Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694859959767.pdf (Australia)
JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE & TRADE Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade by the Office of the Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade July 2020 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 TABLE OF CONTENTS TERMS OF REFERENCE FINDINGS FROM THE INQUIRY INTO HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES CONFRONTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN – ASIA PACIFIC REGION 1.
2.

3.

INTRODUCTION CONTEXT IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE PACIFIC AND AUSTRALIA’S ENGAGEMENT 11 4 4 5 7 4. INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ADVOCACY 5.

WORKING WITH PACIFIC PARTNERS 13 15 6.

IN SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS 19 7.

8.
8.

INVESTING IN GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH MAINSTREAMING NEXT STEPS ANNEX A ANNEX B 21 23 25 38 3 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 TERMS OF REFERENCE Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific With respect to the status of human rights of women and girls in the Pacific, the JSCFADT, in particular the Human Rights Sub-Committee shall, in the context of the Pacific Step-up, give particular regard to: 1.
The role of civil society groups in Pacific islands in responding practically to domestic, family and sexual violence, and other human rights issues such as gender equality 2.

The key figures and groups which advance the human rights of women and girls’ in the Pacific context 3.

Engagement of those groups with Australia’s Pacific Step-up 4.

The effectiveness of Australian overseas development assistance programs in supporting human rights of women and girls 5.
Any related matters FINDINGS FROM THE INQUIRY INTO HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES CONFRONTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN – ASIA PACIFIC REGION In April 2017, the Australian Government responded to the Joint Standing Committee On Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Report: Empowering Women and Girls: the human rights issues confronting women and girls in the Indian Ocean-Asia Pacific Region.

Many of the recommendations remain relevant for Australia and the Pacific in 2020.
Since 2017, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and across Government through the Office of the Pacific (OTP) has strongly pursued gender equality in the Pacific, through foreign policy, economic diplomacy and development efforts, which are ongoing.
Since the 2017 report, DFAT has increased funding for activities to combat violence, extended programs addressing violence, including those being run by crisis centres in the Pacific and focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment in humanitarian responses.

Pacific island countries require long-term support to address the human rights issues confronting women and girls.

Examples of DFAT’s ongoing gender equality work are included throughout this submission.
4 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 1.

INTRODUCTION Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women in Solomon Islands with women leaders from church groups supported by DFAT The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, and the Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Assistant Minister for Defence, the Hon Alex Hawke MP, lead the portfolio’s Pacific engagement.
Australia is a lead advocate in the region in advancing gender equality and empowerment of women.

The Pacific Step-up commits to lift the ambition and scope of Australia’s engagement in the Pacific and is realising new opportunities to advance gender equality.

Our work is based on the premise that gender equality - encompassing equal rights for women, men, girls and boys - is essential for growing economies, building resilience and enhancing regional stability.
Australia is committed to advancing human rights globally.

Women, men, girls and boys have the right to fundamental freedoms and to live their lives in dignity.

Advancing the rights of women and girls has been one of Australia’s top priorities as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

We recognise that gender equality is a fundamental human right.

At the time of writing this submission, Australia and Pacific countries are grappling with the COVID-19 crisis which is changing the world.
Pacific island countries face growing economic insecurity, large scale job losses and deep economic contraction.

Australia is working across the region to chart a path to economic recovery and build resilience with Pacific government and civil society partners.

Early evidence and consultation suggests the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate effect on women and girls.
As such, Australia through its development response strategy, Partnerships for Recovery, has identified women and girls as particularly vulnerable in the context of COVID-19 and has prioritised our efforts on women’s safety, reproductive health and rights and women’s economic empowerment.

COVID-19 has raised the stakes on gender equality around the world, including in the Pacific.
We know from previous crises, such as Ebola and Zika outbreaks, when women are involved in planning and decision-making, response and recovery efforts are more effective.1 Moving forward, we are looking for opportunities with our Pacific neighbours to build back better, including for women and girls.

This submission outlines the nature of Australia’s partners on the promotion of gender equality.
Australia’s efforts encompass mutually reinforcing efforts through global advocacy, leveraging support from other donors, diplomatic engagement, defence and policing cooperation.

This submission focuses largely on our development cooperation with Pacific countries, which includes 1 United Nations General Assembly.

Protecting humanity from future health crises: Report of the High-level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises.

A/70/723.

2016. pp 41-42.


5 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 support for mainstreaming gender equality through bilateral and regional development programs and our Pacific regional gender program Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women).

This submission addresses how we engage with civil society in the Pacific to advance gender equality.
Delivering on gender equality requires interventions by governments, regional and multilateral agencies, together with civil society and especially Pacific women’s organisations, whose role is invaluable in effectively and sustainably advancing gender equality across the Pacific.

The Office of the Pacific works in partnership with other government agencies to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women.
These agencies include the Attorney-General’s Department, Australian Federal Police and the Office for Women, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The Attorney-General’s Department has provided input to DFAT’s submission about the programs they oversee at Annex B.

The Office of the Pacific and Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality would be pleased to engage further with the Committee as the inquiry proceeds.

6 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 2.
CONTEXT 2.1 GENDER EQUALITY EFFORT – FRAMED BY AUSTRALIAN AND PACIFIC PRIORITIES Over the past 25 years, since the Beijing Platform for Action first established priorities for government and societies to address gender inequality globally, we have seen significant progress in some aspects of gender equality in the Pacific.

The Australian Government respects the role played by Pacific women and girls in contributing to their societies and economies as well as to the prosperity and stability of the region.
We know that the region’s prosperity, stability and security will be greatly enhanced through gender equality.

In 2012, the leaders of Pacific Island countries committed to the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED).
Through the Declaration, countries undertook to implement specific national actions to progress gender equality with particular attention to areas of gender-responsive government programs and policies, decision-making, economic empowerment, ending violence against women, and health and education.

The Australian Government is working with Pacific governments, private sector and civil society organisations to realise the aspirations of the Declaration.
Over almost a decade, through the Pacific Women program, the Australian Government has been the leading donor, committing $320 million to 14 countries across the Pacific to meet objectives of the PIF Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration; women in leadership and decision making, women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women, and gender responsive government programs and policies.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are a core part of Australia’s foreign policy, economic diplomacy and development work.

Our work is informed by the Australian Government’s Foreign Policy White Paper (2017) and the DFAT, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy (2016), which prioritises enhancing women’s voice in decision making, leadership and peace-building, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and ending violence against women and girls.
The Foreign Policy White Paper is clear that gender inequality undermines global prosperity, stability and security.

It contributes and often exacerbates a range of challenges, including poverty, weak governance, conflict and violent extremism.

Stepping up our engagement in the Pacific, part of the Foreign Policy White Paper, is one of our highest foreign policy priorities.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to the economic, security and people-to-people initiatives under our stepped up engagement in the Pacific.

The Office of the Pacific was established in November 2018 to reflect Australia’s focus and prioritisation on the Pacific region and to coordinate and deliver an ambitious whole-of-government agenda.
Under the Pacific Step-up Australia is making its highest ever contribution to Pacific development in 2019-20 with an estimated $1.4 billion, realising new opportunities for gender equality.
7 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Cumulative reach of Pacific Women partners and initiatives 2.2 GENDER EQUALITY IN THE PACIFIC 8 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 The Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) was a milestone political commitment to gender equality, as it established specific areas of focus to encourage practical efforts to advance gender equality.
Efforts and achievements towards the goals of the PLGED have been mixed.

