Results for Women

In spite of the rain that was driving away their customers, the women vendors at Nuku‘alofa’s central Talamahu Market looked cheerful on International Women’s Day, Saturday March 8, 2014. But here in the heart of the capital, only a stone’s throw away from the new cruise ship berth at Vuna Wharf, the Talamahu Market is a place where women’s real status in Tonga is on display for all to see. By Mary Lyn Fonua.

A workshop for Town and District Officers, all men to lead the drive to eliminate violence against women, was launched this morning, 25 November by Lord Vaea at the Davina House, Nuku'alofa.

Breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women in Tonga, where four have died this year due to a disease that is treatable if caught early, Dr 'Ana 'Akau'ola said today at the launch of 'Pink October' for public awareness, when she encouraged women to come forward with their symptoms when they appear.

Hundreds of women dressed in their finest white gathered in Nuku'alofa on September 25 for their annual 'Faka-Sepitema' roll call at the Churches of Tonga and Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. Photos by Linny Folau.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES: Domestic violence statistics in Tonga are disturbing, women have died, and the high rate of physical, sexual and emotional abuse impacts the whole community. It is shocking to see Tonga, a Christian country, bashing its daughters as soon as they become women, community leaders said in Nuku'alofa on April 12, 2013.

A new leadership program to assist and train promising young women in implementing community projects is in need of more applicants.

Tonga is still in the process of ratifying CEDAW - the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. But Tonga has strong reservations on Article 2, which is the heart of the convention according to a United Nations Committee on the convention, the Minister for Education said today.

HRH Princess Latufuipeka Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, was in Nuku'alofa today and visited the Women's Affairs Division, on a fact finding mission to see how she might assist in the development of women's group in Tonga.

Breast cancer ranks as one of the top 20 causes of death in Tonga and the rate is higher here than in the developed countries because women are leaving it too late to come forward for detection and treatment, speakers at the launch of "Pink October" for public awareness said this morning. A Vaiola Hospital surgeon Dr Saia Piukala called for traditional and religious healers and all Tongans to become involved in the talanoa on breast cancer in order to save more lives. Photos by Linny Folau.