Riya Mala 
[Source: Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection - Fiji/ Facebook]
As Fiji continues to navigate a rapidly evolving social and political landscape, calls for ethical journalism and inclusive national dialogue are growing louder.
This was emphasized by the Minister for Women, Sashi Kiran, while officiating at a workshop on “The Role of the Media in Contributing to Social Cohesion, Gender, and Human Rights in Fiji.”
She states that the media plays a vital role in fostering unity, promoting dignity, and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.
Kiran adds that with misinformation, online hate, and gender-based discrimination on the rise, the importance of rights-based journalism has never been more critical.
“So I hope we can look at how cohesive we are. When we ask people, ‘Are we cohesive?’ it’s easy to talk about the negatives because that has been the political narrative. But could we create a space to look at what we have that makes us trust each other?”
Kiran emphasizes that social cohesion means more than just tolerance; it’s about shared identity, trust, and community resilience.
She challenges people to reflect on their daily interactions with individuals from other ethnicities, highlighting that many already live cohesively despite political narratives and stereotypes suggesting otherwise.
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