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.
PM defends Cook Islands’ gender record
04th September, 2012
The Cook Islands’ Prime Minister Henry Puna has defended his country’s record on gender equality. Pacific Beat’s Geraldine Coutts speaks to Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna about hosting the Pacific Islands Forum. Listen to the interview here. At the Pacific Islands Forum held in the country last week the region received a pledged of $320 million over 10 years, from several...
Australian group offers expertise to help get Pacific MPs
04th September, 2012
Radio Australia, 3 September 2012, 12:25 AEST This year’s Pacific Islands Forum has focussed attention on the issue of gender equity and the role of women in politics. The Pacific lags behind much of the world when it comes to women in parliament and Australia could do much better too. One group has been working for the last...
Joint Statement on the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality
04th September, 2012
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC September 1, 2012 On the occasion of the 43rd Pacific Islands Forum, gender equality leaders from the Pacific region held the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality in Cook Islands on August 31st. Dialogue Participants affirmed that the economic, social, and political progress of the region can only be achieved with consistent and collaborative efforts to...
Kiribati President promises support for women’s issues, despite no ministry
04th September, 2012
Kiribati’s President, Anote Tong, says the Government’s failure to pass legislation creating a women’s ministry doesn’t mean it won’t continue to support women’s issues. The bill to amend the constitution, which is needed before a ministry can be established, was defeated during the second reading last month. An MP, Tangariki Reete said the Government didn’t do enough to convince its MPs to...
Put women’s rights at heart of our foreign policy
04th September, 2012
September 3, 2012 Opinion Piece. Gender equality in the developing world is essential, MEREDITH BURGMANN writes The dark clouds that hang over the lives of many women and girls in the developing world have been witnessing recent bursts of sunshine from Australia. In recent months, the Australian government has made a series of major announcements to support...
Women Candidates Training in Vanuatu
04th September, 2012
CDI has long been committed to increasing women’s political representation in the Pacific. Since 2008 CDI’s annual regional Women in Politics course has provided emerging women leaders with an opportunity to build skills and networks to boost political participation and representation. CDI has also worked with local partners to provide highly regarded advisory and training support to women candidates across the...
Pacific Nations Women Promised a Better Deal
03rd September, 2012
BRISBANE, Sep 3 2012 (IPS) – Leaders of 15 Pacific Island nations have pledged to remove barriers to women’s economic empowerment, end violence against women and pave the way for their increased political representation, at the conclusion of the 43rd Pacific Islands Forum in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, last week. The meeting was also attended by the Executive...
Progress of Pacific women not in pace with rest of World – Hillary Clinton
02nd September, 2012
The United States secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, says the progress of women in the Pacific has not kept pace with the rest of the world. Over the weekend, Mrs Clinton met with Pacific women leaders.She launched the Rarotonga Partnership, which will expand leadership training, academic scholarships, and other educational opportunities through programs that actively embrace and...
Clinton convenes dialogue on gender equality at Pacific Leaders Forum
01st September, 2012
The Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality – chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday. United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday met with a group of men and women committed to improving the lives of their Pacific sisters. She convened the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality at Tamarind, attended by men and women from the Australian government, International...
Joint Statement on the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality
01st September, 2012
Joint Statement on the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC September 1, 2012 ——————————————————————————– On the occasion of the 43rd Pacific Islands Forum, gender equality leaders from the Pacific region held the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality in Cook Islands on August 31st. Dialogue Participants affirmed that the economic, social, and political progress of the region can only be...
Pacific leaders commit to gender equality in Forum communique
01st September, 2012
FORTY-THIRD PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM Rarotonga, Cook Islands 28 – 30 August 2012 FORUM COMMUNIQUÉ Annex 1: PACIFIC LEADERS GENDER EQUALITY DECLARATION 30 August 2012, Rarotonga, Cook Islands The Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum met from 27 to 30 August 2012 in Rarotonga and brought new determination and invigorated commitment to efforts to lift the status of women in the...
43rd Pacific Islands Forum Communique: Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration
31st August, 2012
43rd Pacific Islands Forum Communique (Jump to Annex 1) The Forty-Third Pacific Islands Forum was held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 28 to 30 August 2012 and was attended by Heads of State and Governments of Australia, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall...