Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is concerned about the lack of female representation in Pacific democracies. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is concerned about the lack of female representation in Pacific democracies. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is concerned about the lack of female representation in Pacific democracies and plans to raise the issue directly with leaders at the Pacific Island Forum in Tuvalu.
"I do raise it, and I will continue to raise it," she told the Herald.
"The Pacific is outof kilter with general global figures – there is generally very low participation of women and, yet, a number of issues we face in the Pacific directly affect women and women's wellbeing," she said.
Ardern arrived yesterday afternoon.
Later today she has a meeting with Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine and Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor where this topic is expected to be covered.
Ardern said issues such as climate change, fisheries and maritime policy will be on the agenda for leaders.
But she planned to directly raise the issue of the lack of female representation in Pacific politics at the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) as well.
"It's not just about how many female prime ministers there are in the region, but really just women's participation and representation in politics generally."
According to UN Women, a branch of the United Nations dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, the Pacific has the lowest percentage of women in Parliament in the world.
At just 16.3 per cent, the Pacific is behind the Arab States which have 19 per cent and Asia which has 19.8 per cent.
Fijian women made up just 24 per cent of the 235 candidates in the country's 2018 election.
Of the 49 members of the Samoan national Legislative Assembly, just five are women and there are no women in Papua New Guinea's Parliament of 111 MPs.
In fact, in PIF countries, not including Australia and New Zealand, there are just 46 women MPs out of the total 560 MPs, according to the Pacific Women in Politics organisation.
Ardern said the gender imbalance was of concern.
But there were practical things that could be done from New Zealand's perspective to address the problem.
For example, in New Zealand's Parliament, there was a mentoring programme where New Zealand MPs supported Pacific people in politics.
"But it won't stop me from also being an advocate," Ardern said.
She plans to raise the issues with Pacific leaders when she speaks to them one-on-one.
"But I equally have no problem raising it in a forum generally as well. It's something I have never really shied away from talking about, including one-on-one with leaders."
Ardern is welcomed at House of Ariki, Cook Islands, in 2018.
As is the case at many PIFs over the years, discussions around climate change will be front and centre of the talks.
"A big issue for the Pacific is how it can access grant funding and aid funding in order to implement adaptation and mitigation [strategies]."
Ardern said that covers everything from moving towards less reliance on diesel generation, to managing coastal hazards such as seawalls.
Many Pacific countries have been working towards setting up more seawalls but have struggled with funding.
"Not all of them [Pacific Island countries] are always able to access things like green climate funds and some of the international vehicles that are available," Ardern said.
She expected to have discussions about creating special funding vehicles for Pacific countries, so they can access funding to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
