Links

South Pacific Business Development

SPBD's mission is to improve the quality of life of people living in poverty in the poor island nations of the South Pacific, at first focusing on Samoa. A solution to the poverty caused by poverty of opportunity is to provide the poor with the opportunity to establish their own businesses. The poor however most often do not have the capital necessary to buy the equipment needed to successfully start a small business. SPBD is committed to making "the entrepreneurial solution" viable to any poor women in Samoa. SPBD provides small, unsecured loans to groups of rural women. Women invest their loans into businesses based on their existing livelihood skills.

http://www.spbd.ws/

(Added: Tue Aug 22 2006   Hits: 282)

Advocacy or activism : gender politics in Fiji (PDF)

Australia National University. Department of International Relations discussion paper. October 2004 This paper asks whether new insights can be gained by differentiating between advocacy and activism when examining the work of civil society organisations in relation to gender equality. The scholarly community and practitioners in the field of development have shown increasing interest in the political activities of non-governmental organisations and civil society more broadly. Until fairly recently, these groups have been characterised as innovative and autonomous agents of reform. While this view has tended to provide a relatively homogenised view of civil society, it has also ignored the extent to which individual organisations within the 'third sector' negotiate space within a broader political culture that can at the one time place both opportunities and constraints in their path. Focusing upon the ways in which women's organisations in Fiji approach issues of gender equality, the author contrasts strategies employed in the 1960s and 1970s with those adopted in more recent times and considers the extent to which the prevailing political culture has afforded these groups the space to exercise a critical political voice.

http://hdl.handle.net/1885/42643

(Added: Wed Dec 01 2004   Modified: Tue Jan 30 2007   Hits: 410)

Asia Pacific Women's Watch

Mission Statement: We, the women of the Asia Pacific declare our determination to strive for a world in which: * Women are fully empowered and participate equally in the definition of structures, systems and policies that determine the framework of our lives; * Resources are sustainably used, equally shared between women and men and equitably distributed within and between States; * Militarism is replaced by peace and mutual respect between nations ensures measures to rectify the gross inequalities and disparities resulting from globalisation; * Societies are based on individual and social dignity and as women we can express ourselves and move about freely and confidently without fear of violence. * Recognising the impetus given by the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) to achieving this vision and the important contribution of NGOs and the vibrant women's movement, we reaffirm our commitment to the BPFA principles and to the general framework for the achievement of equality, development and peace.

http://apww.isiswomen.org/

(Added: Fri Oct 10 2003   Modified: Fri Sep 15 2006   Hits: 368)

Bulldozing Progress: Human Rights Abuse and Corruption in PNG's Large Scale Logging Industries

The logging industry in Papua New Guinea is dominated by a handful of Malaysian companies and is is synonymous with political corruption, police racketeering and the brutal repression of workers, women and those who question its ways. Its operations routinely destroy the food sources, water supplies and cultural property of those same communities. They provide a breeding ground for arms smuggling, corruption and violence across the country. In return, the industry generates no lasting economic benefit to forest communities, considerable long-term cost and a modest 5 per cent contribution to the national budget. A concerted international effort backed by credible enforcement agencies is now needed to reform the industry and restore the human and economic rights of PNG forest communities. (Australian Conservation Foundation, 2006)

http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res_ACF-CELCOR_full.pdf#search=%22Bulldozing%20%22

(Added: Mon Sep 11 2006   Hits: 244)

Development Studies Network: Women Gender and the Pacific

This collection of papers on Pacific women, gender and development was originally published in the Australian National University's Development Bulletin. Many of the papers published here come from issues of the Development Bulletin that are out of print and so are not available elsewhere. The papers are clustered here under six major headings: Conflict and Peacemaking -Gender Perspectives; Women, Legal Issues and Human Rights; Women and Governance; Gender, Civil Society and Political Participation; Women, Status and Social Change; and Women and Gender Mainstreaming.

http://devnet.anu.edu.au/GenderPacific/index.html

(Added: Mon Mar 13 2006   Modified: Thu Jul 20 2006   Hits: 344)

Electing women to Parliament: Fiji and the alternative vote electoral system

This article looks at the status of women in society and their poor representation in Parliament. One remedy for this situation that could be considered is for Fijian lawmakers to make amendments to the alternative vote electoral system, a variation on preferential voting. (Ray Nicholl, Pacific Journalism Review, April 2006)

http://archives.pireport.org/archive/2006/July/PJR12_1_06nicholl87-107.pdf

(Added: Mon Sep 11 2006   Hits: 228)

Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC)

The Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC) provides crisis counselling and legal, medical and other practical support services for women and children who are sufferers and survivors of violence committed against them by men.

http://www.fijiwomen.com/

(Added: Fri Mar 24 2000   Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006   Hits: 459)

Fiji's peace in a suitcase

This article look at Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, a Fijian grassroots activist flown in to bring firsthand expertise to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's historic conference on UN Resolution 1325 for women's participation in conflict resolution and decision-making. Their "suitcase radio" project, a mobile radio station, takes radio to women in Fijian communities. Currently secretary of Fiji's National Council of Women, Sharon has worked with many organisations over the years, to include women in Fiji's political life and tap their contribution to peace. She founded the women's media NGO femLINKpacific to ensure women's voices are heard. (Rosemary Bechler, Open Democracy, 6 June 2006)

http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-resolution_1325/fiji_3615.jsp

