News
This page collects stories on developments throughout the Pacific in promoting women in politics. Because many news sites in the Pacific archive their stories after a period of time, we have replicated the stories in full on this page, to keep an archive on efforts and article in the region. We thank all Pacific news colleagues for their contributions in sharing stories on women in politics. If you have a story we have missed, please send it to the PacWIP team on pacwip@gmail.com.
Tasmania elects majority of women in Australia state first
19th March, 2018
Tasmania has become the first state in Australian history to elect a majority of female MPs to its legislature. The state, Australia’s smallest, held its election on 3 March, but counting was not finalised until this week. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which is not a state, also elected a female-majority legislature in 2016. Thirteen...
Bill asks FSM to consider new non-voting seats for women in Congress
16th March, 2018
[By Bill Jaynes, 16 March 2018] – FSM—The FSM Congress has introduced a bill (CB 20-116) that would purportedly guarantee representation of women in the FSM Congress. If passed it would mean another plebiscite vote to change the Constitution to redefine FSM Congress. The bill is currently being shopped around by the Congress Standing Committee...
Rules of thumb for women leaders in the Pacific, and beyond
20th February, 2018
In January, when New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her pregnancy, she was careful to note that she would be “fully contactable” during her six weeks of maternity leave. Ardern’s response indicates the unique pressures faced by women in politics, especially those who reach the highest levels. As former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard...
Call for more women, youths in politics
16th January, 2018
THE Fiji Labour Party has called for more women and youths to show interest in politics. Party leader and former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry said while the party had received applications from individuals interested in contesting this year’s polls on the party’s ticket, he wanted more women and youths to apply. Mr Chaudhry said the...
Minister for Women encourages women to stand for the elections
16th January, 2018
Women across Fiji have been encouraged to stand for the elections this year and exercise their right to vote by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa. Speaking at the Nadroga Andhra Sangam Naari Sangh Women’s Forum last night, Vuniwaqa says women in Fiji are now having better access to justice when...
Tongan women celebrate political progress
23rd November, 2017
By Jenny Meyer The head of the Commonwealth Observer Group says having two successful women candidates in last week’s Tongan election may be the start of greater representation in the country’s parliament. Since 1951 there have only been eight women in Tonga’s parliament, including five elected, but now Losaline Ma’asi has joined the re-elected ‘Akosita...
Polls Apart – PNG’s election broken down
03rd November, 2017
Papua New Guinea general elections only come around every five years and are embraced with great passion by voters hoping for change. Thus it was all the more disappointing for voters that the 2017 PNG election was riddled with electoral roll flaws, polling irregularities, delays and regression in areas where change was most needed. “The...
Tonga excited to see women step towards politics
04th October, 2017
Lepolo Taunisila said most of the 15 women candidates had good qualifications, years of experience in various fields and that their participation was a blessing for Tonga. She said the Congress was fully supporting the women in every way it could to achieve more successful results than in the past. “We’ve looked at some of...
Tongan leader hopeful for more women MPs
03rd October, 2017
The head of the Tonga National Centre for Women and Children says she is proud to see so many women running for parliament in Tonga’s upcoming general election. Fifteen of the 86 candidates who have put their names forward for the election on 16 November are women. In 2014, 16 women stood for election out...
Tonga: 11 women registered out of 39 candidates so far
28th September, 2017
39 candidates have registered on the first day of registration to contest Tongatapu’s 10 constituencies in the November 16 General Election, while more are expected to register tomorrow, the final day of nominations. The Prime Minister Hon ‘Akilisi Pohiva is running again contesting his seat in Tongatapu 1. Out of the candidates for Tongatapu, 11...
Women supported to campaign in Tonga
24th September, 2017
The head of Tonga’s Civil Society Forum says getting more women into parliament is everyone’s responsibility and its time for more gender balance in Tongan politics. Siale ‘Ilolahia says the early election in November is an opportunity for Tongan women to come forward. There is just one woman MP in the current parliament – and...
Tonga’s snap election dampens women’s representation hopes
07th September, 2017
Last month’s dissolution of Tonga’s Parliament by royal decree has put plans for greater representation for women on the backburner. Elections are to be held on November 16, a year earlier than planned, dampening the hopes of Tonga’s women’s rights advocates. Like many Pacific countries Tongan women are struggling to have a voice in the...