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outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_2.1
Inclusive, effective and representative marketplace groups are created and grow, contributing to gender, social and economic advancement, the elimination of gender-based discrimination and violence and expanded economic opportunities
The intended outcome of creating and growing representative marketplace groups has been achieved, with the creation of a new market vendor association (MVA) in Kadavu, the Vunisea MVA, and the continuous growth experienced by the other 12 MVAs in Fiji, which work towards prioritizing the gender, social and economic needs of market vendors in Fiji. Across the 13 registered Market Vendors Association (MVA), women market vendors hold the presidency positions in eight of the 13 registered MVA. In the 13 registered MVA, at least 50 percent of the women market vendors are in leadership roles. The strong leadership presence of women in market vendors associations (MVAs) in Fiji is ensuring that the voice of women is heard and magnified at all levels, and that workplace barriers caused by gender biases are removed. Moreover, under their leadership, the MVAs have demonstrated good governance, transparency and increasing accountability to the vendors through effective MVA management, and by working to meet their needs. This has included opening up social and economic opportunities for market vendors to actively participate in. MVAs are demonstrating a willingness to continuously improve their provision of services to members by revising and improving their association constitutions. An important revision in constitutions is the inclusion of a provision for a minimum of 60 percent of women holding the executive roles. These constitutional reviews have demonstrated the gender-responsiveness of the marketplace environment in promoting women’s leadership and participation in marketplace politics. Across the 13 registered Market Vendors Association (MVA), women market vendors hold the presidency positions in eight of the 13 registered MVA. In the 13 registered MVA, at least 50% of the women market vendors are in leadership roles. The strong leadership presence of women in market vendors associations (MVAs) in Fiji is ensuring that the voice of women is heard and magnified at all levels, and that workplace barriers caused by gender biases are removed. Moreover, under their leadership, the MVAs have demonstrated good governance, transparency and increasing accountability to the vendors through effective MVA management. This has included opening up social and economic opportunities for market vendors to actively participate. MVAs are demonstrating a willingness to continuously improve their provision of services to members by revising and improving their association constitutions. An important revision in constitutions is the inclusion of a provision for a minimum of 60% of women holding the executive roles. These constitutional reviews have demonstrated the gender-responsiveness of the marketplace environment in promoting women’s leadership and participation in marketplace politics.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_2.2
Improved socio-economic security of urban and rural women
The work under this outcome will commence in 2023.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_2.3
Local governments and market management are gender responsive and accountable to women market vendor needs
Local government and market management have demonstrated increased accountability to women market vendors through their commitment for gender responsive and inclusive processes and strategies in the marketplaces. This have included the following: continuous improvements to the policy landscapes of markets . In Fiji, this has been demonstrated through improved market by-laws and the development of Standard Operating Procedures for the Nausori Market Women's Accommodation Centre and the Nausori Market Women's Accommodation Centre. The Accommodation Centres are for rural women vendors who travel long distances and need to a place to stay overnight. Increasing accountability to vendors through the establishment of a Grievance Mechanism as an efficient and effective way of anticipating, collecting, recording, addressing and, where possible, resolving grievances. The mechanism has especially given women vendors confidence to voice their concerns over injustices in the marketplaces. Increasing gender parity by examination of management structures across the 13 markets and appointing 3 women market managers (with the aim to continue to increase the proportion); Improving information flows to enhance transparency through the establishment of channels of communications, including informal channels. These have resulted in greater clarity about marketplace operations and management. Creating systemic changes to ensure safe spaces for women vendors where they can be productive , such as the creation of sheltered space for close to 400 women in three markets. These women would otherwise be selling in the open, and along footpaths. The establishment of a solutions-oriented forum for 11 market managers and market vendors associations. This monthly meeting has been actively finding solutions to address a variety of market vendors needs and also enhance cross-market knowledge sharing. UN Women provided financial and technical support for the capacity building of local governments and market management through the Markets for Change project.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_2.4
Markets physical infrastructure and operating systems are improved to make them more sustainable, resilient to disaster risks and climate change, safer and more accessible
