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NCWF wants women included in Seasonal Workers Scheme

April 15, 2015 1:12 am

The National Council of Women Fiji says they are disappointed with the recent recruitment of only men in the Recognized Seasonal Workers Scheme to New Zealand.

General Secretary Fay Volatabu says women should be included as part of the agreement between Fiji and the seasonal work scheme countries.

“From what I’ve understood, women also applied , it wasn’t until they applied that they were informed that they were only looking for Men, there are two issues, it’s the fact that woman are not informed fully so that they would not have to rush around and apply for the jobs and secondly the fact that employers have already made their decision without even considering the fact that maybe woman can do things, we advocate, anything men can do, women can do too, women can do better.”

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Volatabu says the government should ensure that a gender quota is place given Fiji’s ratification of the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against women.

Labour Minister Jioji Konrote had queried about the lack of women in the scheme and was advised that the employer required males due to the nature of the work.