In February UnionAID supported the National Union of Factory and Commercial Workers to hold its first ever two-day Women’s Conference. On day one 40 NUFCW members heard from some of Fiji’s leading women’s rights advocates on topics including violence against women, CEDAW and pay equality. Over day two the participants planned actions for their local branches and the whole union to undertake, with the aim of improving working conditions and wages for women in Fiji.
These included a collaboration with Fiji Women’s Rights Movement to research a living wage for Fiji and an alliance with Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre to address violence against women in the workplace. NUFCW National Secretary Latilela Gagitela said she was inspired to see the potential of a new generation of women in the union movement.