Prepared by Agnieszka Zuchora, Partnership and Development Coordinator

To celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8), Pacific Peoples’ Partnership is highlighting some of the amazing work being done by our partners across the South Pacific. We are truly excited to be partnering with ʻOfa Guttenbeil-Likiliki and the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) in Tonga for a Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) grant.

‘Ofa is a talented journalist, filmmaker, researcher, and advocate for women’s rights. She is the founder and director of the Tonga Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC). Her incredible work can be found in the film Vai, which she co-wrote and co-directed, as well as the brilliantly researched article Creating Equitable South-North Partnerships: Nurturing the VĀ and Voyaging the Audacious Ocean Together.

Currently, ‘Ofa and her team at WCCC are delivering remote counselling support to the outer islands of Tonga. 

The overall aim of the saturated focus on Tonga’s outer islands and most remote islands is to empower women and children by informing them of how women and young children who are victims and survivors of violence can access free, safe, non-judgmental, and confidential support services. “We use our Tongan method of ‘talanoa’ (talk informally) with our very own Tongan process, ‘fofola e fala kae talanoa e kainga’; it’s the traditional way of holding conversations, where the mat is rolled out giving permission to those in attendance to discuss and talk openly about the topic at hand,” explained Senior Counsellor Malia Foketi Tu’itupou. (‘Ofa, 2020).

To date WCCC has delivered:

• Two mobile counselling clinics to ‘Eua. 
• Seventeen mobile counselling talanoa clinics to the Ha’apai group covering: Uiha, Kotu, Lofanga, Mo’unga’one, Ha’ano, Muitoa, Fakakai, Pukotala, five communities in Foa, and four communities in Lifuka. 
• Short awareness programs for all community members, including children, youth, and community leaders.

The women of the Pacific Resilience Fund and the Pacific Islander Advisory Committee 

At PPP we believe in equal opportunity. We have been told countless times that women want a seat at the table, and they want their voices heard, so we listened. As we develop our Pacific Resilience Fund (PRF) and transform it into an Indigenous-led fund, as defined by the International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (2020), we have put together a Pacific Islander Advisory Committee (PIAC) consisting of five inspiring and passionate women doing incredible work across the South Pacific.

Meet our PIAC:

Dr. Méré MoTari MuraMura Sovick is an Indigenous scholar and practitioner from the Republic of Vanuatu, educated in New Zealand, and later in the USA, where she currently resides. She is the founder and executive director of the Melanesian Women Today (MWT) organization. She grew up in the village of Lavatu on the northern island of Pentecost, traditionally referred to as Araga, and is from the Bule tribe. She embraces her roots and culture, and credits her late grandparents, parents, and elders for teaching her the language, kastom, and knowledge of her people; this motivated her to apply the Indigenous knowledge in her research studies and work, and gave her the framework to do so. Without the support of her family and community, she believes her success would have been in vain.

Dr. Sovick sees herself as an agent of social change and a lifelong learner. As an agent of social change, one has to be willing to be a lifelong learner, which means putting an emphasis on “we” and “us”, and less on “I” and “me” – “I am what I am because of who we all are”.

Jennifer Baing-Waiko is a vibrant researcher, media specialist, TV presenter, and advocate of cultural preservation and equal rights and opportunities. Originally from the Morobe province in Papua New Guinea, she has a truly diverse knowledge set and experience working in marine conservation, seafloor mapping, agriculture, and traditional knowledge sharing. In 2007, she started Save PNG to protect the local culture, traditions, and the environment. Her work has included Cafe New Guinea, Cafe Melanesia, and the Healthy Pacific Campaign.

Kianna Juda Angelo was born in the Republic of the Marshall Islands but was adopted and raised in America since her earliest childhood. In the last decade, Kianna has reconnected with her Marshallese heritage. Continuing her passion for serving communities, Kianna founded the international non-profit organization Living Islands in 2013 and co-founded the social justice organization Compact of Free Association (COFA)  Alliance National Network (CANN) in 2014. She continues to serve as Executive Director for Living Islands and as Board Member for CANN. Kianna is a strong believer in international community work and a fierce supporter of the United Nations and is a member of the United Nations Association. She is always working on connecting governments, organizational partners, commercial interests, Native Americans, and Indigenous communities across the globe.

