more than forty women aged 18–35 years will participate in the Fiji Young Women's Forum. The three-day event in Suva will provide a space for young women leaders from different communities around the Pacific island nation to come together to discuss the specific needs that they have in common, and share perspectives relating to Fiji's political transition and the upcoming national election – the first since a military coup in 2006.

A space for articulating perspectives on national debates

The main objective of the forum, the second such event since November 2013, is to encourage the political participation of young women in the 2014 general election. Young women often face a double dose of discrimination for being both young and female, and have tended to be systematically excluded from political processes – something that is to the detriment of sustainable peace.

A key goal of the Fiji Young Women's Forum is to empower young women to lobby political parties, candidates and decision makers for better representation and inclusion of young women's issues.

Mamta Chand, Co-ordinator, Fiji Young Women's Forum

The event will culminate in the delivery of the Fiji Young Women's Forum Declaration, and a pledge by the participants to actively engage in the political process by exercising their vote.

The weekend of discussion and debate, supported by peacebuilding NGO Conciliation Resources and funded by the European Union, will bring together representatives from wide geographical and socio-economic backgrounds, including young women of different ethnicities, sexuality and gender identities.

Working together to make young women's voices heard

Along with the Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM), the co-conveners of the Forum are the Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni (ELFA), Generation Next (GenNext), the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and Diverse Voices for Action (DIVA). All four organisations draw on combined experience of over two decades of working with young women across Fiji and building on achievements of women’s rights advocates.

Almost a quarter of Fiji's population will be first time voters in 2014 and over half of all voters will be under the age of 35. With little to no personal experience of representative government and democratic processes, initiatives such as the Fiji Young Women's Forum are helping to support young women to understand their role as citizens and to make informed choices in matters that affect them. Those unable to attend the event in person can follow and contribute to the debate via Twitter: @FJYWF

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