While there have been some improvements, challenges remain.

The Pacific is diverse and gender inequality manifests differently in many countries across the region.

Social and structural barriers exist that hinder gender equality in the Pacific.
These barriers include but are not limited to: - - unequal power relations between men and women perpetuated by social norms related to the gendered roles of men and women, including traditional leadership and power structures2, legislative reforms without an integrated and coordinated approach to address the multiple forms of violence against women3, and - weak accountability mechanisms4.
Responding to gender based and sorcery related violence in Papua New Guinea is an example of a complex issue that requires a holistic, multiple partner approach to end violence.

Australia is supporting Papua New Guinea’s Sorcery and Witchcraft Accusation Related Violence National Action Plan to coordinate services, prevention, legal protection, prosecution and research.
2.2.1 Gender responsive government programs and policies The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has often been described as an ‘international bill of rights for women’.

The rights enshrined in CEDAW include political participation, health, education, employment, marriage, family relations and equality before the law.5 These rights are key to achieving gender equality and reducing violence against women and girls.
Most Pacific island countries, but not all, have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and have introduced legislation to provide equal opportunities to women and men.

2.2.2 Women’s inclusion in decision-making Women remain under-represented in leadership and decision-making roles both within governments and the private sector globally and in the Pacific.
According to the latest Inter-Parliamentary Union figures women comprise just 6.7 per cent of representation in Pacific parliaments.

2 Human Development Report 2019, Chapter 4, Gender inequalities beyond averages: Between social norms and power imbalances (2019), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
3 Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Evaluating a decade of Australia’s development assistance, (2019) Office of Development Effectiveness, retrieved from https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/evawg-final-report-nov-19.pdf, accessed 1 July 2020.

4 Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Pacific (2017), Pacific Community.

5 Women’s Human Rights: United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (2008), Australian Human Rights Commission.
1 December 2008. https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex- discrimination/publications/womens-human-rights-united-nations-convention- elimination#:~:text=The%20rights%20enshrined%20in%20CEDAW,and%20equality%20before%20the%20law.

Accessed 8 July 2020.

9 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 There are, however, recent examples of positive progress on female representation in some parliaments across the region.
For example, on 22 May 2020, Kiribati voted in the first female speaker of Parliament.6 The Marshall Islands, in November 2019, elected the youngest Member of Parliament, a 28 year old woman.

In December 2019, a third woman MP was elected in Solomon Islands.

These positive cases are not indicative of changes across the region.

Currently, three parliaments in the Pacific are all male: Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
Gender equality in community level decision making is important.

The Bougainville Women’s Federation and International Women’s Development Agency has released a community facilitation guide, Gud Dissisions, Gud Lidasip, which recognises that no one is born a leader and skills need to be learnt and practiced.

2.2.3 Women’s economic empowerment Women’s role in economies across the Pacific is vital.
Higher income for women and increased control over income supports increased spending on education, food, health and nutrition.7 However, across the Pacific, men outnumber women in formal employment by approximately two to one.

2.2.4 Ending violence against women Violence against women and girls is a fundamental violation of human rights.

More than one-third of women and girls worldwide experience some form of violence in their lifetime.
In the Indo-Pacific the prevalence of violence is more than twice the global average.

Sixty percent of women and girls have experienced violence at the hands of an intimate partner or family member.

2.2.5 Women’s education and health Forum Island Countries except Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have achieved gender parity in access to primary and secondary education.
However, this is not necessarily translating into opportunities for economic empowerment for a number of reasons, including a lack of reintegration to the workforce for mothers and legislation that directly and indirectly limits women’s access to employment opportunities or contributes to discriminatory pay and conditions for women.8 Pacific girls face multiple barriers in accessing information and resources about their bodies and sexuality and reproductive health, including stigma and discrimination, and difficulties in physically accessing health and legal services.
Very little comprehensive education regarding sexuality is made available to girls and boys, and school-based ‘family life education’ programs are often limited and 6 Kiribati Parliament votes in first female speaker, Pacific Women in Politics (22 May 2020), https://www.pacwip.org/resources/news/kiribati-parliament-votes-in-first-female-speaker/, reviewed on 7 July 2020.
7 D. Cubers & M. Teignier Baque (2011), Gender Inequality and Economic Growth – background paper for the WDR 2012, as cited in WDR 2012, p. 47 8 Pacific Regional MDGs Tracking Report, Regional Rights resource Team, 2015, retrieved from https://rrrt.spc.int/sites/default/files/resources/2019-01/2015_Pacific_Regional_MDGs_Tracking_Report.pdf, accessed 1 June 2020.
10 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 face opposition from gatekeepers.9 Maternal health in an ongoing issue in the Pacific as well.

Maternal deaths are 84 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.10 3.

IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE PACIFIC AND AUSTRALIA’S ENGAGEMENT COVID-19 has created some of the most serious challenges our region has had to confront in many decades.
Pacific countries are dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to pre-existing challenges including the impacts of climate change and of Tropical Cyclone Harold.

Quick win job stimulus projects in infrastructure globally tend to benefit men.

Australia is closely monitoring the gendered impacts of COVID-19 and responding to needs as they are anticipated or arise.
At the time of writing, the needs of Pacific countries are changing rapidly as global, health, and economic circumstances evolve.

We recognise much of the region is reeling from the double impacts of the coronavirus and Tropical Cyclone Harold.
3.1 AUSTRALIA’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN THE PACIFIC 3.1.1 Assistance provided by Australia to the Pacific to help assist manage and mitigate the effects of COVID-19 Australia has been working with Pacific countries to help them prepare for and respond to the pandemic.

This includes deploying health experts and providing personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies and support for laboratories, public information campaigns.
We worked with our partners to pivot our development program to meet the highest priorities, including delivery of financial support.

Working with partner governments, we tailored financing packages to meet the urgent financing needs in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu to keep essential services operating.
3.1.2 Australia’s ongoing commitment to provide assistance for COVID-19 and its effects in the Pacific 9 Population and Development Profiles: Pacific Island Countries: NZPGPD, United Nations Population Fund: Pacific Sub-Regional Office, 2014, retrieved from https://pacific.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/web__140414_UNFPAPopulationandDevelopmentProfiles- PacificSub-RegionExtendedv1LRv2_0.pdf, accessed 29 April 2020.
10 Situation Analysis of Children in the Pacific island Countries, United Nations Children’s Fund, retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/media/661/file/Situation-Analysis-Pacific-Island-Countries.pdf, acceded 21 July 2020.
11 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Building on this early response, Minister Payne and Minister Hawke have led efforts to reprioritise our future assistance through the Australian Government’s Partnerships for Recovery policy, released on 29 May 2020.
This policy explicitly commits Australia to continuing its advocacy for human rights, including gender equality and sexual and reproductive health rights and maintaining space for an active civil society in our region.

Over $280 million has been redirected from within existing development program resources, including over $205 million to the Pacific and Southeast Asia.
This consists of $100 million to manage health, economic and social impacts, $44 million to immediate response and recovery efforts, $45 million for an essential services and humanitarian corridor and community responses, and $16 million on other initiatives including for multilateral responses in the region and investments focused on responding to the differential impact of COVID-19 on women and girls.
Additionally, we have adapted Australia’s bilateral aid programs to prioritise partner country COVID- 19 response efforts.

