The National Gender Policy came under scrutiny today in Parliament by Opposition Member Salote Radrodro.
Radrodro posed a question to the Minister for Women – Mereseini Vuniwaqa asking her to justify why more than 3 million dollars was directed to the Free Milk Program and 1 million dollars to the National Gender Policy?
“I recall quite clearly the Honorable Prime Minister in launching the National Gender Policy, he had said that the Fiji First Government and Fiji holds the empowerment of Women as a priority. So can the Minister explain in the 2016/2017 Budget Allocation only 1 million was being allocated for the implementation of the National Gender Policy and yet 6 million had been allocated for the Free Milk Program. How does that reflect the Empowerment of Women in terms of the allocation of our Budgetary Allocation.”
Vuniwaqa stated that her Ministry views Economic Empowerment as critical and the Budget given is based on the Ministry’s plan for the fiscal year.
“You’re comparing oranges and apples here. The Budget that’s been given to the Ministry the current fiscal year is based on a plan that’s been put together by the Ministry for the implementation of the national gender policy. The Budget for the milk that she’s talking about is based on the number of children that are there that need the milk and weet-bix. The money that we have for the National Gender Policy for the current fiscal year.”