[June 24, 2025, by Kelera Ditaiki] A new World Bank record reveals that less than forty three percent of women in Fiji are active in the labor force.

World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist and Pacific Women in Power Task Team Leader, Helle Buchhave, says the significant gap between the number of men and women in the construction sector is deeply concerning.

She notes that despite rising education levels among women across the Pacific, deeply rooted gender norms continue to restrict their career choices.

Buchhave adds that addressing gender gaps in the labor force could increase long-run GDP per capita by an average of 22 percent across the Pacific.

“To put this in perspective, that’s not a marginal improvement. That’s transformational economic potential. As you see, the potential varies across a lot of the Pacific region, but they represent real benefits and opportunities for everyone.”

The report highlights that many women, even with higher qualifications, remain confined to unpaid care work or low-paid jobs.

Representative for Women in Construction and Trade Fiji, Julianne Verma, states that a major barrier for women entering hands-on construction roles is the lack of proper utilities.

Link to original article:

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/closing-gender-gap-could-boost-gdp-per-capita/

Full FBC News video on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/women-in-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-fields-often-face-s/586524967841503/?rdid=lSYi1VzdVwJZeVXH