Fay Volatabu, the executive director of femLinkPacific, commended the growing representation of women in media leadership roles after significant outcomes during the 7th Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Summit in Niue last week. As an advocate for gender equality, Volatabu celebrated the advancements made, highlighting the crucial contributions of women journalists to the media landscape, particularly with the election of a new seven-member PINA Board, which now includes three women, an increase from two.
At the summit’s conclusion, Volatabu stated, “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 regarded the new gender quota as a pivotal achievement for women in journalism, emphasizing, “We’ve always been talking about quota, and here we have the profession that amplifies quotas and legal rights… they are walking the talk, and I thank the men, the male journalists, for listening and for having real understanding of what it is to be in the team.”
This change was announced on the final day of the summit, which featured a two-day pre-summit session that gathered women media practitioners from the Melanesian region to share their challenges and propose solutions. Volatabu recognized the significance of this progress as the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action approaches next year. She expressed hope that by then, the media community would be able to highlight their achievement of a 50% gender quota on the Executive Board.
A Women in Media training session held alongside the PINA Summit gathered female journalists from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Women in Media Australia. The training focused on discussions concerning gender roles, policies impacting women journalists, and issues like Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). Participants produced a communique with recommendations aimed at improving working conditions and leadership opportunities for women in media, including policy reforms, leadership quotas, psychosocial support, and stronger collaboration with governments and development partners.
Among the key recommendations were the establishment of a focal point within PINA to review policies and safety protocols for women journalists, a commitment to a 50/50 gender quota in the PINA Executive Board, psychosocial support for female journalists, inclusion of women journalists in government delegations for a gender perspective in reporting, and proposals for enhanced collaboration with development partners.
The summit also featured a panel discussion on the significance of gender equality in media leadership, which included prominent figures from Women in Media Fiji and other representatives. The panelists emphasized the progress in promoting women’s roles in media and reaffirmed their dedication to initiatives for gender parity.
Looking forward, Volatabu expressed optimism for ongoing advancements for women in media. She mentioned plans to visit Vanuatu to continue their initiatives, highlighting the necessity for sustained support from funding organizations and regional governments. The implementation of the quota, the communique, and ongoing discussions about gender inclusion reflect the Pacific region’s commitment to fostering gender equality in journalism, indicating that women journalists will increasingly shape the future of media in the region.