"In 2025, the world will celebrate 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, a groundbreaking policy agenda aimed at recognizing women’s human rights, achieving gender equality and empowering women globally. It is a pivotal moment for us as a global community and as Asia Pacific region to reflect on how we have progressed and to challenge ourselves to continue to improve the lives of women and girls in all their diversity in our own countries and the region.
-- Hon. Lord Vaea, Tonga
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM STATEMENT FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE BEIJING+30 REVIEW
DELIVERED BY
Honourable Lord Vaea, Tonga
ON BEHALF OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM
19-21 NOVEMBER 2024
________________________________________________________________
Honourable Chair, Excellencies
Malo e lelei
2. I bring warm Pacific greetings from the Pacific Islands Forum, a regional bloc of 18 Member countries dedicated to fostering a vision of peace, harmony, security, gender equality, social inclusion, and prosperity so our people can lead free, healthy, safe and productive lives.
3. In 2025, the world will celebrate 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, a groundbreaking policy agenda aimed at recognizing women’s human rights, achieving gender equality and empowering women globally. It is a pivotal moment for us as a global community and as Asia Pacific region to reflect on how we have progressed and to challenge ourselves to continue to improve the lives of women and girls in all their diversity in our own countries and the region.
4. Our Pacific Leaders remain committed to progressing gender equality and social inclusion through the Revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration and the Pacific Platform for Action on Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights. These commitments are reinforced by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent which captures our collective vision and aspirations as one Blue Pacific, including the participation and empowerment of our Pacific women and girls, in all their diversity.
5. The Pacific has made significant progress in addressing gender equality and social inclusion. It is reported that Pacific women’s participation in business leadership has significantly increased and continues to exceed global averages . There are various initiatives both regional and within countries that promote the full and equal participation of women and girls in leadership at all levels and across all sectors.
6. The region is also making substantial progress in women and girls’ education with most of our Pacific countries achieving gender parity, but we need to prioritise early childhood development and support more women and girls at the tertiary level.
7. Our region continues to work towards strengthened policies and measures to address poverty and promote women’s economic empowerment by extending parental leave allowances and implementing social protection policies that are gender-responsive and socially inclusive.
8. Despite this progress, significant challenges remain.
9. Sexual and gender-based violence remains a grave concern. Despite legal and policy frameworks in place there is a high prevalence of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including family violence. Prevention and access to services recognizing emerging concerns such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence is a must when addressing gender-based violence.
10. Climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihood, security and well-being of the Pacific. Women and girls in rural, remote and maritime areas are susceptible to extreme climate and environmental events because they heavily depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. More so women and girls with disabilities are often disproportionately affected.
11. Sexual and reproductive health and cancer screening, taking into consideration health related nuclear legacy issues is a priority for the region. For all Pacific peoples to lead free, healthy, and productive lives we must ensure universal health coverage for all Pacific peoples, including women and girls in all their diversity.
12. To meet our sustainable development goals, we acknowledge that the participation of Pacific women and girls are central to this. We also recognise that we cannot achieve our Leaders vision as espoused in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, without the support and cooperation of all our partners.
Excellencies, I thank you. --ENDS
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