Across the Pacific and the world, gender inequality is not incidental, it is structural. Inequality is reflected in who holds power, who is heard, and who is left behind. Women and girls across the region continue to face some of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, limited access to decision-making spaces, and a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work that remains largely invisible.
But across the region, networks of feminist and gender rights movements have stood up and fought generations of patriarchal ideologies and institutions that have and continue to perpetrate these inequalities.
At the forefront is the We Rise Coalition, a regional alliance of feminist organisations working collectively since 2012 to transform power, advance women’s human rights, and demand inclusive governance.
The work is not simply about implementing programs. It is also about building movements.
The Inequality We Cannot Ignore
Up to 68% of women in the Pacific have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner; roughly double the world average and among the highest globally. Affecting 60–80% of women in some areas, this violence is a major human rights crisis, often linked to alcohol abuse and exacerbated by disasters (UN Women Asia and the Pacific, 2020).
Women’s exclusion from decision-making spaces further entrenches inequality. Overall, the Pacific region has the lowest rate of women in Parliament at 8%, and in some countries, there are no women in parliament at all (UN Women; Pacific Community, 2025). And even when women enter leadership, they face systemic barriers. Across the wider Asia-Pacific, 76% of women in politics report psychological violence and 60% report online abuse, highlighting the hostile environments that deter women from political participation (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2025).
A significant part of the economies in Pacific island countries is the informal sector. Women in the region play a crucial role and are predominantly engaged in activities such as small-scale farming, market vending, handicrafts, and small trade enterprises. Despite their contributions, women face several challenges including limited access to credit, lack of social protection, and insufficient legal recognition and support. They are undervalued, and they encounter barriers to growing their businesses due to limited resources and opportunities for skills development (Pacific Islands Forum, 2024).
The economic cost of inequality is staggering. Gender-based violence alone is estimated to cost Fiji up to 7% of its GDP annually. Studies have shown similar high economic impacts in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Vanuatu (UN Women, 2025).
Challenging Power from the Ground Up
The origins of the We Rise Coalition are grounded in a critical political moment. In 2011, as Fiji prepared for national elections, feminist rights advocates recognised the urgent need to strengthen women’s political participation and civic engagement.
What began as a partnership between IWDA and FWRM quickly evolved into something far more transformative.
From 2012 to 2015, the first phase of the We Rise programme demonstrated that feminist leadership is not a side issue, it is central to democratic governance. By investing in civic education and organisational strengthening, the Coalition laid the groundwork for a movement capable of challenging existing discriminatory systems and amplifying women’s voices.
From Regional Dialogue to Collective Power
As the Coalition expanded between 2015 and 2019 with the inclusion of femLINKpacific and DIVA for Equality (DIVA left the group at the end of Phase 2), it deepened its commitment to inclusive, intersectional feminism. A defining moment came in 2016 with the inaugural Pacific Feminist Forum, where activists from across the region gathered, shared lived realities and strategies, culminating in the development of the Charter of Feminist Principles for Pacific Feminists.
This was more than just a convening, it was a declaration that Pacific feminists would define their own agenda.
A second Forum in 2019 reinforced this commitment, strengthening solidarity across movements and setting the stage for more coordinated regional advocacy with the Pacific Feminist Charter Action Plan.
Turning Momentum into Action
Between 2019 and 2024, We Rise shifted decisively toward action. With the inclusion of additional regional partners, the Coalition expanded its reach and political influence.
Eleven National Feminist Forums were convened across the Pacific, creating spaces where activists could confront urgent issues including gender-based violence, climate change, economic injustice, identity crisis and political exclusion.
The third Pacific Feminist Forum in 2023 brought these voices together, demonstrating the strength of a movement that is both locally rooted and regionally connected.
The Work Ahead
Now in its fourth phase (2025–2029), the We Rise Coalition—which now includes femLINKpacific and Fiji Women’s Rights Movement in Fiji; Brown Girl Woke in Samoa; Sista from Vanuatu; Papua New Guinea’s Voice for Change; and the International Women’s Development Agency—continues to push forward with urgency because the barriers remain deeply entrenched.
Across the Pacific, survivors of violence still face stigma and limited access to justice. Women remain underrepresented in leadership. Economic systems continue to rely on women’s unpaid labour while denying them equal opportunity and resources.
A Movement That Demands Change
The We Rise Coalition is not asking for incremental progress, we are demanding transformative structural change.
We are demanding that governments move beyond the commitments and invest meaningfully in ending gender-based violence.
We are demanding recognition of unpaid care work.
We are demanding equal representation in political and economic decision-making.
Because when Pacific feminists rise together, we do more than challenge inequality – we will transform the systems that sustain it.
This article is supported by the Australian Government through the We Rise Coalition in partnership with International Women’s Development Agency.