“We will never give up on ourselves, other species, and the living Planet.”
The 17 Urgent Demands: Collective Voices for Urgent CLIMATE ACTION!
Pacific feminists are at the forefront of the urgent struggles for climate, ecological, economic, and social justice. The 17 Urgent Demands of Pacific Feminists Defending the Living Planet are a clarion call for systemic change to protect Pacific people, land, oceans, and our future, grounded in lived realities and the wisdom of generations. They call for grants, not loans; move the money; 1.5 to stay alive; gender and human rights at the centre of climate justice; and a need to move away from greed – neoliberal capitalism, patriarchy, racism, colonialism, and class oppression to a people-led, embodied, intersectional, interlinked feminist systems with real accountability and a core of JUSTICE and beloved community. The demands are being translated into multiple languages, including Pacific languages, UN languages, and sign language, and turned into knowledge, praxis, and resistance actions. This month, DIVA for Equality, Pacific Islands Feminist Alliance for Climate Justice, Pacific Conference of Churches and partners re-commit to all 17 Urgent Demands.
Urgent Action On Disaster Risk Reduction: Resources Moving With Accompaniment of Frontliners
DIVA continues to move support where it is needed, whether in maritime, rural, or informal areas. Feminists make sure that proper accompaniment is practiced, so that the communities most affected by disaster receive their mutual aid, as they themselves propose the most effective responses to any crisis that arises. The women in these areas lead the DRR responses and preparedness, trusting women-led groups to decide what they need based on deep listening and genuine response to self-proposed needs and strategies developed with Urgent Action Fund Asia-Pacific over two years of collaboration. Through its partnership with Urgent Action Fund Asia-Pacific, the latest rollout reached 55 women-led and LGBTQI+ groups across urban, rural and maritime Fiji, delivering 91 assistance responses, including to 18 new groups. Support ranged from water tanks, solar lights, DRR supplies, gumboots and raincoats, to WASH and SRHR commodities, mobility devices, housing materials, seeds and farming tools. Water security is disaster preparedness. Periods do not stop in a cyclone, and neither do people’s SRHR needs. This is solidarity and justice in action for mutual aid. Our logistics are feminist organising in practice: resources move by road and by boat, through the networks communities trust.
Taking the Pacific’s Urgent Demands to the Pre-COP and COP31
From 4 to 8 October 2026, Pacific governments, feminist movements and academics gather in Nadi for the Pre-COP official side event, “Pacific Urgent Climate Action: Nationalising the Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2026-2034”. The Belém Gender Action Plan, adopted for 2026-2034, recognises that pathways for climate action must be nationally determined and strengthens national gender and climate change focal points. Convened in association with at least 4 Pacific governments, DIVA for Equality, Pacific Feminists Defending the Living Planet, PIFA4CJ and the ANU Gender Unit through AAAGCJ, the event is organised with logistics led by DIVA for Equality and PIFA4CJ. DIVA has also briefed Hon. Minister Sashi Kiran on the 17 Urgent Demands, three AAAGCJ position papers and the Climate and EVAWG policy brief, so feminist and grassroots perspectives shape Pre-COP and COP31 priorities.
A regional alliance of Pacific feminist and women-led movements defending the living planet. Its Movement-Led Committee brings together Jo-Jikum (Marshall Islands), Kastom Keepers (Solomon Islands), Mariana Islands Nature Alliance/Community Solutions, Nei Mom Uprising (Kiribati), Tulele Peisa (Bougainville/PNG), DIVA for Equality (Fiji/Regional), Pacific Disability Forum and Pacific Conference of Churches (Regional, Chair). With approximately A$1 million in flexible, trust-based capital, the Alliance supports community-led climate organising, assessments and crisis response across island contexts.
