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Submitted by Admin on Tue, 27/07/2021 - 08:56

In April 2021, the Pacific Community (SPC) has coordinated the 14th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and the 7th Meeting of the Pacific Ministers for Women, hosted by the Government of French Polynesia. The conference brought together decision-makers, development partners, research institutions and civil society organisations. Following this landmark event, SPC will continue to publish portraits of inspiring gender champions who are at the heart of Pacific development programmes.

In the Pacific, many can attest that the Land, Sea, People and Culture are almost inseparable.

This rings true for a member of the founding Coordination Council of the locally-managed Marine Area Network (LMMA network), Alifereti Tawake, as he reflects on his upbringing and how mothers and women in his life are holders of traditional knowledge of the vast Pacific Ocean.

“Women should be involved in ocean management because they bring motherly care, motherly instincts and deep-rooted knowledge of ocean and ocean governance.”

“I was brought up by my grandparents in the mid 1980’s and my grandfather loved fishing. My grandmother was the most skilful fisher I came across. She would be able to point out exactly where to go, in which part of the reef we could get octopus, what time of the day it was and what was the direction of the wind...”

Alifereti says he won’t forget his grandmother’s advice: “If we know our resources well, we will know how to care for them.”

He further adds that engaging women in ocean spaces and governance should be intentional as they are the providers for families in coastal communities and hold a wealth of knowledge

“Mothers should be intentionally approached not just in policy, not just in advocacy but in practice,” he said.

Division

Human Rights and Social Development (HRSD) Division

Publish Published
2021