Roshika Deo

Deo in 2014 at the IWOC

Roshika Deo (born December 12, 1980) is a Fijian politician and activist. She is the founder of Be The Change Campaign/Movement in Fiji, which is a movement endorsing feminism, LGBTIQ, disability, human rights, and environmentalism. Her organisation stands on the pillars of bringing social, political, economic and cultural change to Fiji, Roshika Deo contended as an independent candidate for the general elections in September, 2014, and was the first candidate to register.^[1][2] She has also been criticised by many members of the FijiFirst and SODELPA parties, as well as members of Methodist Church in Fiji, and had difficulty gaining enough signatures of support to officially become a candidate.^[3] She was nominated for the Amnesty International Human Rights Defender award in 2013. She also received a 2014 International Women of Courage award.^[4]

She is widely known for her advocacy and work in the area of women's rights and ending violence against girls and women.^{[5] [6]}

Personal life

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 her family was a typical traditional and cultural Indian family in Fiji. When she was young she had told her father that she wanted to be the Prime Minister of Fiji, but was discouraged by him. She has three brothers and one sister.

See also

• Indians in Fiji

References

1. http://www.gofundme.com/5aaq3o
2. http://www.awiu.org/2014/04/06/introducing-roshika-deo-a-2014-woman-of-courage/
3. Communications Fiji Limited. "Fijivillage :: Fiji’s Home on the World Wide Web". fijivillage.com.
4. "Bios of 2014 Award Winners". state.gov.
5. Pacific Women. "Fiji and Vanuatu Rise to End Violence Against Women".
6. "audioBoom / Listen: Roshika Deo on violence against women in the Pacific". audioBoom.