Pacific Islands: Progressing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Pacific Women Lead (PWL) is a new Pacific regional development program focused on supporting Pacific women and girls, in all their diversity, to be safe and equitably share in resources, opportunities, and decision-making with men and boys.

Building on the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women) initiative, PWL aim to bring new emphasis to strengthening regional action and architecture in support of gender equality. PWL outcomes are focused on the promotion of women’s leadership, women’s rights, and support to Pacific regional partners in increasing the effectiveness of regional gender equality efforts.

Project goals include:

• More women and girls, in all their diversity, are respected and listened to, and are influencing decision-making at all levels.
• The Pacific Feminist movement has grown in depth, is better connected, and its expertise is drawn upon by Pacific partners.
• Diverse women and adolescent girls have improved access to quality health services, especially sexual and reproductive health.
• Diverse women have more equitable access to resilient economic opportunities, including increased voice in economic decision making.
• Violence against women and children is reduced and survivors of gender-based violence have access to quality support services, including in times of disasters.
• Pacific Governments and development partners are implementing programs and policies that support gender equality.
• There is robust engagement, cooperation and mutual sharing between regional agencies and intergovernmental organisations to deliver on gender equality commitments.