The National Women’s Expo will be hosted annually and will give every women in the country a space to display their talent and potential.
This was highlighted this morning by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Hon. Rosy Akbar as she addressed Parliament.
“The National Women’s Expo will be an annual event for the women and it will create new marketing opportunities for the women. Particularly the women in rural and maritime areas who have immense talents yet they require marketing opportunities. The National Women’s Expo and Division Craft Shows 2015 is based on the theme, “Connecting Women to Markets, Making it Happen.” It will be held in Suva from the 14th to 16th of October this year.
“Currently we have 1702 registered women’s groups with the Ministry and through National Women’s Expo, they will have the opportunity to showcase their talents and secure new markets for their products. The Fijian government has allocated a budget of $500,000 for this year’s Expo,” Minister Akbar explained.
The Ministry has also partnered with the Fiji Arts Council, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry to organise divisional craft shows.
“The winners of the divisional craft shows will be sponsored by the Ministry whereby their transport fares, accommodation, meals will be looked after by the Ministry during their stay in Suva. The Fiji Arts Council is partnering with us in trying to select winners from the four divisions in terms of handicrafts and Ministry of Health’s partnership will be important in terms of selecting winners for homemade products.
“With the assistance of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, we will be exploring new marketing opportunities for locally produced items. Such an annual event will entice rural women to raise their standards of handicrafts produced and develop market-driven mindsets pushing for higher quality.
“The Expo is an initiative that aims to build self-esteem, moral and confidence of the Fijian Women to realise their potential and ability to contribute towards national development,” Minister Akbar said.
The main objectives of the Divisional Craft Shows which begins first on Rotuma Island on 13th May include the following:
- To encourage the production of better quality and higher value products displayed during the Craft Show;
- Strengthen existing markets that are available at the Divisional Level for rural women;
Identify best artisans groomed for a larger platform such as the National Expo and more so connecting to markets at the national and international level.
Press Release