The Ministry of Communications is proud to highlight its strong support for the Women in Tech Fiji Chapter, both through its recent launch and by amplifying Pacific voices at the prestigious Women in Tech Global Summit held in Osaka, Japan, from April 24th to 25th, 2025.
Ms. Tupou Baravilala, Director-General for Digital Government Transformation, Cybersecurity and Communications, and an Advisory Board member of the Women in Tech Fiji Chapter, led the Fijian delegation alongside Ms. Sagufta Janif, Country Director for Women in Tech Fiji.
Ms. Baravilala acknowledged the warm welcome by Ms. Ayumi Moore, the founder and CEO of Women in Tech Global.
During the summit, Director-General Baravilala served as a panellist on the “Tech Diplomacy In Action” session. She articulated the Fiji Government’s dedication to meaningful and sustainable digital transformation initiatives and its strong advocacy for increased meaningful leadership and participation of women in regional and international forums that shape responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
In response to a question on the transformative power of artificial intelligence, Ms. Baravilala emphasised its potential to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as approximately only 17% are earmarked for completion by 2030. She stressed the critical need for the responsible and ethical development and governance of AI, ensuring it does not exacerbate the inherent existing vulnerabilities within the Pacific region.
“Fiji has prioritised participation at a number of global and regional forums, such as the UN Summit of the Future, the Open Ended Working Group on Cyber, the EU T-CY AI Commonwealth Secretariat AI toolkit project, and the ITU. ”Collectively, we can empower our communities, including women and girls, with the necessary skills to leverage the benefits of new and emerging technologies. This is a collective responsibility and one that is prioritised under our National Digital Strategy 2025-2030 ,” she stated.
“In order to ensure holistic solutions, our unique challenges, from climate vulnerability to cybersecurity risks to digital equity, must be addressed when designing and shaping global technology frameworks. The inclusion of Pacific perspectives is not merely an option; it is fundamental to building a global society where transformative technology benefits everyone. This summit has reinforced that our lived experiences add crucial value to global conversations and must be embedded in every step of designing our collective digital future,” Ms. Baravilala asserted.
Ms. Yuki Aizawa, Asia-Pacific Director for Women in Tech Global, expressed her enthusiastic welcome for the Fiji delegation.
“The active involvement of Women in Tech Fiji brings invaluable depth to our Asia-Pacific community,” Ms. Aizawa commented. “The Pacific region holds unique solutions, remarkable resilience, and profound wisdom that the global community needs. We are deeply inspired by their leadership and are firmly committed to strengthening collaboration across the region.”
The Ministry and Women in Tech Fiji’s impactful presence in Osaka underscores the unwavering commitment to inspire, educate, and empower women and girls to thrive in the digital economy.
The Ministry of Communications proudly supports this vital work, ensuring that the Pacific region is actively shaping it with vision, courage, and innovation.
About Women in Tech Fiji
Women in Tech Fiji is a chapter of the global Women in Tech movement, dedicated to bridging the gender gap in technology through advocacy, capacity-building, mentorship, and strategic partnerships. Guided by the resilient and innovative spirit of the Pacific, Women in Tech Fiji strives to cultivate a digitally inclusive future where everyone can participate and prosper.
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