Page 18 - IB March 2018 Edition

Special Feature

progress towards improving gender equal-
ity in the Pacific region, but more work was
needed to achieve gender equality across
men and women of the region.
“As Pacific nations move progres-
sively towards closing the gap in gender
equality, we will then see commensurate
improvements in the Pacific Island country
development overall.”
Reflection over last decade
Since most countries have patriarchal
societies, where things are viewed from a
male’s perspective, there has to be extra
work done to ensure gender equality.
Bernklau who has been working in the
region since 1994 said that ten years ago,
most countries in the region did not have
gender equality plans and strategies. That
has changed today.
“Most countries now have dedicated
departments and division looking after
women’s affairs.”
Fijian women join the UN’s Unite to end violence against women’s campaign. The Pacific region has twice the global ‘That is huge. Four countries namely
average of violence against women. Photo: UN Women/Caitlin Clifford
Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Kiribati
have a ministry for women.
Closing the gender years and it is fantastic.”
“That has all happened in the last ten
The commitment by governments
to have departments and ministries
gap in the Pacific governments know and understand the
dedicated to women demonstrates that
importance of gender equality to develop-
ment and its link.
“It makes sense that those countries
IB’s Status of Women in the Pacific Report that have gender equality, have better
economy.”
“You withhold 50 per cent of the popula-
Speaking to UN Women’s Pacific Re- tion (women), you withhold 50 per cent
gional Technical Specialist Sandra Ber- of the economic and other potential in a
nklau, Islands Business established that country.”
a lot has changed for the women in the She explained that most countries have
region over the last ten years. their gender development plans linked to
Despite the progress to advancing the their national development plans.
By Mereseini Marau-Totoka gender equality gap, work and commit- “That’s smart thinking and a huge
ment was needed especially in critical ar- bonus, a huge gain in the last ten years.”
As the world celebrates International eas like Violence Against Women, Women
Women’s Day on 8th March, at least two in Leadership and Women in Employment. Critical areas that need work
Pacific countries have not ratified the “There is a strong commitment by Pacif- Acknowledging that governments,
popular instrument dedicated to elimi- ic governments to advance gender equality non-government organisations especially
nate any form of discrimination against in the region as reflected by most Pacific women’s association, agencies and indi-
women- CEDAW. Island countries having ratified the global viduals have contributed immensely to
Palau and Tonga out of the seven coun- convention called CEDAW,” she said. this effort to create a level playing field,
tries globally have yet to join the rest of “Pacific Island countries and territories Berklau said there were challenges faced
the Pacific to ratify the Convention on the increasingly recognise that gender equal- in the region.
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination ity is important for national and regional And this she agreed was faced in the
against Women which was adopted by the development- you cannot have economic world over.
United Nations General Assembly in 1979 growth without improvements in gender The region has twice the global aver-
and came into force in 1981. equality.” age of violence against women with an
While most Pacific Island countries have Bernklau reflecting on the progress of estimated two out of three women ex-
ratified CEDAW, Nauru was the only coun- gender equality in the region in the last periencing physical or sexual violence in
try to ratify it in the last decade. decade shared that there has been much their lifetime.

18 Islands Business, March 2018