Rising as one, the Pacific region to confront issues that affect women and girls is important to advance the fight for equality, justice, and a level playing field.
And Secretariat for Pacific Community Principal Strategic Lead for Women and Girls, Mereseini Rakuita said this was also at the heart of the CEDAW meeting which is currently being held in Suva this week.
“To drive real momentum for gender equality in the Pacific — including by exploring what needs to happen next at the national and regional level. And to showcase a new model of treaty body engagement that is people-centered, regionally led, and grounded in Pacific ways of working.”
“The Pacific has taken a leadership role in bringing the global treaty body process closer to our people. While this builds on the 2020 Committee on the Rights of the Child or CRC session in Samoa, this is, however, the first treaty body session with a truly regional scope, involving 15 Pacific Island countries here in Suva right now to share learning, participate, and engage in this historic event.”
Rakuita said the Pacific way of coming together as a collective to work through our issues such as gender-based violence has worked and is a strength we possess.
“Often in the Pacific, when we face a challenge, we come together as a collective. It’s part of how we live and lead. This week, we are doing just that—rising as one region to confront some of our most pressing issues.”
“The Pacific has among the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, and some of the lowest rates of women in leadership. So, we are here, as governments, civil society organisations, partners, and community voices, together with the CEDAW Committee members, to confront these challenges head-on, together.”