Minister for International Development and the Pacific meets ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers.

Under the $100 million allocated to manage health, economic and social impacts, approximately $5.5 million has been allocated to NGOs for immediate COVID-19 responses across the Pacific and is increasing spending on health overall in the Pacific.
From this, over $700,000 is targeted to domestic violence support services such as counselling and emergency accommodation and economic relief.

Separately, $825,000 has been provided to the International Planned Parenthood Federation to continue provision of essential sexual and reproductive health services.

Funded activities are addressing critical gaps, altering service delivery mechanisms as required, and sharing information through innovative communications approaches.
3.2 ADDRESSING THE GENDER IMPACTS OF COVID-19 IN PACIFIC Australia’s response has been informed by high level political dialogue, including on the gender impacts of COVID-19.
Minister Payne has led regional-level discussions with Pacific women leaders and Minister Hawke has led public consultations to inform Australia’s development response strategy, Partnerships for Recovery, which prioritises women’s safety, reproductive health and rights and women’s economic empowerment as part of our development response to COVID-19.
Australia is pivoting its aid programming, including through our regional ten-year Pacific Women program, to ensure we meet the immediate needs of women and girls.

This includes ensuring that women and girls who have experienced violence can continue to access local services, safe shelter and support.

From the beginning of the pandemic we have worked with civil society organisations to identify and respond to emerging priorities and needs and have reoriented our support.
In Fiji, for example, we have supported civil society organisations, including the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, Fiji Women’s Fund, UN Women, UNICEF and UNFPA, to pivot activities as part of a strong Fijian response.

In Kiribati, the ‘Orange Door’ initiative has provided safe shelter for women and children who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19.

The Pacific is facing complex health, connectivity and economic challenges as a result of Cyclone Harold and COVID-19.
The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) is a strategic five-year partnership between DFAT and Australian NGOs ($50 million, 2017-2022).

The AHP helps partner 12 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 governments and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters and protracted crises.
AHP agencies work with local partners to apply best practice approaches to ensure effective targeting and contextually appropriate responses that meet the needs of women and girls.

These approaches include undertaking rapid gender analyses to guide planning, supporting women’s leadership in preparedness and response efforts and sharing knowledge on and providing support to those affected by gender-based violence.
For example, in Tonga, following Tropical Cyclone Gita, CARE worked with local partner MORDI to facilitate and pilot women-led action to support cyclone recovery.

As a result, many women reported more decision-making power, increased cooperation with other women, and an increased ability to provide for their families and play a more active role as communities recovered from the cyclone.
Pacific Women Leaders Meeting In May 2020, Australian Foreign Minister and Minister for Women, Marise Payne, and Samoan Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, co-hosted an extraordinary virtual meeting of Pacific Women leaders.

Female Ministers, Parliamentarians, and senior civil servants discussed the gendered implications of COVID-19 across the Pacific.
Leaders affirmed the value of the meeting and the co-convenors agreed that we should find ways to work collaboratively in developing our response to this pandemic.
Top left corner: Nadine Jalabert (President of the New Caledonian Congressional Women’s Rights Committee) Next across: Fiame Naomi Mata’afa (Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa) Large top right: Moira Simmons-Avafoa (Acting CEO, Ministry of Trade and Fisheries), Esealofa Apinelu (Attorney General), both Tuvalu Middle left: Sen. Marise Payne (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women) Middle centre: Julie-Ann Guivarra (Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality) Bottom left: Esline Garaebiti (Director General of the Ministry of Climate Change) and Dorosday Kenneth-Watson (Director General of Justice and Community Services), both Vanuatu Square of 4 photos bottom right, top left: Makereta Konrote (Permanent Secretary for Economy, Fiji), top right: Hon.
Isabella Dageago (Minister for Health and Home Affairs, Nauru), bottom left: Tepaeru Hermann (Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cook Islands), and bottom right: Natasha Stott Despoja (Chair, Our Watch) 4. INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ADVOCACY 4.1 HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT 4.1.1 International Advocacy Since becoming a member of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2018, Australia has consistently worked to promote and protect gender equality in HRC resolutions and through 87 national and joint statements.
Australia has sought to amplify the voices of Pacific nations.

We liaise closely with representatives from Pacific nations in Geneva and Pacific Island capitals.
We have advocated on a broad range of 13 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 gender equality issues of importance to the Pacific region, including violence and discrimination against women and girls, women human rights defenders, political participation, economic empowerment, indigenous women, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), participation in peace processes, sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), and discrimination against LGBTI persons.
Australia has supported a joint statement by Pacific countries on women and multilateralism, highlighting the importance of women’s leadership and empowerment at all levels of decision making (43rd session of the HRC ), a joint statement on behalf of 16 Pacific nations on the importance of youth employment and education (41st session), and joint statements on behalf of 15 Pacific countries on tackling the barriers faced by persons with disabilities, and on gender equality and ICT issues (39th session).
Australia welcomed Fiji to the Human Rights Council in 2019, the first ever Pacific Island member and the subsequent election of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) for the 2020-2022 term, having supported RMI’s campaign through our missions in New York and Geneva.

4.1.2 Regional engagement Australia is a strong proponent and supporter of the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) of 2012.
Australia’s investment in Pacific Women delivers on this commitment, supporting action to address priorities identified in the PLGED.

Australia also supports implementation of the PLGED through our mainstreaming of gender equality approaches in our bilateral and regional development programs, including education and health.

The Boe Declaration on Regional Security, was endorsed by Pacific Leaders in 2018.
Through the Pacific Fusion Centre and the Australia Pacific Security College, the Australian Government supports practical implementation of the Boe Declaration Action Plan, including eradicating gender-based violence, increasing access to justice for survivors of violence and mainstreaming gender equality approaches through our support to security in the region and providing space for participation of women in security processes.
The Pacific Fusion Centre is a practical resource for Pacific Island Forum members, which fosters information sharing and informs policy responses to shared security priorities, including on Women, Peace and Security issues in the Pacific.

The Australia Pacific Security College produced a Gender Action Plan in early 2020, which acknowledges the important roles that Pacific women are fulfilling in the traditional security sectors.
Throughout its regional consultations, the College has heard that women’s participation in community policing has been instrumental in regional stabilisation efforts.

Australia supports The Pacific Community (SPC) to work with Pacific island governments and civil society organisations to progress gender equality, including support for mainstreaming gender through national policy and legislation.
Australia also supports the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resource Team and program to build prosperity for women producers, processors and women owned businesses through organic value chains (through SPC’s Pacific Organic and Ethical Commission, POETCom).

SPC will host and convene the 7th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and Meeting of Pacific Ministers for Women in 2021.
4.2 WORKING WITH MULTILATERAL BANKS 14 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Australia has advocated for the Multilateral Development Banks to accelerate progress in gender equality, working with likeminded donors and engaging with the Banks through our representatives at headquarters.

Our Board membership facilities policy development, and oversight of the effectiveness of Bank gender projects and mainstreaming gender equality across portfolios.
Through this engagement the Multilateral Development Banks have prioritised gender equality action, including through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank Group.

The ADB has included gender as one of its seven operational priorities in its 2030 Strategy.

