Increasing women in leadership and ensuring safety from violence across the Pacific

Louisa Wall MP, Poto Williams MP and Jacqui Dean MP will join parliamentarians from Pacific and Australian parliaments when they meet in Fiji next week, for the Pacific Women’s Parliamentary Partnerships (PWPP) Forum. The forum is part of the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development initiative, and supports the professional development of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff; develops engagement between women in the region; and supports research into gender equality and creating gender sensitive parliaments.

Women’s parliamentary representation in the Pacific declined from 16.2 per cent in 2013 to 15.7 per cent in 2014. Australia and New Zealand have driven up the regional average, but progress among other Pacific Island States has languished around 4.4 per cent.

The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament, Rt Hon David Carter, fully supports efforts to make politics a more desirable career for women and that help ensure the retention of women once elected. Mr Speaker said, “it matters that women are represented in our parliaments. Parliament embodies democracy and is the central institution through which the will of the people is expressed, laws are passed and government is held to account. For Parliament to play its role effectively, it must be elected by and be representative of all parts of our society including women.”

“The relationships and sharing of expertise between New Zealand, Australian and Pacific parliaments is critical to stable and enduring democracy in the region, and I am delighted that the Parliament of Fiji and Speaker Luveni are hosting this important event,” the Speaker added.

The programme has an overarching theme of keeping women and their families free and safe from violence. Panel discussions will be held over the three days, including contributions from Louisa Wall MP, Poto Williams MP and Jacqui Dean MP, who will share their experiences of legislative and policy responses from New Zealand. Reducing violence against families remains one of the most challenging issues for all legislators, so for the first time the forum will also welcome male parliamentarians for one of the days.

“In New Zealand, we have legislation in place to protect women, but it is estimated that one in four will experience violence at least once in her lifetime. I commend the forum for coming together to look at ways we can prevent violence, particularly against women and girls, and build safer communities,” said the Speaker.

The Third Pacific Women’s Parliamentary Partnerships Forum will be held in Suva, Fiji from 29 April to 1 May 2015.

ENDS

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