Three Pacific Island countries, including Tonga, that have not yet ratified the United nations CEDAW - Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women are being encouraged to better understand the treaty, so that they can access the resources and international assistance available to members.

Delegates from Tonga, Nauru and Palau began a three day workshop in Nuku'alofa on Wednesday November 5 aimed at clarifying the convention to government officials.

From November 5-7 some 15 officials from various Government Departments such as Tonga's Director of Education Dr Viliami Fukofuka, a representative from Tonga's Crown Law office, a representative from Palau's Attorney General and Ministry of State and Nauru's Department of Foreign Affairs will take part in the discussions held at the Janfull International Dateline Hotel.

Imrana Jalal, a Human Rights Adviser from the Regional Rights Resources Team (RRRT) of the Secretariat of the South Pacific Community, said the main purpose of the workshop is to answer questions and clarify issues on the treaty.

"The workshop will discuss the convention itself, thus look at the domestic laws of each country and its legal resources. Participants will break out into country groups and discuss potential concerns, challenges, and expectations in respect to CEDAW. It is also expected that at the end, each country will have an action plan to direct them on where to go from here," she said.

"It is the hope that by having a clear understanding on the legal framework of the treaty, its articles and implications they could go back to their respective governments and report thus explain to them what CEDAW is," said Imrana.

No access

"By not ratifying CEDAW the three island countries do not have access to the wide range of expertise and technical resources provided by the United Nations, SPC and the Forum Secretariat to assist a country in changing their laws."

Ratifying CEDAW would connect Tonga to all those resources.

"The Tonga Government in particular has over the years shown willingness in the treaty but the November 16 riots has set them back, so this workshop is just one of the steps in helping them move forward," she said, explaining that Tonga's ratification would signal its commitment to women's equality to the world, show regional cooperation, improve access to development funds and technical assistance and benefit all citizens.

Groundwork completed

Polotu Paunga, the Secretary of the Women's Affairs Division under Tonga's Ministry of Education, said the groundwork had been completed.

"Over the past five to six years we have done community service of raising awareness in government, non government organisations and youths about CEDAW.

"Government has indicated its support for the convention, but that remains pending, so we hope that by having these legal experts and government officials present they would go back to governments and clarify the convention, in order to move ahead," she said.

Tonga has publicly committed itself to women through national commitments such as the Gender and Development Policy (GAD) that it passed and approved in 2003 and also its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child CRC.

The workshop is funded by the Human Development Program of SPC and was opened by Tonga's Minister of Education Hon Dr Tevita Palefau.