The ADB has set a target that at least 75 per cent of its operations will promote gender equality by 2030 and gender will be mainstreamed across the banks programs.
Further, support by gender projects financed through the grants-based Asian Development Fund will ensure gender equality is a focus in program designs for the poorest and most vulnerable countries, including gender gaps in education and sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

The World Bank Group has developed the Gender Equality Strategy (2016 – 2023) which focuses on: closing education and health gaps, supporting better jobs for women, removing access barriers, and enhancing women’s voice and agency.
The International Development Association, the World Bank’s concessional financing arm, prioritises these actions, integration action across multiple sectors and sustaining efforts over long periods.

Australian aid programming supports the Multilateral Development Banks to mainstream gender equality through co-financing and the provision of technical assistance, including through gender trust funds and facilities.

5.
5.

WORKING WITH PACIFIC PARTNERS Australia works closely with partners in the Pacific to advance gender equality.

This includes Pacific governments and development partners, local organisations and international NGOs to design, implement and evaluate gender equality programs.

Achieving gender equality requires a multi- sectoral approach across government, civil society and the private sector with the support of development partners.
Working in partnership is critical to achieving gender equality because it improves the quality and effectiveness of Australia’s development assistance.

Our partners know what works on the ground and how to affect local change that will support individuals, communities and systemic reform.
Civil society organisations in the Pacific include a wide and growing range of non-government and non-market organisations through which people organise themselves to pursue shared interests or values in the public domain, including the private sector.
Examples of local organisations that we work with include community and village based groups, women’s organisations, faith-based organisations, labour unions, indigenous groups, diaspora groups, charitable organisations, cooperatives, professional associations, chambers of commerce, independent research institutes and not-for-profit media (see Annex A).

Australia works with civil society organisations, through a mix of funding mechanisms.
Using partnerships with established organisations helps us to manage the risk of working with small local organisations, which are often best placed to deliver effective services, but which may not have the capacity or systems in place, working alone, to satisfy Australian Government standards.

15 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Since 2012, through Pacific Women, the Australian Government has worked with 147 partners across 14 Pacific countries.
This is a deliberate strategy to reach more women and girls with practical support services through local organisations which respond to the diverse and culturally specific needs of women across Pacific island countries.
Examples of our partnerships to advance gender equality are provided below: 5.1 WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND DECISION MAKING The Balance of Power investment ($8.6 million, phase 1 2019-2024) aims to contribute to a better balance of power between women’s and men’s leadership roles and opportunities.

Balance of Power aims to work with local actors and organisations to achieve inclusive leadership across all domains.
The program is financed by the Australian Government but led by Pacific Islanders committed to driving positive change in their communities.

Balance of Power recognises that deeply entrenched norms, attitudes and perceptions around leadership can create barriers to improved balance and cohesion.

Balance of Power is providing enhanced representation of women and their interests in both policy settings and practical responses during COVID-19.
This includes, media campaigns disseminated through influential platforms showcasing the role and contribution of women in effectively managing a dual crisis situation, key coordination and advocacy in the re-development of national gender equality policies that prioritise women’s voice and agency as a pre-requisite for improved national resilience and convening of strategic coalitions with political and social influence to increase pressure for greater participation by women in the planning, implementation and leadership of crisis management.
The Australian Government has supported World YWCA’s RiseUp!

leadership training program since 2011 ($0.6 million, 2019-2020).

This unique program was created by local YWCAs for young women in the region.

DFAT’s partnership with World YWCA aims to strengthen young women’s leadership and advocacy for women’s human rights, with specific focus on SRHR, early child marriage, health, education and other key areas of concern for young women.

YWCA RiseUp!
YWCA RiseUp!

participants have extensive networks and influence in the region and regularly participate in international fora including the Human Rights Council (HRC) and Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The RiseUp!

Program has reached over 700 people in four different provinces of the Solomon Islands.

73% of participants in the program had increased their knowledge in the areas of human rights, women’s rights, gender, public speaking and leadership.
47% of participants also reported increasing their leadership or becoming leaders in their communities.

In Papua New Guinea, the Women and Extractives project ($1 million, 2017 - 2019) has advanced women’s participation in decision making in communities affected by Frieda River mining activities.

Partnering with Bougainville Women’s Federation, the project provided leadership training to emerging women leaders.
Women now participate in key negotiating bodies that represent the communities in mine agreement-making processes.

This includes the appointment of the President of the Frieda River Women’s Association as an Executive Board Member of the Landowners Association.

5.2 WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT Australia has supported CARE International’s PNG CARE Coffee project ($4.5 million, 2015-2019).
A 2018 evaluation of the project found that households in which women were involved in training reported a 22 per cent higher income, higher levels of joint household decision-making, increased sharing of household chores and a positive shift in attitudes regarding violence against women.
16 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 The Pacific Women Growing Business project (0.15m, 2017-2019) implemented by the Pacific Community is helping women to improve their business skills in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The project has provided 110 women with business information and assistance to identify potential niche products.
One business is now receiving support from Pacific Trade Investment Australia on international packaging for its coffee products.

The UN Women Markets for Change project ($20,199,533 2014 - 2020) is helping to make marketplaces in rural and urban areas of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu safe, inclusive and non- discriminatory, and promote gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
This includes creating inclusive opportunities, improving socio-economic security for women market vendors, ensuring local governments and market management are gender responsive and improving the physical infrastructure and operating systems.

For example, the Markets for Change project has resulted in the opening of two new markets: the Gizo market in Solomon Islands and Luganville market, which was refurbished after 23 years and supports over 3,000 women market vendors.
5.3 ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN House of Sarah is contextualising SASA!

Faith ($1.5 million, 2017-2020),11 a community mobilisation approach to prevent violence against women, to a Fijian context through a grant from the Fiji Women’s Fund and funding through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women.12 SASA!

Faith enables conversations between community members, leaders and duty bearers about people’s lives and relationships.
It leads community discussions on interpretations of the Bible that can contribute to a reduction in violence.

House of Sarah delivered two phases of the SASA!

Faith program in three Anglican communities in Viti Levu.

The project team also built relationships with the Fiji Police Force, Ministry of Health and other service providers to establish Community Ending Violence Against Women Action Groups.

Parish members report feeling safer in their communities.
House of Sarah led the collaboration between 10 faith denominations to develop a joint national television campaign to denounce violence against women and girls.

This represents a powerful public condemnation of violence against women and girls in a country where faith and faith-based organisations are central to everyday life.

The Vanuatu Women’s Centre ($9.5 million, 2014-2020) is demonstrating extraordinary reach with its community awareness activities.
There were 15,892 participants in community awareness and violence prevention activities, between July 2018–June 2019.

Signs of change from these community awareness sessions include increased referrals of survivors to the Vanuatu Women’s Centre network.

Some leaders have also expressed an intent to shift the response to family violence cases from traditional justice in nakamals to formal justice mechanisms.
Community awareness nationally is increasing, evidenced by 3,620 people requesting information from the Vanuatu Women’s Centre network during this period.

5.4 ENHANCING AGENCY The Fiji Women’s Fund ($10.5 million, 2017-2022) takes affirmative action to prioritise disability inclusion in its funding calls for local women’s organisations, while also supporting rural women, LBTI communities and young women.

One grantee, femLINKpacific, builds the capacity of women in rural 11 Total funding to the SASA!
Program.

12 SASA!

Is a Kiswahili word for ‘now’ that is also synonymous with a community mobilisation methodology to prevent violence against women and people living with HIV.

