Suva, 30 June 2026 – New findings from the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) assessments of Fiji’s police and military highlight how inclusive reforms can strengthen the country’s peacekeeping contribution.
The Republic of Fiji Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), in partnership with the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF), today announced the completion of two landmark assessments examining women’s participation in United Nations (UN) peace operations across the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the Fiji Police Force (FPF).
Conducted using the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) methodology, these assessments provide a comprehensive analysis of the barriers and opportunities for women’s meaningful participation in peacekeeping in Fiji’s uniformed services. With the support of Cornell University’s Gender and Security Sector Lab and Ethos CRS, the methodology focused on ten categories that affect women’s participation in peacekeeping, with the findings providing a practical, data-driven roadmap to build on institutional good practice and tailor reforms.
Across both institutions, women remain underrepresented, which is reflected in deployments to peace operations. The findings highlight structural and social barriers to women’s participation, including childcare constraints, infrastructure gaps, unequal access to training and advancement, and entrenched gender norms. MoDVA and national partners will use these findings to address the following areas:
- Expanding the eligible pool of women through targeted recruitment, training, and career progression.
- Addressing household and family-related constraints, including childcare support.
- Improving infrastructure and facilities to ensure safe and inclusive working conditions.
- Strengthening transparency and fairness in deployment selection processes.
- Tackling harmful gender norms and improving workplace culture.
Speaking at the launch event in Suva, Fiji Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua, welcomed the findings of both assessments, signalling the way forward for both institutions:
“Fiji has a proud legacy in peacekeeping, and these reports confirm our commitment to strengthening that legacy through greater and more meaningful inclusion. By addressing the barriers identified, we will ensure that all members of the RFMF and FPF—women and men alike—can contribute fully to international peace and security efforts.”
Fiji is the first Troop- and Police-Contributing Country (T/PCC) from the South Pacific to complete and publish MOWIP findings, and the ninth worldwide to produce the assessments with EIF support. The findings mark a significant milestone in its continued leadership on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, specifically in its efforts to advance meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping.
About the Elsie Initiative Fund
The EIF is the only global fund dedicated to removing barriers and accelerating women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in United Nations peace operations. Hosted by UN Women, the Fund supports security sector reform, strengthens the WPS agenda, and advances the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028 (UGPS). Progress towards gender-responsive peacekeeping is supported by contributions from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. For more information on the EIF, please visit elsiefund.org or follow the Fund on LinkedIn and X.
For more information
Suparva Narasimhaiah – Project Coordination Specialist – Elsie Initiative Fund
Luke Horswell – Communications Analyst – Elsie Initiative Fund
