Gender-based violence crisis centres from six countries in the Pacific have faced not only the COVID-19 crisis, but also in some countries, the dual impact of a tropical cyclone. UN Women’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme, through the Pacific Partnership, works in close collaboration with government, civil society organisations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls, and increase access to quality response services for survivors, especially during emergencies.

At 16, Jakomba Jabbie is one of the most vocal advocates for the education of all girls in the Gambia, especially when it comes to science and technology skills.

In Samoa, the term ‘nofotane’ refers to indigenous women who, after marriage, live in their husband’s village with the husband’s family. Nofotane is an identity that defines their low social stature in the village. Traditionally, they were not allowed to dress as other women in the village and often denied any voice in decision-making within their homes and communities. The Fund for Gender Equality project implemented by Samoa Victims Support Group, improved nofotane women’s access to sustainable employment and increased their participation and leadership within village decision-making bodies.

In Samoa, indigenous women marrying outside their home village are referred as “nofotane”. Nofotane women are often denied any voice in decision-making within their homes and communities. With the support of UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality, the Samoa Victims Support Group raised awareness and advocated for nofotane women’s rights. As a result, a nofotane representative now sits in village council meetings, and men and women alike are changing their attitudes about gender equality.

As the Pacific braces itself for another cyclone season, UN Women is leading efforts to ensure that women and girls are at the centre of disaster preparedness, response and recovery work.

FGM is a long-running harmful traditional practice in her community in Gambia that has led generations of women to a lifetime of pain, a lack of control of their own bodily integrity and sexuality, and debilitating health risks, including death. The taboo surrounding the topic has impeded women to freely discuss their experiences of harm and suffering caused by FGM.

Manu Samoa, the national rugby team intensifies efforts to raise awareness about violence against women in the Pacific region, dedicates the 25 June test match between Samoa and Tonga to the UNiTE Campaign.

Tahere Si’isi’ialafia, a 24-year-old Baha’i youth from Samoa is a board member of the Pacific Youth Council who is taking part in the Third International SIDS Conference in her native Samoa. She speaks to UN Women about the importance of involving youth in such high-level fora.

From 27-29 August, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will visit Australia for the first time as the Executive Director of UN Women and from 1-3 September, she will participate in the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Apia, Samoa.

Nearly 2000 calls have been received in the first five months of the Samoa Victim Support Group’s 24-Hour Help Line Service

At a recent dialogue in Gambia, regional networks of women living with HIV called on policymakers to address women’s property and inheritance rights in the context of HIV.

A new Family Protection Bill for the Pacific island becomes reality through critical lobbying and advocacy by partners and a grantee of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.