The Pacific Feminist Fund (PFF) has emerged as a crucial initiative dedicated to advancing gender equality in the region. Its journey, marked by a defined vision, culminated in the release of its inaugural Learning Report, which outlines the fund’s development, key milestones, partnerships, and foundational elements guiding its establishment as a feminist fund serving the Pacific.
Spanning from 2019 to 2021, the PFF’s formative period featured a scoping study that highlighted a significant funding deficit for women’s organizations in the Pacific—less than 1% of financial resources reached these groups. This alarming gap spurred the call for a regional fund aimed at improving resource distribution for women-focused initiatives. This recommendation gained momentum during the second Pacific Feminist Forum in 2019, attended by over 150 activists and feminists.
In 2020, the PFF organized its foundations by establishing a Steering Committee and an Advisory Group made up of local feminists and human rights advocates. Support from partners like the Foundation for a Just Society helped facilitate this groundwork and allowed the PFF to create its operational framework, all while navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A turning point in 2022 saw the Dutch government begin its support for a consortium of women’s funds, which included the PFF, and the New Zealand government also became the first bilateral donor to contribute foundational funding for the PFF’s operations. This essential backing enabled the PFF to develop and expand its team, ensuring resources mobilization and effective grant management.
With the PFF’s official registration as a Charitable Entity in New Zealand in 2023 and its formal launch at the third Pacific Feminist Forum, the fund is now prepared to make a significant impact. The PFF’s approach centers around amplifying the voices of feminist movements in the Pacific through an initial focus on listening, learning, and gradually increasing funding and engagement.
The PFF aims to create a sustainable and responsive ecosystem that effectively addresses the unique needs of Pacific women and gender-diverse communities. As it embarks on this transformative journey, the fund exemplifies the resilience and unity of the Pacific feminist movement, fostering connections and knowledge-sharing that can advance gender equity.
In light of recent shifts in the global funding landscape, marked by decreased aid from the U.S. and Europe for women’s rights initiatives, the emergence of localized feminist funds like the PFF is ever more vital. Such funds have the potential to mobilize resources and enact initiatives that are closely aligned with the needs of their communities.
The Pacific Feminist Fund stands as a beacon of hope and solidarity, reinforcing the notion that empowered local movements are crucial for achieving lasting gender justice and equality—particularly in the face of environmental challenges and social inequalities in the Pacific region.
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