PIAC Members also include Leaula Theresa Asiata, SSWEFT Chief Executive Officer (Samoa) and  Maureen Penjueli, Coordinator, Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) in Fiji.

Our reasoning for an all-female identifying committee is drawn from the many conversations we have had, all of which point to the same conclusion: “Women are deeply involved in all aspects of their communities and can see where support is most needed and what forms are most effective” (anonymous, 2020). 

There can be a misconception that women only focus on women-related issues; however, it continues to be true that supporting women supports everyone. This does not mean a project has to be wholly dedicated to women or gender equity, rather that it is mindful of its impact on women, working with a holistic approach. This is exactly what we have seen through the first phase of Pacific Resilience Fund grants guided by our Pacific Islander Advisory Committee. 

Current projects across the South Pacific:

Research on women-led businesses

Melanesian Women Today (MWT) is undergoing a research study to understand what makes Indigenous female small business owners succeed in business for more than five years. The project is overseen by the MWT director and will replicate a peer-reviewed research study (Dr. Mere Sovick, 2017). 

This qualitative multiple-case study explores strategies Indigenous female small business owners use to succeed in business beyond five years.  This research will support MWT in gaining an understanding of what strategies women entrepreneurs use to overcome constraints or problems, and will allow MWT to create programs that will help female business owners in the future.

Historical preservation in the Marshall Islands: A collaborative project between Living Islands Non-Profit and Lihn Mwoakilloa Inc.

Like so many other small atolls in the Pacific Region, Mwoakilloa Atoll (formerly Mokil Atoll) in the Federated States of Micronesia faces depopulation and food insecurities. 

Lihn Mwoakilloa Inc. is a women-led organization addressing these issues, promoting sustainable life skills with reliance on traditional knowledge and practices. They promote historical preservation by empowering the present generation with the sustained use of traditional knowledge and practices at the community level through dance, music, arts and crafts, gardening, and cooking. 

Self-reliance is predicated on producing sufficient local food resilience and minimizing the dependency on imported goods. An essential household staple in Mwoakilloa (and the Pacific Region in general) is flour. Lihn Mwoakilloa Inc. is starting a program to educate the next generation and re-introduce local flour production from local produce.

Strongim Meri Morobe: Strengthening the Women of Morobe

Save PNG is reaching out to rural and remote communities in Morobe Province to conduct awareness on food and nutrition security and women’s health and wellbeing, as well as to organize women into associations to market their arts and crafts, utilizing natural fibers harvested and propagated from their local environments.

Save PNG is completing a cultural centre with demonstrated traditional food system gardens integrated with permaculture and agro-ecological principles. They are also running small trainings with women to help them to form associations to market their local arts and crafts and to create marketable natural fibre products.

The aim of these projects is to ensure that communities are food and nutrition secure. and that they are planting a wide variety of traditional and Indigenous food plants to ensure that their diets are diverse and nutritious. This is also providing a pathway for women to expose their talents in arts and crafts to be able to make an added income to supplement their farming activities. The natural fibres and dyes used to create their Bilum (traditional arts and crafts) will also be propagated in the community to ensure that these materials are produced sustainably. 

Promoting health and safety in Samoa

The Samoa Social Welfare Fesoasoani Trust (SSWEFT) is working directly with the chiefs of two communities to raise awareness and provide hygienic assistance to vulnerable members of the community during the pandemic. In this joint venture with the PPP, SSWEFT has been able to visit selected families needing assistance as they are adults that are looked after by either a family member with a disability or a mother tending to the needs of an adult child. SSWEFT aims to offer support to these families as they often do not want to be a burden on their communities; with this initiative they are able to receive invaluable support they may not have otherwise felt comfortable asking for. 