Marketplace safety is being improved through the Markets for Change project in Fiji, addressing issues such as personal safety and disaster risk resilience. Knowledge and understanding of disaster preparedness is being improved across markets as part of the implementation of Market Disaster Management Action Plans. In addition, relationship building by market management with external disaster management stakeholders, such as the National Disaster Management Office is continuing. To address barriers to gender-responsive infrastructure development, marketplace infrastructure projects are developed in consultations with women and men market vendors, including vendors with disabilities. In Fiji, close to 200 members of three Market Vendor Associations were consulted by UN Women for the design of their planned new market structures and associated accommodation centres. The perspectives and feedback from the market vendors will be a priority in the design of these structures. This has included vendor concerns around safety, security and accessibility. In 2022, two Category 5 cyclone-resistant women’s accommodation centres were officially opened in Fiji. The Nausori Women’s Accommodation Centre was officially opened in April 2022 and can accommodate 80 rural women vendors at a time, offering a secure location for women market vendors from several rural provinces. The newly refurbished Ba Market Women’s Accommodation centre that can house 50 rural women market vendors was officially opened in August 2022. Secure and safe marketplaces allow market vendors who travel long distances to markets to stay overnight to continue selling the next day. In the case if disasters strike, such as floods and cyclones, which occur frequently in Fiji, rural women market vendors will have a safe place to stay when away from their homes. UN Women provided financial and technical support through the Markets for Change project for improving market physical infrastructure and operating systems.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_2.5
Women have income security, decent work and economic autonomy
Progress is being made in enabling women market vendors to have income security, decent work and economic autonomy through the Markets for Change project. The evolving policy and gender-responsive landscape of the markets in Fiji is creating an enabling environment that promotes productive work for women market vendors in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. It is also promoting women’s leadership and participation in marketplace politics and well as keeping markets accessible, safe and resilient to disaster risks. Women market vendors hold the presidency positions of eight of the 13 market vendor associations (MVAs). In addition, in all the MVAs, women market vendors make up more than 50 percent of the leadership roles in the Executive Committees. The strong leadership presence of women in market vendors associations (MVAs) in Fiji is ensuring that the voice of women is heard and magnified at all levels, giving a recognised collective voice to the needs and perspectives of women market vendors, and ultimately leading to the removal of marketplace barriers caused by gender biases. Moreover, the MVAs have demonstrated good governance, transparency and increasing accountability to the vendors through effective MVA management. This has included opening up social and economic opportunities for market vendors to actively participate. This has included, for example, (i) organising and leading MVA internal strategic processes such as strategic planning, including planning for and holding full-member meetings (such as AGMs) and events (such as Market Day), with minimal support from UN Women; and (ii) supporting market vendors, especially rural vendors, to increase their access to financial services, and to improve their socio-economic status. Women market vendors in two rural maritime islands were able to open bank accounts (4.3%), open investment accounts (18%), sign up for micro-insurance (1.2%), register in apps for mobile money (6%) and use apps to promote their goods online (9.6%). In addition, more women have started to keep financial records (34.6%) and another 1% have reported increased agency over financial decision-making (confirmed by husbands). Furthermore, MVA members are building their livelihood capacities through various capacity-building initiatives. MVAs are demonstrating a willingness to continuously improve their provision of services to members by revising and improving their association constitutions, ensuring their gender responsiveness and inclusion. The revisions included the following: (i) MVAs to be inclusive, by being open to all market vendors and farmers who want to become members; (ii) all members to have the right to vote during the MVA election of its executive committee; (iii) MVAs to have a minimum of 60 percent of women holding the executive roles. In addition, municipal councils and market management lead in the development of and adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), government health regulations, market disaster management plans and market by-laws, thereby contributing to making markets more gender-responsive, more accessible and safer for women market vendors and more resilient to disaster risks. New communications instalments (CCTV and PA systems) are improving information flows in the marketplaces, contributing to improved vendor knowledge of marketplace regulations, and overall personal and marketplace safety and security, such as minimizing/eliminating thieving and violence against women vendors and children in the markets. UN Women provides financial and technical support to the Markets for Change project in Fiji.Showing 1 - 5 of 15