Simple is elegant: Reddy

LICE MOVONO
Thursday, May 11, 2017

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Primary school teacher Ashwinta Reddy is one of the finalists of Miss World Fiji this year. Picture: SUPPLIED

Update: 3:01PM PRIMARY school teacher Ashwinta Reddy values simplicity because she believes it is very closely linked to elegance.

The 24-year-old from Nadi comes into the final competition of the Miss World Fiji Pageant hoping to promote the beauty of our multiracial society but she also has a social issue platform.

As is normally the practice for local pageants, contestants will often choose an issue they discuss at length as they get media attention leading up to the event.

The teacher feels girls do not get the same freedoms as boys and one of the highlights of that is the risk that women have about sexual violence.

"One of the most challenging issues affecting young women today is the risk of being raped.  One thing that I have to say about this issue is that, instead of protecting the girls we need to educate our sons and brothers about respecting women," Miss Reddy said.

"This is important to me because I feel that in fear of being victimised, girls cannot enjoy the same freedom that is given to boys in our society.

"By freedom I mean, freedom of dressing, freedom of going out with friends, freedom to even spending quality time with relatives of opposite gender since so many cases are coming up whereby close family members and relatives attempt to victimise them."

One of 15 finalists who have for the past two weeks undergone training and exposure initiatives, Ms Reddy said that despite her concerns about social issues facing the country, she was proud of the "peaceful environment that we have, together with the unity and understanding for each other's culture which makes Fiji no less than a paradise".

www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=400150