Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have recommitted to gender equality, making it a permanent feature of their agenda and calling for stronger inclusion of women’s voices in decision-making across the region.
“Leaders recommitted to leading national and regional advocacy efforts for gender equality as aligned to the political commitments in the revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED), including championing the engagement of men and boys in transforming social norms to advance women’s rights,” the communique states.
Leaders endorsed Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) as standing agenda items under People-Centred Development, a core pillar of the 2050 Strategy.
They further backed the mainstreaming of GESI in climate finance, governance, and the implementation of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), stressing the need for women’s voices in peace and security dialogues.
Leaders also highlighted the Pacific’s global leadership as the only region to host human rights treaty body sessions, referencing the 84th Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Samoa in 2020 and the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the CEDAW Committee in Fiji earlier this year.
On education, Leaders reiterated that “quality foundational education is the basis for productive economies,” calling for greater investment to boost literacy and advance mutually recognised qualifications across the region.
They acknowledged the Conference of Pacific Education Ministers as the oversight body for reviewing the regional education architecture.
Health was also central to the discussions.
Leaders reaffirmed the Yanuca Island Declaration on Healthy Islands, noting progress over the last three decades and stressing the importance of strong health data to measure accountability.
They committed to a multi-sectoral approach and mobilising partners to achieve the health goals of the 2050 Strategy.
