Shania Shayal Prasad 
Only 39 percent of women in Fiji are in the workforce compared to 77 percent of men – a gap largely driven by unpaid care work and limited access to reproductive health services.
But change is on the horizon, as Fiji rolls out its Maternal Health and Family Planning Policy 2025–2030.
Health experts say better access to modern contraceptives will allow women to plan families, build careers, and contribute more fully to the economy.
According to Dr. Padmalochan Dube, an expert for UNFPA, every dollar invested in family planning yields an eight-fold return in economic growth.
“Let people decide if and when and how many children they want to have — and I always add, with whom. That decision is fundamental to one’s trajectory in life.”
FP2030 Managing Director Sumita Banerjee adds that the policy will also help girls stay in school and chase their aspirations.
She says giving women choices strengthens communities and drives national progress.
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