Fay Volatabu, the executive director of femLinkPacific, has commended the growing involvement of women in media leadership roles, following important outcomes from the 7th Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Summit held in Niue last week.
As a strong advocate for gender equality, Volatabu celebrated the advancements made, particularly noting the critical contributions of women journalists within the media industry. This progress was marked by the formation of a new seven-member PINA Board, which now includes three women, up from two in the previous board.
At the summit’s conclusion, Volatabu expressed her enthusiasm: “It’s been a massive win for women, and I’m excited to be here in Niue at the seventh PINA Summit, to be part of the group that is going to pave the way for women journalists in the future.”
She highlighted the implementation of a gender quota as a landmark moment for women in journalism, stating, “We’ve always been talking about quotas, and here we have the profession that amplifies quotas and legal rights… they are walking the talk, and I thank the male journalists for their understanding and teamwork.”
This noteworthy change was announced on the final day of the summit, which included a two-day pre-summit discussion. It brought together female media professionals primarily from the Melanesian region to share their challenges and develop solutions that were further elaborated upon in a panel discussion that commenced the main summit.
Volatabu emphasized the significance of this achievement ahead of next year’s 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. She remarked, “Next year, being Beijing plus 30, when the media fraternity of the region attends CEDAW, they can acknowledge their milestone of achieving a 50% gender quota in the Executive Board.”
The summit also featured a Women in Media training session that convened female journalists from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Women in Media Australia. Over the course of two days, participants discussed gender roles, policies impacting women journalists, and issues such as Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
The training culminated in a communique that outlined various recommendations aimed at improving conditions and opportunities for women in media. These included policy reforms, leadership quotas, psychosocial support, and enhanced engagement with governments and development partners.
Key recommendations included:
– Reviewing policies and establishing a focal point within PINA for the safety of women journalists, particularly in disaster and conflict zones.
– Implementing a 50/50 gender quota in the PINA Executive Board and establishing a Women in Media Forum prior to each PINA Summit.
– Offering psychosocial support to women journalists and forming a Trans-Pacific peer support network with media organizations in New Zealand and Australia.
– Ensuring the inclusion of women journalists in government delegations to provide a gender perspective, and incorporating media literacy in school curriculums.
– Proposing stronger collaboration with development partners to fund initiatives supporting women in media and establishing gender desks for media outlets.
The summit also featured a panel discussion themed “Women in Media,” which drew further attention to gender equality in media leadership. This session included contributions from Rosi Doviverata, the founder of Women in Media Fiji, and other prominent female figures from the Pacific region’s media landscape. The panelists acknowledged the progress made while reaffirming their commitment to ongoing gender parity initiatives.
Looking to the future, Volatabu is optimistic about further advancements for women in media. “I will fly out to Vanuatu [this] week to extend and continue the work, and we hope that the funders will continue to support the initiatives that women in media will carry out in the region,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of continued support from donors and regional governments.
The communique, along with the implementation of the gender quota and ongoing conversations about gender inclusion in media, demonstrates the Pacific region’s dedication to fostering gender equality in journalism. These developments signify that women journalists will increasingly influence the evolution of media in the region.