Reflections from our President for 2019

Pacific Women’s Watch President Xmas Report 2019

Mena he moemoea e au ko ahau anake, mena he moemoea e tatou kua tae tatou

  Naa Te Puea Herangi

It is with much delight that I reflect on yet another wonderful year of continuity, progress and advancement of the kaupapa and mahi of Pacific Women’s Watch (NZ). Guided by the foundation views ‘that all women living in the Pacific region are represented to decision makers at local, national and international levels’, I believe the organisation continues to undertake this responsibility at all levels.

Locally we continue to have strong relationships with the other women’s organisations in Tamaki Makaurau such as E Tū, Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga, YWCA, Shakti, National Council of Women and Maori Women’s Welfare League to name a few. The valued friendships of Human Rights Commission, Joanna Maskell and Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Dr Karanina Sumeo alongside the Ministry of Women’s Affairs CEO:  Renee Graham and Bindu Armstrong, simply enhance our ability, as an organisation, to operate in the sectors pertaining to women’s rights more effectively and efficiently. 

At a regional level PWW (NZ) Auckland CEDAW Cities came into being as a direct result of the work of Christine King, the first in Aotearoa – New Zealand. PWW (NZ) also managed to convince International Women’s Caucus (IWC) to host a IWC meeting at Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa marae in Mangere. This has led to PWW issuing an invitation to IWC to host the May 2020 meeting in Tamaki, and final details will be confirmed at the strategy and planning meeting for PWW on 4th February 2020.

Internationally PWW members and other women’s organisations continue to attend the CSW 63 – NGO/NY annually. An added bonus was the Parallel presentation by PWW & MWWL titled ‘The Rampant Incarceration of Indigenous Women in Aotearoa’ which drew attention to the growing incarceration of Maori women for minor crimes. Another strong group of PWW and friends will be attending the CSW64 – NGO/NY with a couple of younger first timers accompanying some more experienced members. The Beijing +25 Review has added greater numbers attending and the overall event promises to be even more special.   

The Kōrero series (a new title perhaps), was a great success titled ‘Towards Democratic Renewal’ and ably managed by Christine King and certainly lifted the bar in terms of high quality speakers and themes.

Good work with Asia Pacific Women’s Watch is capably managed by Gopika Dasi, who has already undertaken to modernise the platform of communication to make conversations easier.

Rhonda Comins continues to inspire us all with her informative disability reports. And we thank Natalie Claireaux for her excellent work on the 2019 Beijing +25 Questionnaire “New Zealand women together - how are we doing?”

Fala Haulangi is forever an inspiration for her unbending dedication to union matters and the ‘Living Wage’ movement. Lee Tan is a new board member too. Cleone Campbell looks after one of the most important areas of operational matters, our bank account. Anna Ponnampalam remains as the Shakti representative. Rosie Paterson-Lima is the shining light and definitely a future leader of PWW, a big thank you for the work undertaken (with Gopika) in modernising our brand and website.   

Every aspect of PWW is underpinned by the unfaltering support of founder Jane Pritchard, Beverley Turner, Patron’s Prue Kapua and Dr Marilyn Waring.

Lastly my thanks to Christine King, who has supported me over the past, a very busy year for both of us. We have another busy year ahead of us too, kia kaha tatou, mahia te mahi.

Akūanei nei nā Denise