News
This page collects stories on developments throughout the Pacific in promoting women in politics. Because many news sites in the Pacific archive their stories after a period of time, we have replicated the stories in full on this page, to keep an archive on efforts and article in the region. We thank all Pacific news colleagues for their contributions in sharing stories on women in politics. If you have a story we have missed, please send it to the PacWIP team on pacwip@gmail.com.
Samoan Parliament welcomes new woman MP
21st August, 2014
Faimalotoa Kika Iemaima Stowers-Ah Kau beat four male contenders for the seat in last weekend’s by-election. The newly elected woman parliamentarian for Gagaifomauga No.1. FaimalotoaKika Iemaima Stowers is ready to serve and continue the work left unfinished by the late MP Tuiloa Anitelea Tuiloa who is her close relative. “Tuilo’a raised many issues for the constituency and I am going to continue pushing those issues,” said Faimalotoa. Her election has increased the...
Women – FijiFirst women nominees speak up
19th August, 2014
The values and policies of the FijiFirst party have attracted more women to be part of the party’s line-up for the September 17 elections. Former civil servant Luisa Waqanika and former radio presenter Adi Laisa Balavu, were two of the five women among the thirty FijiFirst candidate nominees announced on Friday. They said the party had a vision that was beneficial for everyone. Mrs Waqanika hailed...
Pacific women politicians hailed for overcoming adversity
13th August, 2014
Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls Natasha Stott-Despoja says developed countries can learn a lot from prospective female parliamentarians in the Pacific. Across the Pacific less than 5 per cent of parliamentarians are women. While that figure is much higher in Australa, around 30 per cent, Ms Stott-Despoja says the difficulties faced by women elsewhere in the region are much...
PNG ’s Dame Meg Taylor will be PIFS First Female Secretary General
11th August, 2014
The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their Retreat in Peleliu State, Palau on 31st July announced Dame Meg Taylor, DBE, as the next Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, making history as the first woman to be selected to hold the office of Secretary General. Dame Taylor, currently serving as a senior official at the World Bank, brings over...
Empowerment of women in political participation promoted in SI
11th August, 2014
THE UNITED Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNW) is working in collaboration and partnership with the European Union (EU) funded ‘Strongim Mere’ project to promote women’s political participation in Solomon Islands and in the pacific region. In a media conference yesterday, the UNW and EU had invited Samoa’s Electoral Commissioner, Papalii Malietau Malietoa, who is a champion...
Gender no barrier for Pacific Forum’s new leader
06th August, 2014
The first female secretary of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, says she’s confident she can gain the respect of the Pacific’s male-dominated political leaders. The former World Bank official was appointed on Thursday when Forum leaders wrapped up their annual meeting in Palau. Her appointment means the top three position in the regional...
Empowering our future leaders
30th July, 2014
What a leader looks like and the importance of women’s political participation will be the focus on two events run by UN Women in Honiara this week in partnership with VOIS Blong Mere and US Embassy. Samoa’s Electoral Commissioner Papali’i Malietau Malietoa will take part in both the two-day Empowerment Series and a week-long Transformational Leadership workshop with potential female political candidates....
Women to Discuss Gender Equality in Parliament
20th July, 2014
The Legislative Assembly of Tonga is hosting the second Pacific Women’s Parliamentary Partnerships Forum (PWPPF) in Nuku’alofa from today until Monday. The events are being held at the Scenic Hotel in Fua’amotu and the Fa‘onelua Convention Centre here in Nuku’alofa. The three day event, funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (Australian Aid), is aimed to tackle the problem of fewer...
Australia’s women’s envoy tours Pacific to boost political participation
20th July, 2014
Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls says Australia can help Pacific nations improve poor levels of female leadership. Natasha Stott-Despoja is the head of an Australian delegation to Tonga to meet about 30 women in politics from around the region. “This is a great opportunity to get together those women who are in positions of power, those...
COMMUNIQUE: Pacific Women Policy Makers’ Dialogue (July 2014)
18th July, 2014
This Communique is from the inaugural Pacific Women Policy-Makers Dialogue. Pacific women parliamentarians and senior government officials met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga on 18 July 2014 to discuss strategies to enhance women’s leadership and decision-making opportunities at national and sub-national levels. They agreed on actions to support their efforts to influence decision-making processes in order to...
Increasing women’s leadership in the Pacific
17th July, 2014
The Australian Government considers women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women and girls, and enhancing women’s leadership opportunities in the Pacific a foreign policy priority. As part of our efforts, I am delighted to announce Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja, will host a dialogue for Pacific women political leaders and policy makers in the Pacific...
Macho Parliament Putting Women Off Politics
16th July, 2014
MPs have admitted that a “raucous … ill-mannered … unprofessional” atmosphere in the Chamber with MPs “ganging up and bullying” each other is putting women off a career in politics. The All-Party Political Group on Women in Parliament – which includes two deputy speakers – is calling for a “zero tolerance” approach to bad behaviour, including...