July 2024 Newsletter - Pacific Women Lead at SPC (PWL at SPC) programme

View this email in your browser Warm Pacific Greetings from PWL at SPC! This newsletter reaches you at a time when the PWL at SPC team has said "sota tale" to our boss meri, Tara Chetty, following her recent transition to the position of Deputy Director of the Human Rights and Social Development Division. After skilfully leading the team throughout the transition of gender technical expertise to SPC from the Pacific Women Support Unit in 2022 , the PWL at SPC team were sad to see her leave us – but our hearts full knowing she's not too far away as she embarks on this new phase of her career. Programme Updates  PWL at SPC Grants  In June 2024 the Pacific Community's (SPC) Procurement Committee approved formal partnerships through grants for 21 civil society organisations (CSOs) including international and national CSOs and academia, 5 grants for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) governments and one grant for an intergovernmental organisation. The PWL at SPC grants will extend the reach of financial investment coupled with technical assistance from the Human Rights and Social Development (HRSD) Division including Pacific Women Lead at SPC to advance, and mainstream gender equality in the areas of faith and culture, research, economic empowerment, GBV services including a safe home, humanitarian preparedness, and sports leadership. Eleven PICTs to benefit from the PWL at SPC grants including Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. There are 9 regional projects focused on research, economic empowerment, and women in leadership.   Guidance Note: Reporting on Disability Inclusion People with disabilities make up around 16% of the region's inhabitants, yet face formidable barriers to essential services and opportunities, perpetuating a cycle of marginalisation across social, economic, and political realms. The Pacific statistics are sobering— less than 10% of children with disabilities attend school, and unemployment rates range from 50% to a staggering 90%. Poverty and disability intertwine, deepening economic disparities. Reflecting on this, Sally Baker (Disability Inclusion Specialist - Pacific Women Lead Quality and Technical Assurance Group) and Arti Devi (Database Officer for PWL at SPC) have co-authored a blog providing insight into an inclusion tool, a guidance note for "Reporting on Disability Inclusion" – Read it here  Under Review: Tonga's Gender Policies  Tonga Government gathered stakeholders to take stock of the recent achievements, challenges and to identify gaps and areas of improvements for advancing gender equality in the country. The convening was also an opportunity to review the National Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality Tonga policy and a review of national progress under the Pacific Platform for Action on Gender Equality and Women's Human Rights (PPA) in the lead-up to this year's 15th Triennial Conference for Pacific Women. The consultation was supported by Pacific Women Lead at SPC. Read more.   Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Training for the Pacific Pacific specialists in gender-based violence (GBV) from crisis centres across six countries are collectively guiding the development of new GBV training for the region. Technology facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) frontline workers' training for the Pacific has already been piloted in Tonga, Fiji and Solomon Islands with plans to expand to other countries.  Read more.   Menstrual Health Day 2024  Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture  Gender and Culture High-Level Talanoa at FestPAC A two series gender and culture event were held at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) in Hawai'i - Closing the gap on gender equality' high-level talanoa followed by the "Gender and Culture – Technical Panel." We were also delighted to have one of PWL at SPC's Young Creatives Millicent Barty (Solomon Islands) share her reflections as a young female advocating the importance of embracing culture as a tool to advance gender equality efforts, policies, and reforms. SPC's Principal Strategic Lead – Pacific Women and Girls, Mereseini Rakuita said: "Senior Pacific leaders are reflecting on catalytic actions that could pave the way for a more equitable and inclusive future for women and girls in Pacific Island countries and territories." Read more.     Keala Kahuanui protecting Indigenous knowledge of navigation for youth and future generations The sound of Keala Kahuanui's sacred welcoming chant reverberates against the coastal mountains of Hawai'i and across the Pacific Ocean, as she welcomes delegates from 22 Pacific Island countries and territories to her homeland of Hawai'i. In this story, she shares her experience on being part of the revival movement of traditional navigation and canoe building: https://bit.ly/3XgPNDH Women sail the Vaka - Navigating traditional leadership roles and modern-day cultural changes The first ocean navigator in the Northern Marianas was a woman, gifted with navigational knowledge after outsmarting the mystical sandpiper bird.  Since that time, long-held voyaging canoe ('Vaka' or 'Wa'a') traditions have been carried by women, such as leading on the provision of nourishing food for the long voyage, and preserving Indigenous navigational knowledge: https://bit.ly/3z0BwRu Pacific Youth Council Convening Paving the way forward for youth in the Pacific  As part of a regional convening themed Toe Timata le Ūpega – Cast the Net Anew", the Pacific Youth Council and National Youth Council representatives from 14 Pacific Island countries and territories discussed strengthening collaboration, inclusivity and governance as priorities for youth development. The Pacific Women Lead Governance Board Youth Working Group (YWG) and the Pacific Girl Reference Group also participated in this week-long of sharing and learning - providing an excellent opportunity to contribute to the framing of the next Pacific Youth Development Framework (PYDF). The PWL at SPC team also wish to congratulate our very own Youth Working Group member Melissa Bule, who hails from Vanuatu, as she steps into the role of Vice Chair of the Pacific Youth Council   Read more.  Prioritising Gender Equality in Micronesia Gender was a key topic for the 26th Micronesia Islands Forum (MIF) held in Guam from 30 May-1 June. This included completion plans for the Pacific's first sub-regional gender framework, the Micronesia Gender Equality Framework.   The final Framework will be presented at the 27th MIF in 2025 to the Micronesia Principals/Presidents and Governors from Guam, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, FSM – national government as well as Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap States – Nauru, Republic of Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. Read more.  Gender equality accelerator revitalises SIDS  The Pacific Community's (SPC) Principal Strategic Lead – Pacific Women and Girls, Mereseini Rakuita spoke at a panel during the Gender Equality Forum (GEF) which was held in the lead up to the 4th International Conference on SIDs. "We know from research that – on average overall – working women spend more of their income on their families compared with men. To unleash the full potential of our economies, we need to unleash the economic power of all women." Read more.   New starters - PWL at SPC The PWL at SPC team welcomes new staff who have joined recently including: Gloria Nema, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer Rohitesh Sharma, Finance and Grants Officer Upcoming events 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women 22-26 July - Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Unplanned Adolescent Pregnancy Research Report Dissemination Workshop 5-9 August 2024 - Vanuatu. One of the largest global commitment to gender equality, Pacific Women Lead aims to promote women's leadership, realise women's rights, and increase the effectiveness of regional gender equality efforts.    The Pacific Women Lead (PWL) at the Pacific Community (SPC) programme, termed PWL at SPC, has more than AUD 56 million dedicated to its work under the Australian Government's AUD 170 million Pacific Women Lead portfolio. This partnership with the Australian Government commits SPC to deliver the PWL at SPC programme, as the cornerstone for the PWL portfolio.  Copyright © 2024 Pacific Women Lead, All rights reserved. You have received this email because we thought you might be interested in updates from the Pacific Women Lead at SPC team.  Our mailing address is: Pacific Women Lead at SPC (PWL at SPC) programme Human Rights and Social Development Division (HRSD) Pacific Community (SPC) Nabua Campus, Fiji Want to change how you receive these emails? 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