This video features girls from Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu highlighting the issues experienced by girls before and after the global pandemic.
Girls also share what they want changed to address the issues faced by themselves and their peers particularly during the COVID-19 response and recovery period.
Pamela, 13, is a dynamic adolescent, head girl and an active participant in one of Equal Playing Field school action groups in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea’s capital.
She was in Fiji; caught in transit between Papua New Guinea and Samoa due to changes in her connecting flight on her way to attend “A dive into the Blue Pacific” side event at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) earlier this month.
More than 180 women and men committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment attended the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Annual Learning Workshop in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 30 April to 2 May.
The workshop is part of Pacific Women’s efforts to enhance knowledge and evidence to inform policy and practice. It is an opportunity for implementing partners and other stakeholders to meet and engage in meaningful discussions, present their research, share their experiences and learn from each other.
During the fourth Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development PNG Annual Learning workshop, David Kulimbao, Project Coordinator at Community Development Workers Association Inc (CDWAI), and Pas Semai Linbao, Team Leader of the Tsak Rural Women Empowerment Foundation, reflected on their resilience and food production project.
Tuiloma Neroni Slade (then Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum), John Gemba (a male advocate with Eastern Highlands Family Voice in Papua New Guinea), John Ericho (Director of Eastern Highlands Family Voice in Papua New Guinea), and Tura Lewai (a male advocate with the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre) reflect on the need for men and boys to be involved in ending violence against women.
Working Together to Improve Gender Equality in the Pacific looks at the exisiting challenges of advancing gender equality in the areas of leadership and decision making, economic empowerment and ending violence against women. It also provides an overview and introduction to the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program.
Savina Nongebatu reflects on the experiences of women with disabilities in the Solomon Islands - the challenges they face and support they need - as well as shares her vision for the future.
What were the factors that supported Kiribati's Minister for Education Hon. Maere Tekanene's progression into national level leadership? Watch to hear first-hand about her amazing and inspirational journey.
Shamima Ali, Coordinator of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC), provides an overview of the issue of violence against women it the Pacific, the drivers of violence and the importance of engaging men.
Vanuatu Women's Centre (VWC) Coordinator, Merilyn Tahi, elaborates on the services her organisation provides Ni-Van women and the research VWC has conducted on violence against women in Vanuatu.
How can we encourage community members to take an active role in eliminating violence against women? Do the police play an important role in this? Hear what EribwebweTakirua, Police Inspector from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Unit, Kiribati has to say about this.
Tuiloma Neroni Slade (then Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum), John Gemba (a male advocate with Eastern Highlands Family Voice in Papua New Guinea), John Ericho (Director of Eastern Highlands Family Voice in Papua New Guinea), and Tura Lewai (a male advocate with the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre) reflect on the need for men and boys to be involved in ending violence against women.
Alvina Erekali, the country program coordinator for UN Women in Solomon Islands, describes the Markets for Change initiative. She also shares challenges faced by women's organisations in Solomon Islands and her vision for the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Program.
Participants of a training run by the Centre for Demoncratic Institutions reflect on their experiences of contesting local government elections.
Monica Paulus from the Women's Human Rights Defenders Network (WHRDN) Papua New Guinea works in one of the most isolated and challenging parts of the country. WHRDNprovides support to rural women escaping sorcery allegations and extreme instances of violence against women. Listen to Monica's vision for Pacific Women in the next 10 years.
Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women) is one of the largest global commitments to gender equality.
It connects more than 170 gender equality initiatives supported by Australia and implemented by over 160 partners across 14 Pacific Island countries. Providing technical, knowledge sharing and convening support to the portfolio of partners is Pacific Women’s Support Unit.
This video provides an overview of Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development a regional gender equality program supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Pacific Island adolescent girls participating in the two-day preparatory workshop ahead of the Pacific Girl Regional Stakeholders’ Dialogue in May 2018 wrote a song together to express their feelings and experiences. It highlights challenges for Pacific girls, including teen pregnancy and cyberbullying, and encourages girls to believe in themselves to overcome any barriers.
Adolescent girls in the Pacific face challenges because they are girls; and they can also be discriminated against for other reasons, such as having a disability or getting pregnant. In this short video, adolescent girls from the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu talk about the issues that are important to them – such as education and climate change, the challenges they face – such as violence in their homes and cyber bullying, and the strategies they believe will work to empower adolescent girls in the region.
Natasha Stott Despoja AO, Australia’s candidate for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was one of three special guests who provided pre-recorded messages for the ‘Pacific girls and COVID-19’ webinar.
The webinar promoted girls’ involvement as essential in the recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak.