Diversity & Inclusion

As a dual-sector university, FNU strongly believes in equality and inclusion across its TVET and Higher Education streams of learning. Education policy does not happen in a vacuum. It requires openness and interactions between systems and their environments and is influenced by economic, political, social and technological trends.

Major global developments of our time, such as demographic shifts, migration and refugee crises, rising inequalities, and climate change have contributed to the increasing diversity found in our countries, communities and classrooms.

As a holistic approach to the matter, and in line with FNU’s Strategic Plan 2021-2026, the University has developed a GEDSI Strategy in partnership with the Australia Pacific Training Coalition.

From April-August 2023, FNU’s academic and professional services staff, alongside its Senior Leadership Team (SLT), worked together to realise the FNU GEDSI strategy and a two-year action plan which was launched in [month] 2023.

During the strategy formulation stage, staff from all FNU divisions, colleges and campuses participated in 16 GEDSI sensitisation workshops.

Through this strategy, we aim to provide a platform for staff inclusivity and awareness of gender equality disability and social inclusion practices to promote more equitable and sustainable outcomes.

 

GEDSI Strategy [embedded link]

Acting Vice-Chancellor’s Message

Resources

National Instruments 

The Fijian Government has a national GESI Policy which was launched in 2021.

The Fiji Parliamentary Standing Orders also recognises that gender is a critical dimension of parliamentary scrutiny. Considering laws, policies, programmes, and budgets from a gender perspective ensures that they are fair to both men and women. This leads to better decision-making for everyone. Therefore, the UNDP through its Fiji Parliamentary Support Programme had designed a Gender Toolkit for the Fijian Parliament.

Fiji has had a National Gender Policy since 2014 and a National Disability Act since 2018.

The Fiji Constitution also recognises gender-diverse people.

 

Further resources for Fiji in relation to GESI (Gender Equality And Social Inclusion):

  1. Fiji Country Gender Assessment
  2. Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls

 

Regional Instruments

  1. Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) – Leaders commit with renewed energy to implement the gender equality actions of the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Revised Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (2005 to 2015); the Pacific Plan; the 42nd Pacific Island Forum commitment to increase the representation of women in legislatures and decision making; and the 40th Pacific Island Forum commitment to eradicate sexual and gender based violence.
  2. Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality – The Revised Pacific Platform For Action is a regional charter developed and agreed to by representatives from all Pacific Island countries and territories. It has four strategic themes: Mechanisms to promote the advancement of women. Women’s legal and human rights.

 

International Instruments: 

  1. CEDAW – The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women is the oldest and possible the best-known international instrument on women’s rights and gender equality.
  2. CRPD – The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is intended as a human rights instrument with an explicit, social development dimension. It adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It clarifies and qualifies how all categories of rights apply to persons with disabilities and identifies areas where adaptations have to be made for persons with disabilities to effectively exercise their rights and areas where their rights have been violated, and where protection of rights must be reinforced.
  3. UNDRIP – The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People is the most comprehensive instrument detailing the rights of indigenous peoples in international law and policy, containing minimum standards for the recognition, protection and promotion of these rights. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity, wellbeing and rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.
  4. CRC – Convention on the Rights of the Child  is an international human rights agreement (also known as a human rights treaty) that outlines the specific rights that children and young people can claim. By signing up to the Convention, national governments commit to protecting these rights in their countries.
  5. The Yogyakarta Principles – In 2006, in response to well-documented patterns of abuse, a distinguished group of international human rights experts met in Yogyakarta, Indonesia to outline a set of international principles relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. The result was the Yogyakarta Principles: a universal guide to human rights which affirm binding international legal standards with which all States must comply. They promise a different future where all people born free and equal in dignity and rights can fulfil that precious birthright.

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