SASA!

Faith is the sister of SASA!

And designed specifically for faith based communities.

Both programs are funded by Pacific Women.

17 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 communities to make radio programs on rural women’s leadership, disability and LBTI rights.
Representatives from another grantee, the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network, attended the second Pacific Human Rights Conference in May 2019.

Network members are using their enhanced knowledge on LGBTQ rights to train faith-based organisations and law enforcement staff on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Through Pacific Women the Australian Government also supports the We Rise Coalition, a group of four feminist organisations working to develop inclusive governance, equality, diversity, justice and women’s human rights.

The Pacific Feminist Forum (2019), was an historic moment bringing over a hundred feminists from Fiji and 12 other Pacific Island countries together, to a space for discussion where they were able to talk about issues women face in the Pacific.
Members of the Coalition participated in the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 62) in March 2018, including hosting a series of feminist knowledge and skill-sharing workshops and advocating for progressive language in negotiations.

In 2017, the We Rise Coalition helped organise the Fiji Women’s Forum and Fiji Young Women’s Forum, both avenues for national engagement on women’s rights for all Fijian women.
18 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 19 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 6.

IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS Changing social and cultural norms to improve gender equality is difficult and can require decades to see results.
However, Australia has proven it has a long-term commitment to the Pacific region to address gender equality and support immediate service delivery.

We recognise that activities and projects are foundational and critical for providing services, training, and empowering women.

However, our programs seek to trigger longer term cultural and institutional change through supporting local leadership.
6.1 AUSTRALIA’S KEY OUTCOMES IN SUPPORTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS Australia has contributed to significant progress towards gender equality in the Pacific over the past decade, especially in efforts to end violence against women and girls.

We have:     Increased our funding, including over $150 million between 2007-08 to 2017-18, to ending violence against women and girls in the Pacific, half of Australia’s total spending on Ending Violence against Women and Girls activities.
In 2017, Australia was the 2nd highest donor globally in addressing violence against women and girls,13 Catalysed regional policy dialogues, led by a dedicated Ambassador for Gender Equality (formerly Ambassador for Women and Girls), Expanded long term funding to key civil society organisations, Improved the quality and number of services for survivors of violence.
The effectiveness of Australia’s overseas development assistance is regularly evaluated in line with DFAT’s publicly available monitoring and evaluation standards.

13 Ibid.

20 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Impact of investments under Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development    64,262 women and children across 11 countries have accessed Australian-funded crisis support services, including counselling, health and legal support.
6,613 men have undertaken male advocacy training.

653,877 people have been reached through community awareness, outreach and advocacy activities targeted at ending violence against women and addressing gender inequality.

Australian funding has helped establish national legislation to criminalise domestic violence and guide EVAW responses.
 Our funding has helped establish child protection laws in four countries with an additional four in draft, and supported various civil society organisation to implement violence prevention through advocacy and outreach at community level.

In addition, Australia has partnered with faith based organisations like House of Sarah and the Pacific Conference of Churches to promote gender equality and ending violence.
These results demonstrate that Australia’s contributions are supporting change in social and institutional norms.

12,512 women have been supported to take on leadership roles at the community, provincial and national level including through training, mentoring and changes to produce market governance structures.

17,960 women have participated in training, in accessing financial services, running small businesses, and improving financial literacy.
In the 2017 PNG national elections, women participating in the Women in Leadership Support Program consistently placed higher and obtained a greater overall vote share than women candidates who did not participate and were six times more likely to finish in the top 10 per cent of candidates in their electorates, In January 2018, the Kiribati Women and Children Support Centre opened in Tarawa.
It is the first formal counselling and advocacy service for families experiencing violence in Kiribati, and Support to UNICEF’s Pacific Regional Child Protection Program led to comprehensive child protection laws being enacted in Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands.
    6.2 EVALUATING AUSTRALIA’S AID PROGRAMS Two major evaluations will inform the future of Australia’s gender programming in the Pacific: the 6 Year Evaluation of Pacific Women, which is currently being finalised and will be published soon, and the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Evaluating a decade of Australia’s development assistance (2019).
6.2.1 Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Evaluating a decade of Australia’s development assistance evaluation The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls evaluation emphasises the importance of integrating Ending Violence against Women and Girls work into broader policies and programs.

As Australian- supported research demonstrates, women’s economic programming must take a do-no-harm approach, and programs should be community based and gender transformative.
They must also work with men.14 For example, do-no-harm research conducted in PNG and Solomon Islands was the first of its kind in the Pacific.

It found that participating in economic empowerment programs may lead to increased risk or experience of violence for women.
The research provided advice on ensuring the effectiveness of programs and taking do-no-harm approaches to women’s economic 14 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ending violence against women and girls: Evaluating a decade of Australia’s development assistance.

Office of Development Effectiveness (2019).

Eves R, Lusby S, Araia T, Maeni M-F, Martin R. Do No Harm Research: Solomon Islands (2018).
21 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 empowerment initiatives, directly informing Australian-supported EVAWG programs.15 Do-no-harm approaches will be required to mitigate risks.

The evaluation found that Australia has an opportunity to plan and coordinate better with implementing partners so that all efforts to End Violence against Women and Girls align with gender equality, human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Australia also has the opportunity to build violence-prevention strategies and gender-transformative approaches into other sectors, such as education and health, climate resilience and economic development.

The evaluation assessed that Australia’s long-term commitment to EVAWG has had a positive impact.

A key finding of the evaluation is that long-term core funding to women’s organisations has been effective and catalytic.

In Pacific island countries, women's organisations are now driving EVAWG efforts.
As stated in the evaluation, there is increasing evidence that violence can be prevented and that there is an opportunity for Australia to invest more in prevention, and in building the evidence base for what works in the Indo-Pacific to end violence.

The evaluation notes that long-term investments in response remain critical, as do partnerships with local women’s organisations.
DFAT has accepted all recommendations of the evaluation and has committed to increase attention to the prevention of violence against women and girls and to continue support for women’s organisations addressing and responding to such violence.

7.
7.

INVESTING IN GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH MAINSTREAMING In addition to gender-targeted investments, the Australian Government incorporates gender equality through Australia’s stepped up engagement to support a more resilient Pacific, through economic, security and people-to-people initiatives in our bilateral and regional investments in sectors such as health, education, law and justice, governance and economic growth.
In April 2019, DFAT released the Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) Policy.

The PSEAH Policy sets out expectations and requirements for all DFAT staff and delivery partners to manage SEAH risks and incidents in Australia and overseas.
7.1 EXAMPLES OF MAINSTREAMING GENDER THROUGH AUSTRALIA’S STEP-UP, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL PROGRAMS Australia’s Pacific labour mobility initiatives, the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) and Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP), have similarly prioritised gender equality and social inclusion to promote the economic empowerment of Pacific women.
The SWP allows Pacific citizens to work in Australia for up to nine months in unskilled to low skilled roles in the agriculture sector and in the accommodation sector in northern Australia.

Complementing the SWP, Pacific workers under the PLS can work in Australia for between one and three years in unskilled to semi-skilled roles in any sector in rural and regional Australia.

15 Ibid.
15 Ibid.

22 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 The PLS offers new opportunities for Pacific women’s economic empowerment due to the broad range of sectors it covers, including aged care.

