Women in Fiji

Women in Fiji

Native Fijian women, 1935.
Global Gender Gap Index[1]
Value 0.6286 (2013)
Rank 117th out of 136

Women in Fiji are female members of the Fijian people who live in or are from the Republic of Fiji. On March 8, 2007, The Fiji Times ONLINE described Fijian women as important role players in the fields of economic and social development in Fijian society. The women of the Islands of Fiji are the "driving force" in the health service as nurses and medical doctors. They are also key players and managers in the areas of tourism and the entertainment industry and as teachers in the field of education. However, according to the same source, the modern-day roles that Fijian women are engaging in has become a cause for the weakening of the Fijian family unit because she no longer able to completely perform her role as the "pillar of strength" in the home, as the traditional maternal figure and care-providers who spends a lot of time with the children in the household, giving them "love and attention", because of her responsibilities at the workplace. Despite of this setback, modern-day Fijian women have attained better education.[2]

According to the article Women's work and fertility in Fiji "... the presence of very young children and larger family sizes contribute to the low level of labour force participation of Fijian and Indian women in Fiji."[3] By culture and traditional, a women in Fiji lives in a paternalistic society wherein she has a secondary role at home performing household chores that includes cooking meals, cleaning the house, and as a community and village member is subservient to men in general.[4]

Eating customs

By tradition, most of the cooking is performed by Fijian women. Indo-Fijian cuisine may include food made from starch and involves the use of relishes made from vegetables. If available, meat and fish is also eaten. Flatbread may be made from locally grown rice or from imported flour. Traditional Indo-Fijian eating custom require that women eat separately from men. Depending on the religion (Indo-Fijians may be Hindus or Muslim) Indo-Fijians are prohibited from eating meat; Hindu Indo-Fijian will avoid consuming beef while Muslim Indo-Fijians will not eat pork due to religious reasons.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Global Gender Gap Report 2013" (PDF). World Economic Forum. pp. 12–13.
  2. ↑ "Roles women play". The Fiji Times ONLINE. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Rakaseta, Vilimaina L. "Women's work and fertility in Fiji" (PDF). Pacific Health Dialog Vol. 2 No. 1. Original Papers. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "The traditional Fijian". Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Walker, Anthony R. "Fiji". Retrieved 14 October 2013.

References

    External links

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