Results for Women

Tongan women who wish to become candidates for district and town officer elections in June this year, yesterday learned from a visiting New Zealand member of parliament, Jenny Salesa, how they can work with the support of other women.

A local sewing program for women has produced 10 successful trainees who received certificates at Tu’atakilangi village on Saturday 9 April.

Handicraft entrepreneur and mother of six, Susitina Tesi (45) won the SPBD Business Woman of the Year Award this morning, Friday 18 September, for improving her family handicraft making business, using the South Pacific Business Development Microfinance program. Photos by Linny Folau

Ending violence against women is not Tonga’s problem alone nor is it unique to the Pacific. “It is a problem that affects all of our communities and our countries,” the Australian High Commissioner Mr Brett Aldam said in launching a new information resource for women in Nuku'alofa on Saturday July 25.

A petition from Non-Government Organisations and the Civil Society Forum of Tonga was presented to Parliament today in support of a Cabinet decision to ratify the United Nation’s Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Over $2000 in prizes are being offered for a cheering competition to be held during the 2015 Inter-College Athletic Competition on April 15-17, to raise awareness on women's issues.

The Tonga government's decision to ratify UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was welcomed by Tongan women's rights advocate 'Ofa-Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki who was in New York for the announcement at the UN last night, where there were lots of accolades for Tonga.

Increasing women’s leadership and equitable political representation was the message under a Tongan theme Make it Happen, Women in Parliament which marked the International Women’s Day on March 8 in Nuku’alofa.

Tonga’s discriminatory laws against women do not have to be changed before Tonga ratifies CEDAW - the international convention that is recognised globally as the most important human rights treaty for women. This week strong recommendations are being made to a parliamentary standing committee and then to Cabinet to sign the 33 year old convention, in what will be a landmark decision for Tonga’s international reputation and its women. by Mary Lyn Fonua.