The Northern Division Women’s Expo participants have expressed challenges about major setbacks, resulting in a few women missing out on the expo.

Terikano Takesau from the Banaban Women on Rabi Island highlighted that this is due to issues with online registration.

While acknowledging the projects and plans implemented by the Ministry, she believes a lot can still be improved for the welfare of all rural women.

“A major problem is the reach out from the Ministry of Women to the rural areas, and we were not notified earlier, so right now we just have two women from Rabi, some of whom have missed out on the online registration. We have forms, but they have to be collected from Savusavu, which is another experience, and plus, we don’t have internet here on Rabi Island.”

Takesau says while both online and form registrations are available, the majority of the women in rural Vanua Levu still struggle with the digital platforms as Vanua Levu does not have full internet coverage.

A total of 210 women were part of the Northern Division Women Expo, which concludes today in Savusavu, of which 100 women will be selected for the National Women Expo in Suva.

FBC News has also sent questions to the Women Ministry on the matter.