A Compilation of Pacific Women Stories 2021

Prepared by Andy Nystrom, PPP Archivist and Research Assistance

From Tok Blong:

https://archive.pacificpeoplespartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/19-Tok-Blong-SPPF-19-April-1987-m.pdf

Development in the Pacific: What Women Say

Tok Blong #19 Apr 1987 pages 10-11

https://archive.pacificpeoplespartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/54-3-Tok-Blong-Pasifik-v54-3-2000.pdf

Twenty Five Years of Activism: Pacific women carry the fire stick

Tok Blong v54 #3 25th anniversary 2000 pages 7-9

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/03/05/inspiring-women-in-the-pacific-resmah-story

Inspiring women in the Pacific: Resmah’s story

The World Bank March 5, 2018

Kalotiti is the first female surfboard shaper in the Pacific, and she provides surfing lessons to children in her village. 

https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/11-inspiring-australian-women-who-changed-history/

11 Inspiring Australian Women Who Changed History

Over the past century, women have played a key role in shaping Australia and the world as we know it today. Fighting on the front lines for social justice, women’s rights, education and health care as well as proving themselves as vital game changers in the world of sports and science, here are 11 inspiring Australian women who changed history.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/03/05/international-women-day-2020

IWD2020: Meet The Women Who Are Breaking Barriers Across the Pacific

For International Women’s Day 2020, we’re getting to know the pioneering women across the Pacific and Papua New Guinea who are breaking barriers and creating change for the decade ahead. From international sailors and inspiring poets, to diplomats and CEOs fighting for a more equal world, we are sharing the motivations, aspirations and experiences that shaped these women into tomorrow’s Pacific leaders.

https://www.spc.int/updates/blog/2020/10/pacific-women-in-health-care-campaign

Pacific women in health care campaign

Pacific Community 21 October 2020

This month the Pacific Community (SPC) will highlight the invaluable contribution of Pacific women in health care. Globally, women make up 80% of the health workforce and in the Pacific 75% of women represent the nursing workforce. This year has been challenging for everyone working in health care as COVID-19 took precedence and placed a burden on health facilities globally. 

https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/blog/pacific-female-film-stories/

Pacific Female Film Stories

The Coconet circa 2019

2019 is the year of the Brown Female Story in Aotearoa!  So many great stories from the sistas of the Moana Nui A Kiwa are exploding on the big screen this year with an unprecedented number of films made by and about Polynesian women.

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/asia-pacific/asia-and-the-pacific-women-in-conservation/women-guardians-of-the-mangroves/

Women Guardians of the Mangroves

The Nature Conservancy June 01, 2020

Women in Papua New Guinea are coming together to care for each other, their families and lead change for their environment.

https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=24501

Telling Her Story: 30 Books for Adult Readers About Women Heroes of WWII

A Mighty Girl May 8, 2020

To give [World War II] heroic women the recognition they deserve, we’re sharing books for adult readers that bring these untold stories of women’s courage and patriotism to light! We’ve selected well-researched and absorbingly written biographies, which show that truth is sometimes just as exciting as fiction, as well as some of our favorite historical fiction novels that incorporate characters inspired by these daring women. Thrilling and inspiring, these books will bring an important new dimension to your understanding of World War II and the critical and myriad roles that women played in it.

https://www.sbs.com.au/movies/article/2019/05/31/vai-pacific-womanhood-eight-parts

‘Vai’: Pacific Womanhood In Eight Parts

SBS 28 MAY 2020 – 3:39 PM  UPDATED 18 FEB 2021 – 4:23 PM

Eight women directors from eight Pacific Island cultures contribute to this visually sunny yet poetically sorrowful portmanteau feature.

