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.
Loujaya Toni commended
17th August, 2012
GENERAL Secretary of the PNG Youth Workers Association Joe Mesa has commended the appointment of Loujaya Toni as the Minister for Youth, Religion and Community Development. “It is great to have Ms Loujaya Toni appointed to lead the ministry which her predecessor Dame Carol Kidu raised it to a status of special recognition from where it used to be before that,” said Mr...
“Soso Happy”: Julie Soso reflects on impact of LPV in PNG elections
17th August, 2012
EASTERN Highlands yesterday celebrated electing the first female governor in Papua New Guinea as T.H.E Party candidate swept into office. The humble and outspoken women’s rights leader yesterday emerged from her Asariufa home on the outskirts of Goroka town to be declared the duly-elected governor of Eastern Highlands. Soso is the first woman to be elected to parliament from the country’s...
New MP for N/Malaita Hon. Vika Lusibaea visits constituency students in Fiji
16th August, 2012
Just two weeks after being elected as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for North Malaita, Hon. Vika Lusibaea began her mission by convening a consultation meeting with educated elites of her constituency studying and working in Fiji, and at the same time donated FJD$1,000 to support certain initiatives planned by the students. Meeting with more than fifty North Malaita scholars in...
PNG Government Prepares for first sitting August 21st
15th August, 2012
THE O’Neill-Dion Government is now preparing for the official opening of the Ninth Parliament Sitting next week, Speaker Theo Zurenuoc said yesterday. Parliament convenes on August 21, 2012 with the full Cabinet now in place and the Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion to take his seat alongside Prime Minister and Chief Executive Officer of Papua New Guinea,...
CNMI AG resigns, Ms. Viola Alepuyo named acting AG
14th August, 2012
Commonwealth of Northern Marianas (CNMI) Governor Benigno R. Fitial has appointed former CNMI Retirement Fund legal counsel Viola Alepuyo as acting attorney general after Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham resigned again. Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan told reporters that Buckingham tendered his resignation for the second time since he left two weeks ago “due to personal and medical reasons.” Demapan said the governor accepted Buckingham’s resignation which took effect...
Minister of Justice closes Vanuatu women’s political workshop
13th August, 2012
The weeklong “Women in Shared Decision Making Candidacy Training” Workshop at Crystal Blue Resort was closed by the Minister of Justice and Social Affairs, Charlot Salwai yesterday. A total of approximately 23 women leaders including approximately 18 proposed candidates from throughout the country have benefited from the training programme which was organised by the Department of Women’s Affairs in partnership with the Pacific Leadership Programme & Centre for...
PNG’s only woman Minister gets Youth & Community Development – speaks about the Ministry’s directions
13th August, 2012
There’s only one woman minister in the new government in Papua New Guinea. PNG’s only woman Minister gets Youth & Community Development (Credit: ABC).The newly elected member for the seat of Lae Open, Loujaya Toni was sworn in this week. In the allocation of portfolios announced after Pacific Beat spoke to her she became Minister for Religion, Youth and Community...
Vanuatu women candidates encouraged to start acting like MPs
11th August, 2012
A total of 23 women leaders including former MP of Epi Leinavao Tasso have been told to start acting like Parliamentarians now 61 days ahead of the general elections. Workshop Facilitator Dr Norm Kelly of Pacific and Leadership Programme & Centre for Democratic Institutions said women proposed candidates have to dress and act like members of parliament now ahead of the...
Centre for Democratic Institutions WIP praise female MPs
10th August, 2012
The fight for women’s cause and advocacy in the decision making arena has borne fruit. This is the feeling the President for PNG Women in Politics Maria Hayes shared yesterday. While thanking the three new women MPs Maria Hayes thanked the Media for much publicity for women’s issues and cause, the fruit of the women’s network in...
Soso’s win in PNG is historic
10th August, 2012
The election of former broadcaster and woman activist, Julie Soso Keke has created history in Papua New Guinea politics. And it was one of many surprises that were sprung in the 2012 elections in the Eastern Highlands Province. Mrs Keke’s victory is historic because she becomes the first Highlands female MP and the second Governor after Dame Josephine Abaijah, who was...
Vanuatu women to seek quota for MPs
09th August, 2012
Women attending a political workshop in Vanuatu have agreed to pursue a quota system for the 2016 election. Nearly 20 women, who are intending to stand in the October election, have been attending a workshop organised by the department of women’s affairs into the workings of parliament and being an MP. Vanuatu voters have elected five women...
Vanuatu women urged to cooperate to be elected
09th August, 2012
A candidate for Vanuatu’s upcoming election says women candidates need to band together to get into parliament. 18 women have been attending a workshop organised by the department of women’s affairs into the workings of parliament and being an MP. Vanuatu voters have elected five women to the 52-seat parliament since independence in 1980 and...