Tonga marks International Women’s Day 2020 ^Featured

This year’s theme recognizes the multi-generation of women and girl leaders, gender equality activists, women’s rights advocates and visionaries that have been instrumental in advancing women’s rights in Tonga to date.

The year 2020 marks an important journey worldwide in the advancement of gender equality.

One key milestone is the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action which is taking place in New York at the 64th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women where the Kingdom of Tonga is being represented.

This Platform for Action adopted in 1995 is globally recognized as the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls.

Countries all over the world, including Tonga, have been taking stock of progress made for women’s rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action.

As part of the Minister for Internal Affairs, Honorable Vatau Mefi Hui’s, statement on the progress of women and girls empowerment in Tonga, in November 2019 during the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+25 Review in Bangkok Thailand “Tonga has progressed in the 25 years since the Beijing Declaration, however there are still many challenges and barriers that our women and girls face.”

This is the global trend.

Despite this, some key milestones of progress to women in Tonga in the past 25 years includes:

1) The development and establishment of a National Policy on Gender and Development known as the National Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Tonga 2019-2025;

2) The enactment of the Family Protection Act 2013 that drives the work on elimination of violence against women and girls in Tonga;

3) Women’s Economic Empowerment programs including financial assistance for Women Development Groups in the Community to build women’s financial capacity and skills;

4) An increase of women’s participation in parliament and local government;

5) An increase of awareness for women to respond to climate change, natural disasters and other environmental impacts; and

6) An increase of participation of women in different sectors and levels of society.

The program for today’s event is being led by the Women’s Affairs and Gender Equality Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

As part of the program, three speakers reflecting 3 different generations will be talking about their personal experience in the last 25 years on key progress to women and their rights in Tonga.

They will also be highlighting key lessons learned and best practices to share with the women of Tonga for their empowerment and further advancement.