As of 28 June 2020, nearly 85 per cent of PLS workers engaged in the aged care sector in Australia are women.
OTP has an ambitious research agenda aimed at gaining a comprehensive understanding of the effects of labour mobility on Pacific households and on Pacific women so that policy settings can be adjusted to maximise opportunities for Pacific women and prevent any adverse effects from the two programs.

Overcoming male bias in both the Pacific and in Australia will be important to achieving equitable outcomes for women through labour mobility.
PLS worker Kurarenga Bwaeka working with a resident at Bolton Clarke Pioneers retirement village Longreach, QLD.

Advocacy has resulted in women securing more than 25 per cent of PLS positions and 17 per cent of SWP positions in the agriculture sector in FY2019-20.

The Australian government supports women’s agency through PacificAus Sports ($52 million, between 2019-2023).
In 2019, the Football Federation Australia partnered with the Australian government as part of the Pacific Step-up and the Australia Pacific Sports Linkages Program.

This partnership saw the Westfield Junior Matilda’s visit Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to support the development of football internationally, strengthen the links between Australia and our Pacific neighbours and empower Pacific girls.

Australia invests in the health of women and girls.
Australia’s largest international investment in sexual and reproductive health is a Transformative Agenda for Women, Adolescents and Youth in the Pacific: Towards Zero Unmet Need for Family Planning ($30 million, 2018-2022).

This wide-ranging program, led by UNFPA, is addressing the region’s high rates of unmet need for family planning services.
In November 2019, the program supported nine Pacific countries deliver national statements on accelerating access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services at the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25).

The Westfield Junior Matildas and Vanuatu under 19 team walk out for their clash in Port Villa, August 2019.
Photo: Joseph Mayers The Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) is a unique global program that supports trusted Australian NGOs through flexible annual grants for effective, locally-led development projects overseas.

In 2019-20, the ANCP supported 33 Australian NGOs to deliver 102 projects in the Pacific (estimated $20.9 million in 2019-20).
Gender equality and social inclusion are mainstreamed in all ANCP projects, with 55% of projects in the Pacific having a principal or significant focus on gender equality.

For example, in the Solomon Islands, the International Women’s Development Agency is working with local partner, Family Support Centre, to increase access to crisis support services across four provinces for 2000 women and girls who have experienced violence.
Support includes access to counselling, legal officers and community education.

7.2 EXAMPLES OF AUSTRALIA’S BILATERAL PROGRAMS MAINSTREAMING GENDER EQUALITY 23 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 The PNG-Australia Transport Sector Support Program Phase 2 (TSSP2) is a multi-phased, 15-20 year program implemented in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea.
The program targets gender holistically, working to increase inclusion of women in the planning, design and delivery of transport infrastructure in PNG.

TSSP2 works collaboratively with transport agencies to mainstream gender and to build gender equity into their agency policies and plans.

The program supports female leadership by providing targeted support to female managers, strengthening their leadership and management skills.
TSSP2 has also practically improved women’s access to finance and markets, including through Community Work Arrangements in Bougainville.

Broader positive impacts for women are realised through the land transport sector by increasing women’s access to markets, financial services, schools and hospitals.

The recruitment of a Gender and Safeguards Policy (GSP) Specialist in 2019 will ensure TSSP builds upon this work and continues to target gender equality throughout the program.
In Samoa, Australia provides funding for a health program to address sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of women and men and specifically to address the need for family planning as well as access to primary healthcare.
In Tonga, the Australian Government funded Health Systems Support Program II (THSSP2) addresses the economic, social and health burden of non-communicable disease (NCDs) and includes gender- sensitive activities such as: gestational diabetes services, inclusive sports activities for health promotion, and funding of female sports clubs.

The Tonga Skills for Inclusive Economic Growth (S4IEG) program also worked with the Government of Tonga to develop a strategy for gender equality and disability inclusion.
More than 75 per cent of its clients are women in skills training and over half are also from the remote areas; their participation enables them to earn an income and support their families.

The development response following Tropical Cyclone Gita (TCG) actively addressed gender equality throughout the investment, with Australia supporting a 'Women Lead in Emergencies Pilot' which has actively engaged seven women's groups on how women can enable their own recovery.
In Fiji, the Australian Government’s partnership with the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) aims to improve the competitiveness of Fiji’s private sector through the provision of technical assistance to government agencies as well as catalysing new private sector investment.

IFC identified a lack of childcare services in workplaces as a barrier to women’s productivity and full-participation in the workforce, as well as the impact of violence against women.
IFC designed the WINvest program to address these barriers, and increase women’s recruitment, retention and promotion in Fiji’s formal workforce.

8.

NEXT STEPS Australia’s efforts to advance the rights of women and girls across our region will continue to be a priority of our Pacific Step-up and our Partnerships for Recovery strategy as the region emerges from COVID-19.

As a core value, Australia will continue to advocate for human rights and gender equality in our region and beyond.
We understand maintaining space for an active civil society in the Pacific will be an important part of that work.

24 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 COVID-19 has raised the stakes on gender equality.
Australia’s objective is to ensure in our Pacific region we – governments, business and civil society look for the opportunities COVID-19 has presented to us to work together to build resilience in our communities in ways that also enhance the wellbeing of women and girls.
We have already pivoted our work to address key gender issues including providing essential services for survivors of violence and supporting women’s health during COVID-19 and moving forward we will look to have further engagement with Pacific Women Leaders and develop new investments which can support our longer term goals of gender equality across the region.

2022 will mark ten years since the PIF Leaders Declaration on Gender Equality.
In the lead up to this milestone, it will be important to take stock or our progress and deliver further impetus on gender equality because we know that empowering women and girls leads to strong communities, social cohesion and economic resilience.

And that benefits all of us.

