Roshika Deo

Roshika Deo contended as an independent candidate for the general elections in September, 2014, and was the first candidate to register.[1] She ran independently during the election, rejecting offers of support from established parties as these parties did not hold a clear position on her primary rights-based concerns.[2] Though the 1055 votes she received in the election was not enough to enter parliament, it was more than many seasoned politicians and more than the people who were able to enter as part of their party.[3][4] Following the election she began work to establish the proposed Be The Change Party to cement her dedication to human rights, women's rights and LGBTIQ rights into a platform of political activism and for young people in Fiji to have a voice. She is currently working to collect the 5000 signatures needed for party registration.[5]

Ms Deo's choice to run independently garnered her criticism from various sources, including the established political parties, church leaders and government-friendly newspaper. She also faced gender-based online harassment including threats and graphic manipulated photos.[4] Her response has been one of persistence, never shying from opportunities to promote her message of gender equality and calling for effective representation of women in politics. When asked if she is able to "run with the boys", she pointed out that this gendered language demonstrates the hurdles that women face politically.

As a pioneering female politician in Fiji, Ms Deo's career has drawn academic attention internationally. Priya Chattier, Research Fellow in Gender at the Australian National University 's State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program, presented Ms Deo's experience in the presentation "Power, Politics and Positive Deviance" at the DLP Annual Conference 2016.[3][2]

In 2009 Ms Deo became the youngest person in the pacific to have received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, which she was given in recognition of her enthusiasm and commitment to helping her community.[6] She was nominated for the Amnesty International Human Rights Defender award in 2013. She also received US Secretary of State International Women of Courage Award from Michelle Obama 2014, once again as the youngest Pacific recipient to date.[7]

She is widely known for her advocacy and work in the area of women's rights and ending violence against girls and women.[8][9] She has had leadership and professional experience working in feminist non-governmental organisations and UN agencies in the Pacific region. She initiated the Take Back the Streets march while working in the Emerging Leaders Forum (ELF) in the Fiji Women's Rights Movement. Fiji was the first country in the Pacific to hold a presentation of the Vagina Monologues under Ms Deo's initiative. She also introduced the One Billion Rising Campaign to the Pacific

Roshika Deo belongs to an Indo-Fijian Hindu family. Her father Indar Deo was a well-known councillor, politician for the National Alliance Party and businessman, who now lives in Australia. She said in a Fiji Sun interview that when she was young she had told her father that she wanted to be the Prime Minister of Fiji, he discouraged her at the time but now she thinks that "anything is possible".[10] She has three brothers and one sister.

Ms Deo attended Suva Grammar School and holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the South Pacific (USP).

• Indians in Fiji