WOMEN’S economic empowerment in the Pacific Islands region remains a key challenge, as women continue to experience limited job opportunities, remain under-represented in management positions and face weak employment and social protection mechanisms, particularly in the private sector.
Colin Tukuitonga, director general of the Pacific Community in his opening address at the 13th Triennial Conference, said the high-level representation from various countries and territories, the participation of partners from civil society and support of their development partners was timey as they work towards finalizing their Pacific Headline Indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals, under the leadership of the CROP Sustainable Development Working Group.
“This provides us with an opportunity to ensure we have the right statistics and information to measure and evaluate progress towards gender equality and track how our region is doing in terms of advancing the economic empowerment of women, against our own national and regional frameworks and at the global level,” Tukuitonga said.
The Triennial conference and Pacific Ministers for Women meeting is the only regional platform that gives women the space to deliberate on challenges relating to advancing gender equality; and to explore solutions that as a region, we can all take on board to address the barriers that continue to stall progress for gender equality in the Pacific.
Participants were reminded to consider how they can make proactive use of this platform this week, to progress their national and regional agenda for gender equality as appropriate, within their countries and territories building to the regional level and ultimately the global stage.
More than 200 women from 21 pacific island countries and territories will deliberate on ways to ensure that our region’s economies grow with strategies for women’s economic empowerment.
Since 1947, SPC has responded to their members needs for scientific technical assistance and capacity strengthening, including social science which encompasses social inclusion and gender equality.
SPC, as the oldest of the CROP family member continues to lead and prioritize the advancement of gender equality in the region, as part of our business and mandate.
