Fiji, PNG fail to secure UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces
No progress has been made in sending a UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces despite the appointment of Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s prime ministers to negotiate the visit. Pacific Island leaders
SOGIESC activists rally for inclusivity and justice
Advocates for SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics) are rallying for inclusivity and justice in the Pacific, saying that their struggles intersect with broader issues such as
The Shepards: Spreading kindness in Fiji and the world
Twenty-six years ago, Judy and Dennis Shepard’s son, Matthew, was killed in a hate crime. More than two decades later, they continue to share a message of kindness, most recently during a visit to Fiji. They are
Human rights vetting urged for Fiji defence treaty
A defence treaty between Australia and Fiji should include vetting processes for human rights violations, a parliamentary committee has been told. The agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Defence and the Status of
Third boat arrival detected in a week, but no one taken to Nauru
Two boatloads of asylum seekers intercepted off the Australian coast are being kept at sea rather than being sent immediately for offshore processing in Nauru, prompting questions about whether the government is trying
Proposed law on tainted cryptocurrency ‘terrible’ for human rights, says Cook Islands expert
A Cook Islands cryptocurrency expert is critical of a proposed law targeting tainted cryptocurrency, arguing it undermines human rights and doesn’t address the real channels of money laundering. In the rapidly
Human Rights Defenders build regional protection strategy
Pacific human rights defenders are building a regional protection strategy in the face of challenges ranging from inadequate judicial systems to colonial-era laws and heavy-handed law enforcement. Office of the United
Fijian feminists launch new booklet in a call to action against poverty
Many tears and heartfelt stories were shared in Suva this week at the launch of a new booklet that highlights the socio-economic challenges that Fijian women, girls, and gender-diverse people face on a daily basis.
“We are facing Goliath” – West Papuan church leaders call for solidarity
“We are facing Goliath, or even the Pharaoh,” says West Papua church leader Rode Wanimbo, “but we still have to speak out strong.” Wanimbo is coordinator of the Women’s Department of the Evangelical Christian
Aboard the Run Da vessels
A warning for Pacific crew Sometime in 2018, a Fiji policewoman told us an incredible story about a young Fijian fellow who had been a deckhand crew member on the Run Da 5, a Chinese longline vessel licensed to fish in
Apia hosts signing of new EU-ACP Samoa Agreement
More than two decades ago, the European Union and a group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states were due to meet in Suva, to sign a new partnership agreement. But the ceremony, scheduled for June 2000, never
Labor accused of ‘outrageous secrecy’ as border force confirms 11 asylum seekers sent to Nauru
The Australian Border Force has confirmed it sent 11 asylum seekers to Nauru in September, the first transfer to immigration detention on the Pacific nation in nine years. The evidence to Senate estimates on Monday from