Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa [Source: Fiji Parliament]

The increasing number of women vendors was never considered by the previous government when building municipal markets.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa, says more than 70 percent of market vendors are women and the introduction of Markets for Change initiative has accommodated most of the needs of women vendors.

Vuniwaqa says the initiative is also empowering the women in terms of leadership skills.

“These Market Vendors Associations, majority of them are headed by women. Women who are articulate in relation to the issues that affect market vendors both males and females in their respective municipalities that they represent and are able to bring up these issues to municipal levels and to government level.”

Vuniwaqa says the initiative has also provided accommodation, training and other projects that meet the needs of women vendors.

The project is now looking after 12 associations around the country.