Of course, Australia’s efforts on advocating and advancing gender equality over these next few years will be strongly influenced by the views and positions of Pacific women, whose voices we value very highly.
25 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 ANNEX A Civil society groups which currently advance the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific.
Examples of civil society organisations include community and village based groups, labour unions, Indigenous groups, diaspora groups, charitable organisations, cooperatives, women’s organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, chambers of commerce, independent research institutes and the not-for-profit media.
Civil society groups Regional Name Type of CSO Countries of operation Relevant programs / activities (title only) World YWCA CARE Australia Plan International Australia World Vision Australia International charitable organisation (INGO) International charitable organisation (INGO) International charitable organisation (INGO) International charitable organisation (INGO) Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa RiseUp!
Leadership Training Program Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu Australian NGO Cooperation Program PNG, Solomon Islands Australian NGO Cooperation Program Solomon Islands, Vanuatu Australian NGO Cooperation Program We Rise Coalition Feminist coalition 13 Pacific countries, based in Fiji and Australia Convenor of the Pacific Feminist Forum Uniting World International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) International Non- governmental organisation (INGO) International charitable organisation (INGO) Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands Get-IT Project (Gender Equality Theology – Institutional Transformation) Papua new Guinea, Solomon islands, Fiji Australian NGO Cooperation Program Pacific Women - We Rise Responding to violence against women in Solomon Islands Oxfam International International charitable organisation (INGO) Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, PNG Pacific Women Australian NGO Cooperation Program Shifting the Power Coalition of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Women - Strengthening 26 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Coalition organisations International Planned Parenthood Federation International charitable organisation (INGO) UN Women United Nations Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Australia Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea in phase 2.
Fiji, Kiribati, PNG, RMI, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Diverse Women’s Leadership in Humanitarian Action Partnerships for Health and Rights: Working for sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for all in the Pacific Protection of Women and Girls during COVID-19 Emergency Markets, Economic Recovery and Inclusion (MERI) program (COVID-19) Women Make the Change: Increased voice for women in political processes Safe and Prosperous Districts: Linking communities to markets for secure livelihoods Port Moresby: A Safe City for Women and Girls Program Safe Public Transport for Women and Girls and Children Gutpela Sindaun bilong ol Meri na Pikinini (2018 Highlands earthquake response) Fiji Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Fiji Women’s Rights Movement Women’s rights advocacy organisation Pacific Women partner CARE Australia International charitable organisation (INGO) Pacific Women - We Rise Coalition Pacific Women - Pacific Girl Leftemap Sista II (LSII) Project (ANCP) International Women’s International charitable GIRLS Exist – Fiji Project (ANCP) 27 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Development Agency organisation (INGO) Oxfam Australia Femlink Pacific International charitable organisation (INGO) Shifting Power Shifting Voice in Fiji Project (ANCP) Women’s community media organisation Pacific Women - We Rise Coalition Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund partner Rise Beyond the Reef Charitable organisation – supports community and village based groups Pacific Women partner Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Talanoa Treks Social enterprise working with four rural communities and women’s clubs Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Ra Naari Parishad (RNP) Women’s organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Charitable organisation Delailasakau Women’s Group Women’s organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Naitasiri Women in Dairy Group (NWDG) Women’s
 organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund House of Sarah (HOS) Women’s organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Faith based organisation Pacific Women partner Pacific Women - SASA Faith Project Medical Services Pacific (MSP) Charitable organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Reproductive Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF) Sexual and reproductive health organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Fiji Girl Guides Association Association Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Women’s Wing of the Fiji Trade Union Congress Trade Union Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Aging with Empowerment and Support group Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund 28 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Dignity Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Survival Advocacy Network Women in Fisheries Network Network for marginalised sex workers Group of scientists, gender practitioners, organisations and community members Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network Regional network of LGBTIQ organisations Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Fiji Disabled People’s Federation Disability organisation Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Partners in Community Development NGO Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Graduate Women NGO focused on women in STEM Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Striders Rugby Women’s Club Sports club Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Women Entrepreneurs and Business Council Federation for female businesses and entrepreneurs Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Adventist Development relief Agency Fiji NGO – development and humanitarian assistance Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Sign Language Interpreters Association Fiji and Fiji Association of the Deaf NGO – hearing impaired Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Laje Rotuma Imitative Voluntary Youth Group Pacific Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Women in Fisheries Network Women’s network Pacific
 Women - Fiji Women’s Fund Fiji Council of Social Services Umbrella organisation CRC (RRRT) FSM Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Chuuk Women’s Council Umbrella organisation for women’s organisations in Chuuk State FSM Pacific Women - Pacific Girl Pacific Women - Eliminating Violence Against Women Services (with Pacific Women) 29 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Care Micronesia Foundation NGO Micronesia Production NGO – media program Relevant programs / activities (title only) RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Enimwahn Development Community based organisation – domestic violence RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Chuuk Kich Able Society NGO – promoting rights of persons with disabilities RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Pohnpei Women’s Council NGO – domestic violence RRRT program Kosrae Women’s Council NGO RRRT program Kiribati Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Kiribati Women and Children’s Support Centre NGO Pacific Women - Support to KWCSC counselling and service delivery operations Aia Mwaea Ainen Kiribati Women’s umbrella organisation Coordinating body for gender equality and Kiribati Women in maritime NGO – promote female maritime professionals women’s groups RRRT program Kiribati Family Health Association NGO – sexual and reproductive health RRRT – UN Treaty, UPR shadow reporting Kiribati School and Centre for Children and Special Needs Kiribati Inclusive education Improvement Programme NGO NGO RRRT - UPR alternative reporting RRRT - Technical Cooperation on Integration of Social Citizenship Education PNG 30 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Ginigoada Foundation Community Based Organisation Pacific Women Safe Public Transport: Meri Buses in Port Moresby and Lae Oxfam International Papua New
 Guinea International charitable organisation (INGO) Pacific Women Responding to Gender-Based and Sorcery-Related Violence in the Highlands Human Rights Defenders Network NGO – women’s rights and GBV Pacific Women Responding to Gender-Based and Sorcery-Related Violence in the Highlands Kafe Urban Settlers Women’s Association NGO – women’s rights and GBV Pacific Women Responding to Gender-Based and Sorcery-Related Violence in the Highlands Family for Change NGO – women’s rights and GBV Pacific Women Responding to Gender-Based and Sorcery-Related Violence in the Highlands Femili PNG International charitable organisation (INGO) Pacific Women Family and Sexual Violence Case Management: Building on Success for National Impact National Secretariat of the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee National Government/Law & Justice Dept.
Pacific Women Building the capacity of Papua New Guinea’s Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee Bougainville Women’s Federation (BWF) Women’s organisation Pacific Women - Voter Education Project International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) International charitable organisation (INGO) Pacific Women - Young Women’s Leadership Project Pacific Women - Voter Education Project Pacific Women - Young Women’s 31 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 CARE International International charitable organisation (INGO) Leadership Project Pacific Women - Safe Families Project Promoting Inclusive Women’s Development, Protection and Healing Papua New Guinea Project (ANCP) Pacific Women - Coffee Industry Support Project – women’s economic empowerment University of Canberra Academic organisation Family Farm Teams FHI 360 NGO Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Bougainville NGO Equal Playing Field NGO Kisim Femili Plenin Strongim Kommuniti - ending violence against women Kommuniti Lukautim Ol Meri Pacific Women - Gender-based violence project Pacific Women - Gender Justice and Healing project Pacific Women - Safe Schools, Strong Communities Pacific Women - Pacific Girl Business Coalition for Women Coalition for business organisations Pacific Women - Mentor women business leaders across the Pacific Bougainville Women’s Federation Peak Representative Body for Women in Bougainville Pacific Women - Papua New Guinea Women in Mining Pacific Adventist University Academia Baptist Union PNG Faith Based organisation Pacific Women - Papua New Guinea Women in Mining Pacific Women - Papua New Guinea Women in Mining Kirapim Kaikai na Market Community Market Kirapim Kaikai na Market project Oxfam Australia International charitable organisations (INGO) Plan International Australia International charitable organisations (INGO) Pacif Women - Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) in Papua New Guinea Project (ANCP) Pacific Women - Bougainville Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) Project (ANCP) 32 Inquiry into the
 human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 RMI Name Type of CSO Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI) Women’s organisation Relevant programs / activities (title only) Pacific Women - Weto in Mour Iden Mwekun (counselling and EVAW services) Jojikum NGO – climate change advocacy RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Marshall Island conservation NGO – conservation awareness RRRT – Pacific people Advancing change Kyjle Women’s community-based organisation RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Women United Together Marshall Islands NGO RRRT - program Samoa Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Samoa Umbrella of NGO Civil society grants program Nuanua o le Alofa NGO Goshen Trust Mental Health Center ADRA Samoa NGO Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program Pacific Women - Samoa Disability Partnership Program Pacific Women - Australian Humanitarian Partnerships Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program Australian Humanitarian Partnerships Samoa Returnees Charitable Trust Charitable Trust Pacific Women - Civil Society Support 33 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Samoa Cancer Society Incorporated Society Wellbeing & Community Solutions NGO Faataua le Ola NGO Mixed Farming Cooperative Society Group Ltd Group Federated Farmers Inc Incorporated Society Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) NGO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Pacific Women - Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Direct Aid Program Brown Girl Woke Advocacy Group Direct
 Aid Program Women In Leadership Advocacy (WINLA) Advocacy Group Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Samoa National Council of Women (SNCW) NGO Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) Samoa Peace Corp Initiative Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Samoa National Teachers Association Association Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Samoa Institute of Directors Professional Association Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Samoa Family Health Association (SFHA) Association IPPF Women in Business Development Inc Not for profit organization Australian Humanitarian Partnerships Netball Samoa Samoa International Cricket Association Sports Club Sports Club Pacific Sports Partnership Pacific Sports Partnership NRL Samoa Sports Club Pacific Sports Partnership 34 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO District Develop Committees (DDCs) Village Women’s Committees Relevant programs / activities (title only) Pacific Women - Samoa Women Shaping Development Program Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Pacific Women - Samoa Women Shaping Development Program Pacific Women - Women In Leadership in Samoa Program Civil Society Support Program – gender fund Journalist Association of Samoa (JAWS) Association Pacific Women - PACMAS Pacific Women - Women in Leadership in Samoa Program Solomon Islands Name Type of CSO Solomon Islands National Council of Women Oxfam Solomon Islands NGO NGO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Pacific Women - Safe Families Project Pacific Women - Let’s Make Our Families Safe Vois Blong Mere Solomon NGO Pacific Women - Safe Families Project World Vision International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Pacific Women - Community Channels of Hope (Phase 3) International Women’s Development Agency International Non-Government Organisations (INGO) Solomon Islands Gender Equality
 Project (ANCP) Response to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Rural Solomon Islands Project (ANCP) Women’s Economic Empowerment and Leadership in Solomon islands Project (ANCP) 35 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Plan International Australia International Non-Government Organisations (INGO) Safer Cities for Girls program in Hanoi, Honiara and Kampala Project (ANCP) Young Women’s Christian Association of Solomon Islands International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Pacific Women - Pacific Girl Malaita Provincial Council of Women Family Support Centre NGO NGO Malaita Christian Care Centre NGO Auki Urban Disability Community Alliance NGO Ahetaha Water Conservation Association Community based organisation West Are Rokotanikeni Women’s Association Dreamcast Theatre Solomon Island Planned Parenthood Association - Auki Solomon Island Planned Parenthood Association - Honiara Branch.
NGO NGO NGO NGO Wai Hau Conservation foundation Community based organisation RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Tonga Name Type of CSOs Relevant programs / activities (title only) Women and Children’s Crisis EVAW service provider and Pacific Women - Responding to violence 36 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 Name Centre Type of CSOs Relevant programs / activities (title only) women’s rights organisation against women in Tonga Talitha Project NGO Pacific Women - Pacific Girl Pacific Media Assistance Scheme Media organisation Tonga National Centre for Women and Children NGO CARE Australia International Non-Government Organisations (INGO) Pacific Women - Pacific Girl – cybersafety pilot Pacific Women - Women’s economic empowerment Leftemap Sista II (LSII) Project (ANCP) Seleka Youth NGO RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Tuvalu Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Tuvalu Family Health Association Sexual and reproductive health association Pacific Women - Tuvalu National Women and Youth Forum Vanuatu Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Vanuatu Women’s Centre EVAW service provider and women’s rights organisation Pacific Women - Prevention of Violence Against Women CARE Australia/Vanuatu International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Pacific Women - Gender Equality Together - alumni and mentor network Presbyterian Churches Union Faith based organisation Pacific Women - Pacific Girl – Laef blo mi, vois blo mi Leftemap Sista II (LSII) in Vanuatu Project (ANCP) Pacific Women - Women’s leadership in the church 37 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the
 PacificSubmission 28 Name Type of CSO Relevant programs / activities (title only) Alternative Communities Trade in Vanuatu (ACTIV) Fair trade non-profit organisation Support to ACTIV for women’s economic empowerment Oxfam Australia World Vision Australia International Non-Government Organisations (INGO) Vanuatu Gender Justice, Youth and Livelihoods (GJYL) Project (ANCP) International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Relationship Education About Choices and Healing (REACH) in Vanuatu Project (ANCP) Anglican Overseas Aid International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Safe, resilient communities – Vanuatu Project (ANCP) Disability Promotion and Advocacy association NGO RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Vanuatu Widows Association NGO RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Tonga Shepard Women’s Association Community based organisation RRRT – Pacific People Advancing change Vanuatu Women’s Crisis Centre NGO RRRT – Outcome 2 38 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28 ANNEX B AGD’s work on Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the Pacific The Pacific Law and Justice Program of the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) contributes to improving the performance of Pacific legal policy makers and prosecutors, and strengthening the Pacific criminal law and policy frameworks needed for effective criminal justice systems.
Supporting investigation and prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) offences supports Australian Government priorities by improving access to justice for women and girls, enabling the full participation of women in economic, social and political life, and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Protecting the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, also underpins the Australian Government Partnerships for Recovery.
COVID-19 is exacerbating rates of SGBV around the world and supporting an appropriate justice system response to these crimes is more critical than ever.

