On the margins of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), Pacific Islands Forum Ministers and Senior Officials held a high‑level dialogue with the Secretary‑General of the United Nations, António Guterres, to advance Pacific priorities on gender equality and social inclusion in line with Forum Leaders’ vision under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The dialogue was an important opportunity for Pacific Ministers and senior officials responsible for women’s affairs and gender equality to engage directly with the United Nations Secretary‑General on key regional priorities including Peace and Security, UN80, Pacific Pre-COP31 and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Through open and constructive Talanoa, Ministers highlighted Pacific-led and centred solutions and called for sustained global partnership and support to address the interconnected impacts of climate change, economic vulnerability, and social inequality on women and girls across the region, consistent with the 2050 Strategy’s emphasis on resilience, inclusion and collective action.
As chair of the meeting, Cathy Nori, Solomon Islands Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, expressed the Forum’s support for the UN80 initiative, while underscoring the importance of ensuring that reforms take into consideration the needs of small island developing states.
“A more efficient and streamlined UN is necessary, but this must not compromise the UN’s reach, effectiveness or presence in the Pacific. We must ensure that programs and activities focused on the most vulnerable, particularly those countries in special situations – such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), are prioritised and preserved.”
Fane Fotu Fituafe, Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs, emphasised the importance of ensuring Pacific women’s experiences and leadership are meaningfully reflected across the United Nations system.
“As you advance the peace operations review and the UN80 reform agenda, we urge for our Pacific’s experience and women’s leadership, to be meaningfully reflected, reiterating the need for our women’s representation in UN decision-making on peace and security be consistent with Forum Leaders’ call for Pacific representation across the UN system.”
Ruth Kwansing, Kiribati’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Social Affairs, highlighted key challenges to addressing Gender-based violence and access to justice in the Pacific.
“We request that UN’s support is tailored and best fit the Pacific’s vulnerabilities and structural barriers, including geographical isolation and cultural and linguistic diversity.”
She further emphasised the need for a coordinated approach by UN Agencies operating in the Pacific to strengthen efforts to prevent and respond to gender‑based violence.
“Underscore the need for UN agencies in the region to strengthen their own coordination and collaboration in order to support ending GBV and prevention initiatives and improved survivor services.”
The Pacific Ministers and their delegations reaffirmed their commitment to advancing gender equality and social inclusion as a core pillar of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and look forward to the continued leadership and engagement of the United Nations Secretary-General in championing gender equality and amplifying Pacific priorities on the global stage.
