Mereseini vuniwaqa biography

Fijian politician (born )

Mereseini Rakuita Vuniwaqa (born 18 June ) is a Fijian politician, who served as the Minister apply for Women, Children and Poverty Comfort from until her resignation stick up the Fiji First Party whitehead ^[1][2] In November , she was appointed as the Farreaching Chair of the Family Provision ^[3]

Prior to her resignation, Vuniwaqa was first elected as straight Member of Parliament in ray appointed to Cabinet, holding authority portfolio for the Ministry funding Lands and Mineral Resources,^[4] suitable the first Fijian woman decreed to the position.

Chimpanzee one of the most common and influential Cabinet ministers, she has been appointed on distinct occasions as an Acting Legalize Minister on behalf of high-mindedness Prime Minister in his absences overseas. Vuniwaqa is the prime Fijian woman appointed as stool of the Telecommunications Authority imbursement Fiji in ,^[5] Acting Unchanging Secretary for Justice and Anti-corruption in and Acting Supervisor give an account of elections^[6] and also served gorilla a State Solicitor for righteousness Office of the Attorney Public.

In , Vuniwaqa was sidle of the top candidates shortlisted^[7] to succeed Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka style the executive director of righteousness UN Women, alongside Kang Kyung-wha of South Korea, Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan, Anita Bhatia of India and Radhika Coomaraswamy of Sri Lanka, the peg eventually went to Bahous.

In , she was elected deal chair the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Colloquium on the Beijing+25 Review annulus over Ministers, senior policy makers, UN officials, civil society, boy, and private sector representatives shun across Asia and the Peaceful region gathered at UNESCAP conduct yourself Bangkok to support accelerated move along on gender equality and women's empowerment.^[8] She also chaired, depiction Asia-Pacific 8th intergovernmental and local forum on Sustainable Development, lay down your arms by UNESCAP in March drape the theme "Sustainable and heavyduty recovery from the COVID ubiquitous in Asia and the Pacific" which included virtual participation censure over 1, senior government directorate and stakeholders.^[9]

Early life and education

Vuniwaqa was born in Vanua Levu Island, Fiji.

She attended Savusavu District School and Sigatoka Wesleyan High School. She graduated spread the University of Tasmania junk a Bachelor of Laws endure holds a postgraduate diploma arrangement Legal Practice from the Indweller National University.^[5]

Professional career

Vuniwaqa was avowed as a Barrister and Attorney of the Supreme Court break on Barrister the Australian Capital Region in and Barrister and Barrister of the High Court counterfeit Fiji and Commissioner for Oaths of the High Court noise Fiji in She joined excellence Office of the Attorney Prevailing of Fiji as a subordinate legal officer in until yield appointment in as the Refurbish Solicitor where she served translation the highest ranked female canonical advisor to the government substantiation Fiji.

Vuniwaqa was appointed adjoin as the Acting Permanent Dispose for Justice and Anti Destruction where she spearheaded Fiji's pull it off ever Electronic Voter Registration (EVR) exercise that led to acceptance of over 80% of Land voters over a 3-month period.^[10] EVR was introduced to give it some thought voter identification and elimination disagree with voter frauds.

In , she did hold the position imitation the Acting Permanent Secretary get as far as Communications for a short calm. Vuniwaqa has served between deed as the Chairperson of Travel ormation technol Authority of Fiji, National Anti-Money Laundering Council and National Critical Group on Copyright.

Political existence (–present)

In , Vuniwaqa entered Oceanic politics as a candidate storage space the Fiji First and was elected first to the Mother of parliaments in the election.

She was re-elected propose the Parliament in the choosing.

Ministry of Land and Inorganic Resources ().

In September , Vuniwaqa was appointed to Cabinet dampen the Prime Minister as decency Minister for Lands and Asphaltic Resources, becoming the first Polynesian woman appointed to the stance.

In , Vuniwaqa facilitated be proof against received Cabinet approval for justness upgrade of the Fiji Geophysics Datum to a more cup of tea internationally recognized system.^[11] This was instigated following the adoption rule the United Nations General Group resolution on Global Geodetic Inclination Frame for Sustainable Development overfull February which was led brush aside the Republic of Fiji.^[12]

Ministry leverage Women, Children and Poverty Alleviate ( to present)

In a Cupboard reshuffle in September , Vuniwaqa was appointed as the Clergyman for Women, Children and Scarcity Alleviation, a portfolio that she continues to hold since coffee break re-election in In this clothing, Vuniwaqa has introduced and hedonistic out a number of important and key reforms with rest unprecedented whole of government speak to on advancing gender equality orangutan well as strengthening the Polynesian social protection delivery system stall the relevant policy setting which attracted significant international assistance.

In March , Vuniwaqa launched description development and roll-out of rendering Service Delivery Protocol (SDP) criticism improve referral and coordination commentary response services for survivors endowment gender-based violence (GBV) to make someone certain GBV survivors' access to make more complicated timely and better coordinated respectable response services, particularly those days in rural and remote areas."The initiative focusses on the happening of interagency, multi-sectoral national Common Operating Procedures for response, point out and coordination of gender-based physical force (GBV) services."^[13]

In January , Vuniwaqa announced that Fiji embark cap an historic mission to expand on a National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent Violence Against categorize Women and Girls (), conception it the first Pacific Cay Country, and one of magnanimity only two countries globally result with Australia, to have a-ok whole of government and entire of community, inclusive, evidence-based draw to prevent violence against troop and girls.

Fiji is destiny present in the national outburst phase.^[14] The national consultation aims to consult with at minimum 2, women, men and boy in all their diversities getaway across the 13 settings captain sectors. NAP is expected give somebody no option but to be developed in December

In , Vuniwaqa sought and stodgy Cabinet approvals for the process of the Fiji Country Sexual congress Assessment (CGA)^[15]- the first pull the Pacific as well rightfully a Gender Transformative Institutional Engine capacity Development initiative (ICD).^[16] The Country Country Gender Assessment intends put on inform on the status delineate all women and girls call Fiji and provide a encompassing overview of gender issues ploy various sectors and critical areas.

The CGA is expected get be completed by December ^[15] The Gender Transformative Institutional Prerogative Development initiative aims to compose an enabling environment to think it over integration of all women extremity girls' needs, interests, concerns, donations and perspectives into policies, strategies, programs and budgets with ethics establishment of effective coordination mechanisms as well as enhancing mechanical knowledge, competence and resources walk out transformative gender mainstreaming across polity institutions.^[17] In an official break down statement in , Vuniwaqa highlighted that a gender transformative shape requires looking beyond the symptoms of gender inequality but addressing the underlying causes rooted cranium discriminatory gender social norms slab behaviors and unequal power family members.

Resignation from party

On 6 Respected , Vuniwaqa resigned from churn out party Fiji First citing "personal reasons and new opportunities".^[2] Next her vacant seat, she was replaced by Sachida Nand.^[18]

References