UNDERSTANDING GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE PACIFIC

“Despite the potential for exacerbated vulnerability, women and girls are highly impactful agents of change in Vanuatu, holding important traditional decision-making roles in their families, communities and schools. Women and girls have unique abilities as drivers of solutions when they are empowered, as men and women have different coping mechanisms, capacities and experiences in the face of climate change.”

Excerpt from Vanuatu’s updated NDC, submitted to the UNFCCC in August 2022.

Vanuatu “Vanuatu’s Revised and Enhanced 1st Nationally Determined Contribution 2021–2030”, 08/2022, unfccc.int/NDCREG

“The people of the Pacific are unique, we are diverse in our ideology and in our lineage. We recognize our bond as people of the Pacific- our relationships are intertwined like our mats and connect through our wansolwara (ocean), vanua (land) and tua’a (ancestors). We recognise that our strength lies in our diversity. We respect our differences. We work towards transformative change by upholding the rights of all people. Our people include men, women, boys and girls, we refer to specific identities and needs of indigenous people, ethnic minorities, lesbians, gay bisexual, trans people, queer, intersex people, fa’afafine, leiti, and other non-heteronormative Pacific identities, people with diverse disabilities, people living with HIV aids, people living in rural and remote places, youth, older people, survivors of violence, people in informal and formal sector employment, migrant workers and Pasifika diaspora around the world.

We want the best full lives for ourselves and our Pacific communities. Our work and love are focussed on the lives of the people on our many islands and atolls, and the whole planet. “

Pacific Feminist Charter for Change, Pacific Feminist Forum, 2016, Suva, Fiji5

The Pacific Feminist Charter for Change is continued to be used as the basis of the Pacific Feminist Forum Action Plan (2019) and the Pacific Feminist Forum Call to Action (2023)

In the Pacific, women and girls, people with disabilities, gender diverse people, young people, and people living in rural and maritime regions are more vulnerable to climate induced disasters and are also less likely to be involved in the design, decision-making and implementation of any process in relation to climate change and climate induced disasters. For countries in the Pacific to begin a transformative shift towards development that is greener and more sustainable, a holistic and inclusive approach will need to be employed. This can only occur if all genders and social groups are meaningfully consulted and included in the process of developing, updating, and implementing Pacific NDCs.

PICs are taking ambitious actions to incorporate GESI throughout their regional and national plans and policies. As outlined in the following sections, GESI is recognized and prioritized in documents including the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED)6, Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific7 (FRDP) and 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy8. Similarly, each PIC has national plans and policies which incorporate considerations for GESI from the highest level of planning through to implementation on the ground. These policies are presented in the following section “Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Pacific Island Countries”.

When implementing country requests, or conducting trainings and events, it might be helpful to keep the following social groups in mind. Each PIC is distinct, and every community has unique social structures which dictate who is included, and who might be excluded or marginalized. Therefore, the list below is not comprehensive, and does not apply equally to all Pacific Islanders. Nevertheless, it provides helpful guidance about whom to consider, to ensure your work creates benefits for everyone, despite their social background.

Women and men

People in outer islands & remote areas

Settled populations

In different ways, both women and men have social roles and responsibilities which influence their active participation in society.

These groups can often be based in areas which are exceptionally vulnerable to extreme weather events and sea-level-rise. At the same time, these groups might be the last to receive resources after a cyclone, or the last to benefit from a national electrification strategy.

People who have moved to their host countries either within their lifetimes, or whose predecessors have settled in the country. In the Pacific, this can include both settlers from outside the region, and settlers between different PICs. In each case, settled populations’ access to resources and active engagement in their community might be challenged, compared to populations who originate from the country.

Ethnic and religious groups

The Pacific includes a collage of different ethnic and religious groups. Social relations within, and between different groups can impact the ability each ethnic and religious group has to access resources in society, and influence decision-making at the local, national and regional level.

People with disabilities Disabilities, both physical and mental, can limit a person’s access to resources and ability to engage in income-generating activities. Furthermore, society might impose biases or beliefs on people with disabilities, which can further limit their meaningful participation in society.

Youth Whiles youth will bear the biggest impacts of climate change in the future, they often have limited ability to engage in society and voice their opinions.

Elderly The elder generations often carry important traditional knowledge, and a lifetime of understanding which can be essential in overcoming challenges posed by climate change. At the same time, their often-limited physical ability can impact their resilience to extreme weather events, or ability to re-locate in response to sea-level-rise.

Gender diverse people

Relating to a person whose behaviour or appearance does not conform to prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their gender. For example, LGBTQIA+ people have a gender expression and identity which is not oftentimes the expected gender norms in our society, and can impact their meaningful engagement in society.