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/meet-5-pacific-women-activists-changing-the-world/

Meet 5 Pacific Women Activists Who Are Changing the World in 2020

Global Citizen Nov. 26, 2020

For women and girls in the Pacific, it’s closer to 3 in 4, or more than double — a statistic that can generally be attributed to the region’s strict gender power dynamics, unique social taboos, inadequate education systems, and limited female political and economic representation.

https://women.govt.nz/news/covid-19-and-women/covid-19-think-pieces/pacific-women-we-are-makers-our-homes-and-communities

As Pacific women, we are the makers of our homes, and communities

Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women 01 Jul 2020

As a Pacific woman I [Shahana Kimiangatau, owner of Shahana Jewels] have heard countless stories of women who have been able to turn their lives around using a skill they learned as a child, or nurtured as a Pacific woman returning to her roots. I believe that it is this philosophy that will empower women to not only receive help post COVID-19, but help themselves – and others.

https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/stories/women-promote-healthy-lifestyle-and-fight-climate-change-marshall-islands_en

Women promote healthy lifestyle and fight climate change in the Marshall Islands

European Commission Published on 26 May 2020

As people around the world learn to live with the COVID-19 crisis, women in a small atoll island in the Marshall Islands, are reaping the benefits of a three-year long, European Union (EU) funded project that was started in 2017 to help build their resilience to climate related droughts

http://www.developmentresearch.eu/?p=846

Behind the Scenes: The Strong Voice of Pacific Women in Climate Negotiations

EADI Blog 16/12/2020

Women from Pacific Island countries have long been strategic and decisive leaders in climate negotiations, yet their stories are relatively unknown.  Our recent work explores women’s leadership at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the making of the Paris Agreement 2015. We provide a snapshot of one year in  three decades of climate negotiations and explore, how women played strategic roles to elevate the Pacific’s position on a global stage.

This site has some good Pacific Women stories in reverse chronological order. https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/ Some of the more recent ones:

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/from-the-ground-up-womens-groups-create-new-crisis-services/

From the ground up: Women’s groups create new crisis services

Pacific Women November 25, 2020

Dedicated women’s groups in small island states are leading the creation of safe spaces and the provision of quality services for women and children experiencing violence.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/involving-family-to-ensure-wee/

Involving the whole family to ensure women’s economic empowerment

Pacific Women November 10, 2020

Two agricultural projects in Papua New Guinea are taking a family-based approach to improve gender equality. The projects are demonstrating how working with women and men farmers in their family units can improve economic outcomes and bring a better balance to decision making in homes.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/small-grants-can-lead-to-big-opportunities/

Small grants can lead to big opportunities

Pacific Women October 15, 2020

Since 2017, the Fiji Women’s Fund has been rolling out a new model of granting and capacity support for women’s organisations, groups and networks in Fiji.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/a-pacific-girl-program-by-pacific-girls/

A Pacific Girl program by Pacific girls

Pacific Women October 7, 2020

Pacific Girl is Pacific Women’s dedicated, multi-country program to support adolescent girls to reach their full potential. It addresses priority issues identified through consultations with more than 200 adolescent girls, including sexual and reproductive rights, access to education, cyber safety, climate change and freedom from violence.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/community-overcomes-birthing-taboos-in-remote-district/

Community overcomes birthing taboos in remote district

Pacific Women August 18, 2020

Strict taboos were once forcing women in the remote Lufa District of Papua New Guinea to give birth in their outdoor gardens rather than the nearby health facility. This has changed, with women now birthing in the safe conditions of the local health facility, thanks to community-led action through CARE’s Mamayo project.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/a-platform-for-sustaining-feminist-fierceness/

A platform for sustaining feminist fierceness

Pacific Women July 30, 2020

The reasons why the second Pacific Feminist Forum was important are as varied as the 150 participants who attended.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/women-and-young-people-influence-government-policy/

Women and young people influence government policy

Pacific Women July 23, 2020

More than 70 women and young people gathered in Tuvalu’s capital of Funafuti for the Tuvalu National Women and Youth Forum. It was the first forum of its kind, bringing together women and young people from all of Tuvalu’s islands in a pioneering collaboration between government and civil society.

https://pacificwomen.org/stories-of-change/women-are-key-to-an-effective-covid-19-pacific-response/

Women are key to an effective COVID-19 Pacific response

Pacific Women May 22, 2020

The impacts of COVID-19 are not gender-neutral. Women and girls face even higher rates of violence and sexual abuse, undertake more unpaid domestic work, access fewer essential health services, and are more vulnerable to economic hardship.