Tonga government committed to increasing women's participation in politics and public life ^Featured

Minister Vakata during his intervention said that 16 women out of 106 candidates had run in the last general elections and that none of them were successful.  The Minister also made mention of the petition made by several women’s NGOs following the formulation of the new government to the Prime Minister, asking that he appoint a woman externally to his cabinet, a legal prerogative that the Prime Minister has under the electoral reforms.

The Hon. Minister made the intervention to a room packed full of state delegations from around the globe.  The intervention came following a lengthy discussion on measures taken on board by state parties to increase their women’srepresentation in parliament.   “While our Prime Minister was sympathetic to the petition, he did asked the women to come up with legislative reform or strategies that would change the situation for women by the next general elections in 2018,” stated the Minister.

Quantitative and qualitative representation, the overall environment, equality of opportunities, party quotas and constitutional and legislative reforms was discussed at great length.

One Minister from the African Group of Countries stated, “we have a responsibility to support our women and we need to agitate that women get the kind of training and support that they need”  Samoa’s Hon. Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Tolofuaivaleleialso,  made an intervention noting Samoa’s amendment to the constitution (2013) which guarantees a minimum of 10% of seats in parliament for women - and while this falls short of the international standards - it is a huge milestone step forward for Samoa.  He also made reference to and acknowledged the women’s NGO and CSO groups who are “working hard and moving around the country to promote the participation of women in parliament,” said the Minister.

Meanwhile, Minister Vakata stated a new initiative of his Ministry to prepare for the 2016 Local Governance Elections where currently out of 23 District Officer and 57 Town Officers - none of them are women, “we are going to roll out community education and support for women to get into these local governance positions as a way of encouraging and promoting women getting into the larger parliamentary seats by 2018.”

 ENDS