“Improving the Status of Women in the Pacific Island Countries through support towards CEDAW implementation in the Pacific”

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a human rights treaty which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on the 19 December 1979 and came into force as a treaty on the 3 December 1981. CEDAW, the cornerstone of all UNIFEM Programmes, is often referred to as “the women’s bill of rights” and has been ratified by over 179 countries including 14 Pacific Island Countries. This include 8 Pacific Independent States : Federated States of Micronesia (2004), Fiji (1995), Kiribati (2004), Papua New Guinea (1995), Samoa(1992), Solomon Islands (2002), Vanuatu (1995) & Tuvalu (1999); 6 dependant states through their foreign administrators:Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, (in 1985 through New Zealand) New Caledonia, Tahiti and Wallis & Futuna (in 1983 through France).

Progressing the Implementation of CEDAW in the Pacific is a 3 year programme which covers 6 Countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & Tuvalu. The programme seeks to achieve 4 primary goals:

Governments to understand their obligations under the Convention and to take active steps to implement it and enhance their reporting in a timely and appropriate fashion to the Committee

Non-Government Organizations understand and use the Convention in their advocacy work

Engage Governments

and NGOs in the reporting process and collaboration in monitoring and implementation of the Convention

Increase the access to across-the-region lessons learned, good practices and expertise on the implementation

To implement these activities, UNIFEM works in collaboration with UNDP/RRRT, Secretariat of the Pacific Community Pacific Women’s Bureau, International Womens Rights Action Watch, UNICEF,

CEDAW in Fiji:

Fiji is the first Pacific Island County to have reported to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in January 2002, having ratified the Convention on the 28 August 1995.

On the 9-11 March 2004, UNIFEM Pacific upon the request for technical assistance by the Ministry of Women held a National CEDAW workshop in Suva, to celebrate International Women’s Day. The participants consist of 26 community women leaders from all over Fiji.

UNIFEM organized a Regional Training of Trainers in November 2003 to create a pool of CEDAW experts in the region and of trainers who will sustain this initiative.

CEDAW in Papua New Guinea:

PNG ratified CEDAW on the 12 January 1995. PNG has yet to submit its Initial Report to CEDAW.

In February 2004, the UNIFEM CEDAW Coordinator met with
Government, Development/Donor Agencies and Non-Government Organizations to discuss the writing of PNG’s pending CEDAW Report. There is now a national CEDAW Committee that is overseeing the writing of this report.
From its dialogue with all key stakeholders, the Ministry of National Planning, agreed to be the focal point in facilitating the writing of PNG’s Initial Report.

CEDAW in Samoa:

Samoa ratified the Convention on the 25 September 1992.

In November 2004, UNIFEM funded a mock trial workshop in Apia, Samoa to better prepare the government and NGO delegation for the reporting in New York. Ms Shanti Dharaim who is now a CEDAW Committee member was a resource person at that mock session and her presence and feedback/input proved invaluable to the process.

In January 2005, the government of Samoa appeared before the Committee on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women in New York to present its initial report. It was the second Pacific Island Country to appear before the committee. UNIFEM’s CEDAW Coordinator was in New York for this session and her postcards on the PACWIN network can be found at CEDAW postcards.

CEDAW in Solomon Islands:

The Solomon Islands has a Solomon Islands National Advisory Committee on CEDAW (SINACC) which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Women, Youth and Sports.

CEDAW in Vanuatu:

Mrs Isabelle Donald, Vanuatu’s Minister for CRP and Women’s Affairs deposited Vanuatu’s initial report in New York when she attended the CSW in March 2005. Vanuatu is in the queu with 49 other countries who are expecting to be called upon by the committee to present its country report at one of the committee’s 2 annual sittings.

For more information on the CEDAW Programme for the Pacific, please contact the CEDAW Programme Coordinator Ms Laisa Bale-Tuinamoala laisa@unifempacific.com