A Compilation of Pacific Women Stories 2021
Prepared by Andy Nystrom, PPP Archivist and Research Assistance
From Tok Blong:
Development in the Pacific: What Women Say
Tok Blong #19 Apr 1987 pages 10-11
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.