Pacific women

Although the Pacific has largely been spared by the spread of the disease relative to other regions around the world – with Fiji hardest hit of the six countries the UN Women’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme works in, at 18 confirmed cases – all of which have since been cleared, and several countries without a recorded a case so far – the economic and social consequences have been deep.

Eight of the 13 recipients of the awards, sponsored by the University of Hawaii's Pacific Business Center, were women.

One was Samoa's Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who, in her keynote speech spoke about the influence of her mother, the challenges she faced as a young single woman claiming titles that belonged to her father, the first prime minister of Samoa.

She said the most memorable example of resilience and healing for her was the coming together of the people in Samoa after the 2009 tsunami.

Australian Awards is piloting a new Australia Awards short course that aims to help build the capacity of women to trade.

The ‘Australia Awards: Women Trading Globally’ course is offered to Pacific women with their own business who have the potential to become ‘export ready’. 

It will cover international trade and how one might be able to embark on the pathway of growing their business into new international markets.

Pacific artists are among 15 artists exhibiting at Women's Work, including Sulieti Fieme'a Burrows, Juliana Browneyes-Clifford, Emily Mafile'o, Karlo Mila, Lisa Taouma and Tui Emma Gillies.

The show is aimed at challenging old and new stereotypes around the work of women considering how it can be challenged, celebrated, hidden or illuminated.

Co-curator Billie Lythberg said it is an opportunity for people to respond to normative responses to the tasks of women.

RNZ reports the public sector is the largest single employer of women across the Pacific but the research presented to a Commonwealth gathering in Apia on Wednesday shows they are significantly under-represented in the top jobs.

Papua New Guinea reported only 7 percent of its senior government roles were held by women but Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati were performing well with up to 50 percent, according to Nicole Haley of the Australian National University.

RNZ the call comes from the Pacific Women's Network Against Violence Against Women which represents policy makers and front line workers from 13 Pacific countries.

Representatives of women from West Papua attended the networks 7th meeting in Fiji last week and raised some critical issues and gaps in service delivery for victims of gender violence in West Papua.

The director of Tonga's Women and Children Crisis Centre, Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki said the network stands in solidarity with women from West Papua.