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.
“Soso Happy”: Julie Soso reflects on impact of LPV in PNG elections
07th August, 2012
[The National – by ZACHERY PER]: EASTERN Highlands yesterday celebrated electing the first female governor in Papua New Guinea as T.H.E Party candidate Julie Soso swept into office. The humble and outspoken women’s rights leader yesterday emerged from her Asariufa home on the outskirts of Goroka town to be declared the duly-elected governor of Eastern Highlands. Soso is the first woman to be elected...
MP Eta Rory emphasizes production for Vanuatu’s prosperity
06th August, 2012
Vanuatu’s only woman MP, Eta Rory, emphasized production. “Thirty-two years after Independence we do not have a productive side. It will only come if Government focuses on it. Yes, we are free as a nation, but we must look at productivity and promote what we produce.” [Vanuatu daily news digest | 6 August 2012]
Julie Soso, women’s advocate, elected to parliament
06th August, 2012
A third woman has been elected to the PNG parliament in one of the biggest boilovers of the 2012 national election. Julie Soso, standing for the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party, is a prominent community leader in the Eastern Highlands. A former broadcaster, she is a women’s rights advocate , president of the Women’s Council and deputy chair of the Eastern Highlands...
New Cook Islands MP, Selina Napa, wants to heal political rifts
06th August, 2012
RAROTONGA (RNZI) —- A new Cook Islands MP says she wants to get on with re-uniting her village now a petition challenging her Titikaveka by-election win has been dropped. Cook Islands Party candidate Teariki Matenga last week withdrew the petition he brought against his sister, Selina Napa, who won the by-election for the opposition Democratic Party. The challenge made allegations of corruption, bribery...
PNG Editorial: “Women – power on the rise”
06th August, 2012
PORT MORERSBY (THE NATIONAL) — Some kind of history could be made when the complete set of newly-elected parliamentarians sit later this month in Waigani. Papua New Guinea’s 2012 general election will be notable for the fact that this is the first time in 35 years two female candidates have won seats in the country’s legislature while a...
Micronesian Women’s Summit Concludes In Palau – Inaugural event included traditional, contemporary leaders
05th August, 2012
KOROR, Palau (Island Times, August 3, 2012) – The inaugural Micronesian Regional Women’s Summit is concluding today at Ngarachamayong Cultural Center. Various issues were discussed in the summit including sustainable economy and poverty, climate change (knowledge of traditional mitigation), non-communicable diseases, reproductive health, people with disability, suicide prevention, politics, good governance, entrepreneurship, justice literacy, intellectual property, cultural...
Women Leaders of the Pacific reunite in Palau
05th August, 2012
In August of 2012, Vital Voices participated in the first Micronesian Women’s Regional Summit with members of our Global Leadership Network hailing from from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Samoa. The Summit, a first for Micronesia, was hosted by Palau in conjunction with the Women of Micronesia Exchange Network, through a grant from...
New hope for women: Fa’asala of consultancy services of the Temporary Special Measure (TSM) Taskforce
04th August, 2012
Vika’s victory is a new hope for women in Malaita in the area of political development and leadership changes in the province and the national as a whole. Gender alert consultancy services of the Temporary Special Measure (TSM) Taskforce Casper Fa’asala made this statement when he congratulated the winning candidate for North Malaita Constituency Vika Lusibaea. Mrs Lusibaea won the North Malaita seat with a landslide victory of 2802 from...
Vika Lusibaea elected as MP for North Malaita in Solomon Islands
03rd August, 2012
North Malaita constituency has a new Member of Parliament (MP) who was unofficially declared last night. She is Vika Lusibaea, the wife of former MP Jimmy Lusibaea. Mrs Lusibaea was declared by Returning Officer Louis Wale after the completion of counting last night in Auki. Governor General Sir Frank Kabui is expected to make the official declaration today. It was a landslide victory for Mrs Lusibaea following Wednesday’s...
Princess Latufuipeka Tuku’aho appointed Tonga’s second high commissioner to Australia
03rd August, 2012
A Tongan leader criticises appointment of King’s daughter to diplomatic job. A Tongan community leader says the appointment of the King of Tonga’s daughter as high commissioner to Australia is a backward step for democracy in the kingdom. Princess Latufuipeka Tuku’aho is Tonga’s second high commissioner to Australia, taking over from her father who led the diplomatic mission in Canberra for four years as...
Fijian woman becomes Solomon Islands elected Member of Parliament
03rd August, 2012
Solomon Islands – The wife of former rebel leader and government minister, Vika Lusibaea is the newly elected member of Solomon Island’s North Malaitaconstituency. Solomon Star reports that Lusibaea was unofficially declared Thursday night by Returning Officer Louis Wale at the end of counting in the provincial capital, Auki. Governor General Sir Frank Kabui is expected to make the official declaration today. The newspaper...
Solomon Islands: “… women must get elected into parliament”
02nd August, 2012
The Solomon Islands, despite having no current female members of parliament, is determined to change all that in the upcoming 2014 national elections and preparations are underway to address and effect that. At the fore front of these process is the inspirational Permanent Secretary of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs Ms Ethel Sigimanu, who says,...