Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Equality for women slowly gaining momentum in Pacific

Posted at 23:11 on 05 September, 2012 UTC

The head of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, says equality for women in the Pacific is slowly gaining movement.

Gender equality was a key topic at last week’s Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands.

The leaders included a gender equality declaration in their final communique, and Australia announced an unprecedented fund for the region’s women.

But Michelle Bachelet says the Pacific is one of the regions that has moved at a slower pace.

“It is moving. I would love to move it faster, but it is moving. And I believe this is a result of a lot of partnerships, and political will to advance. Of leaders, of governments, parliaments, but also the United Nations and donor countries.”

Michelle Bachelet says the situation of women in the region is still vulnerable, and every country can do more, especially by allocating funding for women’s issues.