It is imperative to recognise the pivotal role that women play in driving progress and fostering development.

Fiji Teachers Union national president Sashi Mahendra Shandil highlighted this while addressing an International Women’s Day celebration at the FTU hall in Suva on Wednesday.

He said investing in women was not merely an act of inverse, but a strategic imperative for achieving sustainable development and societal advancement.

“When we invest in women, we invest in our society,” Mr Shandil said.

“It is an investment in the future, not only for FTU, or for our women’s wing, or for our nation, I think it is an investment that we do for the global village.”

He said true progress could only be realised when women were accorded equal opportunities, access to education, and ability to participate fully in all aspects of this society.

“This is one principle that FTU has been working on very strongly in the yester years, and we will continue to do the same.

“We have gathered not only to celebrate the achievements of the women, but also to reaffirm our commitment to empowering and advancing the rights of the women in our society.

“FTU has and will always continue with this commitment to empower and embrace our national women’s wing to achieve the new heights with the new vibrant and visionary leaders that we have now.”