First For Oxfam: Pacific Islander Appointed Chair Of Oxfam In The Pacific’s Board

The Trust Board of Oxfam in the Pacific is pleased to announce the appointment of its new chair, Freda Kanek Talao, for a three-year term.

Freda assumed the new role on the 8th of July making her the first Pacific Islander to Chair the Board. Currently running her own legal practice, Freda is also a passionate human rights lawyer and a development specialist. She previously headed the PNG Practice for Oceanie Lawyers and consulted to Holding Redlich, both Brisbane Law firms in Australia. Freda was also an expert member of the External Stakeholders Advisory Panel (ESAP) to the Hidden Valley Mine in Wau, Morobe Province and the first female Director of the Bank South Pacific (BSP).

Currently a Director on Insucare Limited in PNG, Freda previously served as Director on several boards including the former Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Papua New Guinea Mama Graun Conservation Trust Fund, the Liklik Dinau Trust Board the National Airports Corporation, the Airport City Development Authority, and the Individual and Community Advocacy Forum (ICRAF).

Freda also held senior executive management roles including Deputy Registrar of the National Court, and Executive Director of PEACE Foundation - an NGO that worked on Bougainville right after the civil war. Freda established the Family and Sexual Violence Committee (FSVAC) in PNG and was a senior development specialist with AusAID. In 2000, she was awarded an Independence Award for services to women, children and community, and in 2005, she was one of six women from Papua New Guinea nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1,000 Peace Women for the Nobel Peace Prize Project.

The Oxfam in the Pacific Trust Board was established to govern the path to self-determination of Oxfam in the Pacific. Freda first joined Oxfam in the Pacific in November 2021 as a Trustee and was appointed alongside fellow Pacific Islanders and leading academics, Dr Yvonne Underhill-Sem and Dr Transform Aqorau. The appointment of a Pacific Islander as Chair of the Trust Board is a vital step in the journey to an independent pacific-led regional body.

Freda stated, “I am deeply honoured to lead with my fellow directors this new Oxfam in the Pacific journey. Although the first for Oxfam in using a regional approach, we are ready for the challenge”.

“As a group of independent ocean nations coming together, our own voices need to be heard globally on matters that impact us directly. We must collectively and independently speak on issues that affect our families, our people and our region from amongst other things, climate change, violence against women to safeguarding and benefiting from our vast natural resources because only we know our context and understand our own issues well. Thus the importance of ‘the Pacific Voice’.

I want to thank the Oxfam family for letting us Pacific Islanders lead our own journey. In particular I thank Oxfam International, Oxfam Australia and Oxfam Aotearoa for their excellent contributions to the Pacific region and we look forward to strengthening even more these strategic partnerships in the journey ahead.”

Oxfam in the Pacific’s Interim Regional Director, Eunice Wotene, said that the appointment is one of many milestones in Oxfam in the Pacific’s journey towards becoming an independent regional affiliate. She also said that the appointment of a Pacific Islander as Chair of the Board is part of a positive global trend that has seen large INGOs shift more power towards the global south.

Lyn Morgain, Oxfam Australia Chief Executive said ‘Oxfam Australia, as an enduring strategic partner to Oxfam in the Pacific, is thrilled to work with a leader of Freda’s calibre to strengthen the presence of Pacific voice on the global stage. Never has the perspective and message of Pacific leadership been more important.

The Trust Board for Oxfam in the Pacific wishes to thank Lyn Morgain, Chief Executive Officer of Oxfam Australia for having assumed the role of Chair of the Board to date, and for her excellent leadership and stewardship. The Trust Board also wishes Freda well on her new role and assures her of their complete support during her tenure as Chair.

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