[Photo: Devesh Patel]

The Ministry for Women, Children and Social Protection has launched the ARETO Face Forward Initiative in Fiji.

The programme is designed to protect women political candidates and elected leaders from online abuse. The program automatically scans social media comments, filters abusive content, blocks bots and records serious threats, allowing candidates to focus on engaging with voters.

The initiative was developed by ARETO Labs in partnership with the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University. Providing free, real-time protection against technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Women’s Minister Sashi Kiran added at the launch online abuse remains a major barrier preventing many women from entering politics.

“Women across Fiji must know that online abuse does not have to be accepted as the price of participating in public life.”

Kiran believes women should not have to endure harassment simply because they choose to serve their communities.

She says the initiative is designed to create a safer digital environment while maintaining robust public debate.

“A safer digital environment does not mean a quieter democracy.”

Kiran adds that many aspiring women leaders remain reluctant to contest elections because of concerns about the impact online attacks.

“Their decision not to enter a lot of times is because they don’t feel safe. Their families don’t feel safe. Their children don’t feel safe.”

Founder and Chief Product Officer of ARETO Labs Jacqueline Cormin, says the company created the technology after seeing online abuse deter women from seeking political office.

“Areto’s technology works in real time, scanning comments as they come in on social media and automatically filtering out abusive content before anybody sees it.”

Cormin adds online abuse is becoming a growing threat to women’s political participation globally.

“Around the world, we’re starting to see a real decline in the number of women stepping forward to run or staying in office because of online harms.”

The fully funded, non-partisan programme is available to women and gender-diverse political candidates and elected representatives across Fiji until February 2028, with organizers hoping it will help increase women’s representation in future elections.