Press Release No. : 29/2026

Date : 01 October 2026

Press Release No 29 – Fiji Expands WE Finance Code Coalition with Three New Signatories

WE Finance Code Signatories (From Left to Right): Marlene Dutta (Pacific Regional Manager, Good Return), Vicky Yee (Executive Director, Women’s Fund Fiji), Jyoti Maharaj (FCEF’s Women Entrepreneurs Business Council Chairperson), Amelia Nairoba (Acting Director Women, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection) with Governor Ariff Ali and RBF Chief Manager Financial System Development, Caroline Waqabaca, during the signing ceremony

The Reserve Bank of Fiji is pleased to announce that Good Return, Women’s Fund Fiji and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation’s Women Entrepreneurs Business Council (WEBC), have formally joined the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code (WE Finance Code) as its latest signatories, further strengthening Fiji’s commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment.

With 14 signatories now committed to the WE Finance Code, Fiji continues to build a broad coalition of stakeholders working together to improve opportunities for women-owned and women-led businesses through greater access to finance, stronger data systems and a more supportive business environment.

The WE Finance Code is a global commitment that brings together regulators, financial service providers, development partners and other stakeholders to improve access to finance for women entrepreneurs.  In Fiji, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection serves as the National Champion of the WE Finance Code, while the Reserve Bank of Fiji, serves as the National Coordinator in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank.

The addition of the three signatories broadens Fiji’s WE Finance Code partnership beyond government ministries, regulators and financial service providers to include development and business support organisations. As organisations working directly with women entrepreneurs, businesses and communities, they bring complementary expertise in economic empowerment, business development, capacity building, networking and outreach.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Social Protection Ms Selina Kuruleca, highlighted “Behind every woman entrepreneur is a story of determination, resilience and ambition. Across Fiji women are building businesses, creating employment and investing back into their families and communities. By welcoming these new signatories to the WE Finance Code, we are strengthening a collective movement to break down barriers and expand opportunities for women-led businesses. When women succeed, families prosper, communities flourish and our economy becomes stronger and more inclusive.”

Mr Ariff Ali, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, said “While the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs will not be overcome overnight, every stakeholder has a role to play in addressing them. Through the WE Finance Code, we are bringing together institutions with different strengths and perspectives, united by a common goal of creating a more enabling environment for women entrepreneurs. It is this collective effort that will drive meaningful and sustainable progress.”

The Fiji Financial Services Demand Side Survey 2025 reaffirms the need for continued action to support women entrepreneurs in Fiji, as they account for 55 percent of household MSME owners, that drive economic participation, livelihoods and business activity across the country.  However, the survey also highlights persistent challenges, with women MSMEs generally operating at a smaller scale and facing greater barriers to accessing finance. These findings underscore the need to promote the WE Finance Code ecosystem to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs through improved financing, better use of sex-disaggregated data, and targeted actions that address barriers to growth.

The growing network of WE Finance Code signatories demonstrates a shared commitment to addressing these challenges. No single institution can achieve this alone. Progress requires collaboration between policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, development partners, business organisations and community stakeholders, each contributing their expertise to create a more inclusive and supportive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.

Through the collective efforts of its partners and the continued implementation of the WE Finance Code, Fiji is advancing a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous economy where women entrepreneurs can fully contribute to national development and economic growth.

RESERVE BANK OF FIJI

For further details, please contact: –

Communications Office

Telephone: (679) 3223 381 Email: info@rbf.gov.fj

Mr Mervin Singh – Manager Corporate Communications

Telephone: (679) 3223 229 Email: mervin@rbf.gov.fj