Peceli Naviticoko 
The issue surrounding youth and women’s participation in the Great Council of Chiefs meeting has been ongoing since the first meeting in Bau.
GCC Review Committee Chair Dr. Jone Baledrokadroka says that women’s participation in the GCC is not new.
Baledrokadroka adds that women have been part of the GCC meeting in past sittings.
“Our women have been part of the GCC meeting since the 1960s. Our paramount chiefs did that before us. We have Ro Maraia Mataitini, Adi Senimili Dyer, Ro Bulou Vosailagi, and many others. So women’s involvement in the GCC is not new.”
This follows a submission from the Tailevu Provincial Youths for the inclusion of representatives from the provincial council meeting.
“The reasons for our submission are that the majority of those in the council are from the youth and women groups, so they are fully aware of issues pertaining to us, and being part of the GCC would give that validation to be our voices.”
The GCC Review Committee has completed public consultations in 10 provinces, with three more to go in the next few weeks, including Kadavu, Lomaiviti, and Lau.
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