The findings from this study about community views about women in politics and leadership more generally provide important information about current attitudes, how these vary across the population in Fiji, and where change is happening.
FemLINKpacific is a local, regional, and national catalyst for change through the use of accessible media and information. This is FemLINKPACIFIC’s policy brief from May 2014, providing information and data from the region and updates on the organisation’s programs.
Highlights of the Policy Brief include:
This report contains population and demographic data and development profiles for 15 Pacific countries.
The first woman to be elected to local government in Fiji was Mrs Maureen Wright in 1967 who then went on to become the Mayor of Lautoka City Council in 1970. Since then the progress of women in local government has been frustratingly slow. Despite 40 years of institutional development, the number of women elected into municipal councils has only increased by a marginal 4% to 14.5% in 2008.
Despite the existence of affirmative action measures at the sub-national level in almost all Pacific island countries (a little known fact), women’s political representation at this level continues to remain significantly low. Nevertheless, regional trends indicate that women’s political representation at the sub-national level is gradually increasing and in most cases is higher than at the national level.
In 2010, the Cook Islands National Council of Women in partnership with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum Pacific set down an ambitious program to begin to work with women entering decision making positions in the Pa Enua (Island) Governments. There are over 50 seats in local councils throughout the country. The key aims of the Akateretere Anga Tau O Te Pa Enua (meaning leadership in the Islands) Program is to:
- Establish island women in local government networks and coalitions to help drive gender equality goals.
The candidates’ training was held from 2-6 December 2013. Fifteen participants from 8 provinces in the Solomon Islands attended the training. This included twelve potential women candidates from 8 provinces (including Honiara) and three men who expressed interest in contesting the 2014 National Elections were identified by the Solomon Islands National Council of Women to participate in the training.
The Pacific Community (SPC), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and UN Women conducts assessments of national governments’ capacity to conduct gender mainstreaming of programs and policies. The purpose of gender mainstreaming is to promote good governance and sustainable development through the integration of gender analysis at all levels of government.
Since 2009, Australian funding has supported:
- 10 000 survivors of family violence to receive legal assistance and counselling services. 132 women from Vanuatu have benefited from the Australia Awards scholarship program.
- 2,400 women have been trained through Australian Government funded TVET Centres.
- 130 women from the justice sector have been coached and mentored in decision-making skills.
Equality Matters is a five‑year strategy developed to increase equality of development outcomes for women, men, girls and boys across the Australian‑funded aid program in Papua New Guinea. It also aims to support women’s empowerment. As such, the strategy responds to, and is aligned with both Papua New Guinea’s and Australia’s gender equality commitments.
The strategy contains:• An outline the Papua New Guinean Government’s gender policy consultation findings and directions.
Gender inequality in Papua New Guinea is widespread, and achievements to date have been poor. Papua New Guinea ranks 123 out of 156 countries on the Gender-related Development Index and 145 out of 177 countries on the Gender Empowerment Measure. Papua New Guinea is 119 in a ranking of 121 countries for women’s political participation.
This report contains information about the activities undertaken as part of the Salamasina - Tausala o Samoa programme, lessons learned and recommendations for the future.
The Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) State of Media and Communication Study is designed to provide baseline measures on the key evaluation questions developed by PACMAS across four components:
- Media Policy and Legislation.
- Media and Communication Systems.
- Media Capacity Building.
- Media Content.
This report explores these four components through six strategic PACMAS activities:
- Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
- Pacific Emergency Broadcasting Systems.
- Pacific Communication Technicians.
This report comprises a regional report and five country specific reports which contain more specific recommendations for each country. This regional report articulates a framework for action that is relevant for all actors working to address violence against women across the region; and identifies ‘promising practices’ that could guide efforts to scale up efforts to address violence against women.
The Fiji Young Women’s’ Forum convened by Diverse Voices and Action for Equality (DIVA), Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni, Young Women Producers and Broadcasters - FemLINKpacific and the Young Women’s Christian Association, brought together young women leaders and activists aged 18 – 30 years from Fiji to discuss barriers and strategies to young women’s meaningful participation and representation in Fiji’s democratisation process.
The Solomon Islands study shows that violence against women is prevalent:
- 64% of ever-partnered women aged 15–49 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence, or both, by an intimate partner.
- Women in Solomon Islands are more likely to experience severe forms of physical partner violence, such as punching, kicking, or having a weapon used against them, rather than just moderate violence.
- 56% of women aged 15–49 who had ever been in a relationship reported experiencing emotional abuse by a partner at least once.
This literature review synthesises material from the books, academic articles, and reports listed in the attached annotated bibliography on Pacific Island women and agriculture. Information has been grouped into the following topics:
- Pacific Island women and agriculture.
- Agriculture in Pacific Island social contexts.
- Challenges faced by women in Pacific Island agriculture.
- Pacific Island women in agriculture: Some recommendations.
This literature review and annotated bibliography regarding markets and market traders in the Pacific Island region has been grouped into the following topics:
- Nature and extent of market trade in the Pacific.
- Social context of market trade in the Pacific.
- Challenges faced by Pacific Island market traders.
- Recommendations for improving Pacific Island markets.
The report titled ‘Violence against Women in Melanesia and East Timor: Building on Global and Regional Promising Approaches’ by the Australian Government’s Office of Development Effectiveness found that violence against women is severe, pervasive and constrains development in Melanesia and East Timor. It causes trauma to women and their families and communities. It severely limits women’s social, political and economic participation in their communities.
With the theme of ‘Celebrating our Progress, Shaping our World’, the Conference highlighted the progress made so far towards gender equality while recognising that the Pacific Islands region has a long way to go to achieve substantive gender equality. The conference made a number of recommendations regarding the priority areas of violence against women, health and access to services, as well as on gender disaggregation in the context of the ‘data revolution’.