Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, Penny Williams, joinedKiri, Jenta and Jacque at the launch YWCA delegates during pre-CHOGM activities to launch the YWCA Pacific Young Women’s Leadership Strategy in Perth on 26 October.

Young women from PNG, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Kiriabti and Fiji contributed a powerful dramatisation that articulated the issues that young women in Pacific region frequently face.

Ambassador Williams talked about her recent visit to Vanuatu where she learned from women and men in urban and regional areas about the role that geographic isolation plays in maintaining cultural practices that limit women’s leadership. She highlighted the importance of high-level political commitment to women’s leadership and linked this to her new role.

The formalities concluded with the official Australian launch of the Pacific Young Women’s Leadership Strategy. This remarkable strategy was developed by the YWCA in consultation with young women from Solomon Island, Papua New Guinea, Fji, Samoa, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It outlines what is required for young women in the region to realise their leadership potential: to be safe, respected, included, connected and skilled. We look forward to seeing it put into action.

Many thanks to our hosts RSM Bird Cameron.

» Download the strategy