Who we are

Graduate Women (Fiji) is passionate about empowering women and girls in Fiji through lifelong education.

Graduate Women (Fiji) or GWF, formerly known as The Fiji Association of Women Graduates, is a voluntary and non-profit organisation of women graduates working to promote lifelong education, to improve the status of women and girls and to enable women to effect positive change for a peaceful world.

Graduate Women (Fiji) or GWF was founded in 1983 as The Fiji Association of Women Graduates (FAWG) by women graduates living in Suva, to promote the quality of life of women and girls. On July 12, 2014, the GWF Western branch was established in Lautoka for graduate women who are based in Lautoka and Nadi.

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Our commitments are:

  • To further the development of education for women;
  • To improve the status of women and children;
  • To protect human rights;
  • To promote peace.
To achieve this we:

  • Encourage and support members to undertake higher education or further studies;
  • Foster understanding, international cooperation and friendship among women graduates, irrespective of race. Nationality, religion, or political opinions;
  • Undertake advocacy and consultancies for the solution of problems in areas of public life and participate in decision –making at local, national and international levels;
  • Sponsor conferences, seminars, workshops, research, projects and training programmes.
Leadership

Graduate Women (Fiji) or GWF is led by the Council which is comprised of the President, the Vice-President Membership, Vice-President Development, Vice-President Documentation, the Immediate Past President, Secretariat and Treasurer.

GWF also has a Board of Advisors and Board of Trustees who give advice and support to the Council.

The Council Members serve for a term of two (2) years with elections taking place in GWF’s Biannual General Meeting (BGM).

The Council

Graduate Women (Fiji) or GWF is led by the Council which is comprised of the President, the Vice-President Membership, Vice-President Development, Vice-President Documentation, the Immediate Past President, Secretariat and Treasurer.

GWF also has a Board of Advisors and Board of Trustees who give advice and support to the Council.

The Council Members serve for a term of two (2) years with elections taking place in GWF’s Biannual General Meeting (BGM).

Past Presidents

2014 – 2016 Zakia Ali
2009 – 2013 Dr Akanisi Kedrayate
2007-2008 Winnie Nainoca
2003-2007 Dr Akanisi Kedrayate
2001-2003 Dr Helen Tavola
1999-2001 Esiteri Kamikamica
1995-1999 Leba Halofaki Mataitini
1992-1995 Patricia Imrana Jalal
1987-1992 Elizabeth Reade Fong
1986-1987 Susan Parkinson
1985-1986 Margaret Wong
1983-1986 Gracie Fong (Founding President)

2017 - 2019 Council
From left: Sonia Khan (VP Development), Maria Ronna Luna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi (VP Membership), Patricia Mallam (VP Development), Charlotte Taylor (President), Rosalia Fatiaki (Treasurer), Renita Sharma (Secretariat)
From left: Sonia Khan (VP Development), Maria Ronna Luna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi (VP Membership), Patricia Mallam (VP Development), Charlotte Taylor (President), Rosalia Fatiaki (Treasurer), Renita Sharma (Secretariat)
Partnerships

GWF believes in the spirit of collaboration and partnership, so if you are an organisation that has values aligned with ours, please contact us and work with a team of active women who have the passion, determination, innovation, courage and commitment to give something back to our less fortunate sisters and girls.

Email us at [email protected]

GWF is part of local and international networks. We are an affiliate of the National Council of Women. We network with other local NGOs like the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM), Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and many others. Regionally, GWF maintains close links with the New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women (NZFGW), and the Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW). Internationally, as one of the 54 affiliates of the Graduate Women International (GWI), GWF belongs to an extensive network of graduate women throughout the world. GWI has worked with UN bodies on matters relevant to the Federation’s purposes since 1947.

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