Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to gender equality, warning world leaders that climate change is stripping Tuvaluan women of their rights “day by day.”
Speaking at the High-Level Meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action at the UN General Assembly Hall, Teo joined more than 160 global leaders in reflecting on progress and challenges in advancing women’s rights.
“Thirty years after the Beijing Platform for Action, Tuvalu reaffirms its commitment to gender equality,” Teo declared.
He pointed to key national reforms, including constitutional guarantees against sex-based discrimination and the adoption of a modern National Gender Equity Policy in 2024.
The policy places women’s empowerment and protection from violence at the centre of Tuvalu’s development agenda.
Teo acknowledged progress but stressed persistent challenges remain.
“One in two women experiences intimate partner violence,” he said, noting women’s underrepresentation in governance with no female MPs and just 8 out of 48 council seats held by women.
The Prime Minister highlighted the sharp intersection of gender inequality and climate change.
“For Tuvaluan women, climate change is not a distant threat; it is stripping away rights day by day,” he told the Assembly.
The Beijing+30 Action Agenda, launched at the event, calls for bridging the gender digital divide, tackling poverty among women and girls, and ensuring women’s voices are central to peace and security processes.
“The resilience of Tuvaluan women is extraordinary, yet resilience must never be mistaken for consent to injustice.”
He urged world leaders to view gender equality and climate justice as inseparable, stressing that protecting Tuvaluan women is vital to the nation’s survival.