AGD provides extensive support to the Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON), a regional network of senior law officers in 19 Pacific countries and territories, including Australia and NZ.

Addressing SGBV has been one of three PILON strategic priorities for several years.
PILON’s focus on SGBV contributes to a collective approach to meeting the region’s security challenges and supports the 2009 Pacific leaders’ commitments to “eradicate SGBV in the Pacific region and ensure that all Pacific people have access to justice and protection under the law”.

PILON’s efforts to address SGBV in the Pacific also align with the key strategic focus area of Human Security and Humanitarian Assistance under the 2018 Pacific leaders’ Boe Declaration on Regional Security.
Recently, AGD has supported the PILON SGBV working group to develop General Principles for Obtaining the Best Evidence from Vulnerable Witnesses to SGBV Offences and raise awareness of special measures, such as screens and support in court to protect vulnerable witnesses, including children.
The PILON SGBV working group held a regional workshop in March 2019, in collaboration with RRRT, attended by 88 Pacific police, prosecutors, defence counsel, the judiciary and policy officers to consider ways to implement such special measures for vulnerable witnesses in their justice systems.

The working group has also developed Model Provisions for amending Evidence Acts or Criminal Procedures Acts to incorporate special measures for vulnerable witnesses to SGBV offences.
The working group also compiled, with AGD support, a review of the extent to which special measures are already embedded in Pacific legislation and—more importantly—are being used in practice, which can be used as a tool to inform a push for the greater update of special measures in the region.
These regional policy documents have already been used by Pacific Island countries to support several legislative reform projects:    Tonga recently used the Model Provisions to draft amendments for corroborating evidence.

Tuvalu used the General Principles (in particular #3 – coordinated assistance) to raise awareness and obtain political support for the development of its recent Child Protection Bill.

Samoa has advised that the Model Provisions have triggered a new law reform project.
In addition, AGD, on behalf of PILON, undertook a review of Pacific child abuse offences in 2018, and has since supported two Pacific island countries to progress law reforms in relation to combatting online child sexual abuse.

39 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 28