The Pacific NGO organisations attending the Conference of Pacific Women: Building an Asia-Pacific Consensus for the Beijing +5 review organized by APWLD in Port Vila June 1998 have reviewed the commitments made by the Pacific Island governments to the Beijing Platform of Action. Consistent with your commitment, we call upon you to adopt the actions outlined in the Port Vila Statement prepared by the following Pacific NGO organisations: Catholic Women's League, CIWCC Punanga Tauturu Inc., Eastern Highlands Family Voice, Family Support Center, FIJI Women's crisis Center, FIJI Women's Rights Movement, Federated States of Micronesia National Women's Advisory Council, Mapusaga O Aiga, Pacific Regional Human Rights Education Resource Team, Tuvalu National Council of Women, Vanuatu National Council of Women, Vanuatu Human Rights Education Association.
Pacific governments have not fully complied with the commitments under strategic objectives F.1 - F.6
Women's participation in formal, paid labour has increased significantly, especially in trade free zones. This has given women increased economic independence.
However, such increased participation has been marred by lack of bargaining power, lower wages and inadequate working conditions. Pacific Island governments must address these manifestations of discrimination against women in the workplace. Governments are urged to ratify ILO Conventions 100 Equal Remuneration and Convention 111 Discrimination (employment and occupation).Pacific Island countries are affected by globalisation and are undergoing structural adjustments and public sector reforms. While the reforms have incorporated gender components, there is a lack of coordinated analysis initiated by governments on the impact of such reforms on women. In addition pacific Island governments have not taken into account the interests of women in the drive for investment
Labour laws remain inadequate to correct discrimination against women in the workplace. Women are also not sufficiently aware of their rights under existing laws. While some Pacific governments have undertaken legislative reforms to address equal pay for work of equal value, minimum wage, child care facilities, maternity leave, job security, sexual harassment in the workplace and legal recognition of domestic, they have not committed sufficient resources to ensure compliance with these existing legislation
Pacific women play significant roles in the informal and subsistence sectors. However, their contribution in these sectors has not been recognised. Pacific governments must formally recognise and incorporate their contributions in these sectors in the national systems of accounts.
