Encourage women to reach their highest potential, Joyce Mafi, the Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, urged yesterday in noting the importance of investing in Tongan women and valuing their work.

"The challenge is for the man to support us women so that we can achieve and have a fair share of the positions in government and other areas, just as women have their share of the social life in the home," she said.

Her message supporting the self-development of girls was reinforced by other leading Tongan women during the celebration of International Women's Day in Nuku'alofa on March 13.

Joyce was one of four women of different ages who spoke on this year's theme of "Investing in Women and Girls" to an audience of official guests and visitors attending an IWD exhibition of women's work at the Sofele Kakala Hall, Ma'ufanga, March 13.

Empowering women and youth

Joyce said according to a United Nations Report Tonga stands at a high level in its efforts towards empowering women and youth by promoting gender equality.

The report noted in 2004-05 there were more girls than boys entering Government Primary Schools, which was a similar trend in high schools and tertiary institutions.

"This shows how big of an investment the country has made in educating our women and empowering them for the future," she said.

However, Joyce pointed out that although girls were doing well at school this was not reflected in the numbers of women in leadership roles in the workplace.

She said that in 1997 only nine per cent of the government's Level 1 were women, being two out of 23 positions, and this had scarcely improved by 2007 when women held 13 per cent of Level 1 positions, being two out of 15 positions.

Joyce said that while women were prevalent in the civil service and statistics showed in 1997 there were 44 percent of women employed in the formal workforce as civil servants, increasing to 55 percent in 2007; at the same time this percentage was not reflected at the top levels.

She said there was a lack of statistics to show what was happening to girls after they left school and given the high level of achievement of girls in the education system it was therefore important for government to look at what was happening to their big investment in women and girls.

"Women face many challenges but we are natural born leaders because we take care of our children, our homes, manage our budget our savings and many more, she said.

Joyce emphasised to men, "encourage women to reach their highest achievement or positions, just like we women support you."

Focus on issues of today

Tuna Fielakepa, the technical advisor for the women's organisation Langafonua 'a Fafine Tonga, said that although Tongan women often expound with pride the high esteem traditionally accorded to women as being of higher rank to their male counterparts, and while a few had "a glorified notion of Tamahas and the Tu'i Tonga Fefine", and while it was true that the fahu system had survived in part "depending on circumstance", it was not relevant for many women of Tonga in 2008.

"Alas, to many of today's girls and women these are just stories and legends of the past," she said.

"Bearing this traditional picture we as women in Tonga in 2008 should note our past and direct our focus on the issues of today and the implications for the future."

She said there was a need, "to envision the challenges that our young women are facing and will be facing in the very near future."

"As mothers we are all aware that the field for development for both genders in Tonga is not a level one. For our boys they have a wider base for development for tradition has dictated them as landholders, heads of families, breadwinners and decision-makers."

Tuna said it was imperative that, "we are there for our young girls as they have such a narrow base for development . . . to provide a proactive environment for growth and self development.

Confidence

"The young girl who steps out confidently to pursue a career of her choice is a product of good investments and in a lot of instances sacrifices have been made by many stakeholders to ensure that she has a future and these young individuals should always bear in mind the effort made for them."

"The call is for an environment where opportunities are accessible, where new horizons are discovered, where there is room for self development and creativity, where self confidence is nurtured so that there is room for vision and also where there is an opportunity for diversity."

Tuna said International Women's Day was a special day, "where we recognise and appreciate the work of all women in the home, in the community and in the workplace who are contributing to the development of the country and the society as a whole."