(Added: Thu Jun 08 2006   Modified: Mon Aug 14 2006   Hits: 339)

Gender and microfinance in Bougainville: A case study

This article describes the experiences of the authors in raising gender awareness among participants in the Bougainville Microfinance Scheme (BMFS) in its initial stages of development. (J Byford, G Guanara, Development Bulletin, 2002)

http://devnet.anu.edu.au/GenderPacific/pdfs/07_gen_status_byford.pdf

(Added: Thu Nov 02 2006   Hits: 289)

Local and Global Women's Rights in the Pacific

This article reflects on the discussions by women living in the Pacific (from Fiji Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu) who attended the Association for Women's rights in Development Forum. These small island countries of the South Pacific are usually unknown entities to the women's movement globally. Yet, as the author shows, many of their specific local issues are integrally linked to global concerns. (Vanessa Griffen, Development Journal no.49, Society for International Development, 2006)

http://www.palgrave-journals.com/development/journal/v49/n1/full/1100223a.html

(Added: Wed May 17 2006   Modified: Mon Feb 05 2007   Hits: 367)

Not enough women in the law

Until there are more or less equal numbers of men and women in all sectors of the legal fraternity and at all levels of Government, the notion of equality will always remain a chimera. None of this should be taken to mean that women should be appointed just because of their gender. But it does mean that where women are qualified, that affirmative action should operate in their favour, even if their levels of experience are not exactly the same as that of their male competitors. (P. Imrana Jalal, speech presented at the Fiji Women Lawyers Association, 14 June 2006)

http://www.rrrt.org/page.asp?active_page_id=209

(Added: Fri Dec 15 2006   Hits: 144)

Pacific Contradictions, Telling Fiji What To Do

The Eminent Persons Group was established by the Pacific Islands Forum in December 2006, three days before the coup, to "find a peaceful outcome" between then Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and Commodore Frank Bainimarama, military leader and now caretaker prime minister. Post the coup, the group is now in Fiji with a focus on taking into account the current situation, where an interim government is engaged in "moving Fiji forward". Not a single woman figures in the Eminent Persons Group lineup. (Jocelynne Scutt, Pacific Magazine, 14 February 2007)

http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2007/02/14/comment-pacific-contradictions-telling-fiji-what-to-do

(Added: Fri Feb 16 2007   Hits: 164)

Pacific Regional Workshop on Strengthening Partnerships for Eliminating Violence Against Women: Outc

This comprehensive statement about violence against women as a development issue and good governance issue is the outcome of a three day meeting held in Suva, Fiji in February 2003.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/4721vawstatement.html

(Added: Sun Feb 23 2003   Modified: Thu Jul 20 2006   Hits: 345)

Pacific Women's Resource Bureau (PWRB)

The PWRB assists national women's offices in upgrading their skills to deal with women's problems at local, national and regional levels; acts as an information network among Pacific women as a means of exchanging ideas and views; develops national and regional programmes on issues and problems facing women; and assists governments and NGOs in bringing about the active participation of women in national development efforts. PWRB is a programme specifically for the advancement of Pacific women and based in the Social Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community(SPC) in Noumea, New Caledonia.

http://www.spc.int/women/

(Added: Tue Apr 09 2002   Modified: Mon Jan 15 2007   Hits: 324)

Republic of the Fiji Islands: Country Gender Assessment

This report is one of a series of country gender assessments (CGAs) prepared in conjunction with country strategies and programs. (ADB, March 2006)

http://adb.org/Documents/Reports/Country-Gender-Assessments/cga-fij.pdf

(Added: Thu Nov 02 2006   Hits: 170)

The Pacific Institute for Women's Health

The Pacific Institute for Women's Health believes that women's health is a human right, and that access to contraception, reproductive freedom and gender equality are central to women's empowerment and social justice. Our mission is to increase the ability of women to make informed decisions about their sexuality and reproduction. We advance reproductive choice and defend sexual and reproductive rights for women and girls around the world.

http://www.piwh.org

(Added: Wed Nov 10 2004   Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006   Hits: 482)

Why religion, race, and gender matter in Pacific politics [pdf]

Why does religion matter in the Pacific region?: because Christianity is neither foreign nor imposed, but an indigenised daily spiritual experience and a powerful ritual practice. Religion and ritual have always been crucial in Pacific societies, and local religious beliefs and practices underpin conversions to Christianity. This article addresses a set of intersecting issues - religion, gender, and 'race' or 'ethnicity' - which loom large in politics and governance throughout the Pacific region. These issues are neglected by exclusively political or economic approaches and are often played down in international policy and aid discourses as merely social factors. (Development Bulletin, 2002)

http://devnet.anu.edu.au/online%20versions%20pdfs/59/0559Douglas.pdf

(Added: Mon May 08 2006   Modified: Thu Jul 20 2006   Hits: 258)

Women's progress still slow, says new advocate

Women are rising to positions of influence throughout the Pacific, but that doesn't mean gender equality has been achieved, says the new Women's Advocacy and Communication Officer at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). (Julie Middleton, Scoop, 4 July 2006)

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0607/S00079.htm

(Added: Mon Jul 17 2006   Hits: 159)