“Here are the Women” is a powerful publication, bringing visibility and voice to the substantial number of women currently leading organisations across the Pacific.
It leaves no doubt about the breadth and expertise of women’s leadership at local levels. The claim that suitable women leaders cannot be found to take political seats must now be relegated to history. From development planning committees to municipal government or national parliament, the political systems and structures of governance are now challenged to reform.
Increasing women’s participation in decision making spaces at all levels of society is a democratic imperative and “Here are the Women” is a valuable contribution to enabling Pacific leaders to engage with women’s civil society expertise as a next step.
“Here are the Women”(2012) is the 6th annual policy initiative produced by FemLINKPACIFIC as the convenors of the Regional Women’s Media and Policy Network on UNSCR1325 (Women, Peace and Security).
The publication contains 81 profiles of rural women and young women in Fiji, the experiences of women in local government as well as experiences of women in post conflict democratization processes in the Solomon Islands and Bougainville, bringing together a series of narratives of women who continue to demonstrate the capacity for leadership and the existing knowledge available in our Pacific Island region to increase women’s political representation in the region – at sub national and national level.
It also continues to connect the women’s narratives with the series of policy recommendations which the regional “1325” network has been using to lobby for the integration of women, peace and security into the regional peace and security policy, practice and architecture.
As an organisation which has contributed to the development of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, FemLINKPACIFIC’s policy initiative for 2012 demonstrates FemLINKPACIFIC’s commitment to make visible the women in order to enhance women’s participation in conflict prevention (including the prevention of the resurgence of conflict) which is an essential element of resolution 1325.
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