UN RC Remarks at the International Women’s Day Joint UN Townhall in Fiji

A Day of Reflection and Resolve

This year, International Women’s Day carries even greater weight. We are not only celebrating 50 years of the UN’s commemoration of this day, but we are also marking 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action—a defining moment in the global movement for gender equality.

Today, this Townhall is more than just an event. It is a rallying call. A moment for us, as the UN family, to take stock, to challenge the status quo, and to reaffirm that gender equality is not an option—it is an imperative.

"For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment."

This year’s theme is a reminder that our fight for gender equality must be inclusive. It is not just about some women and girls—it is about ALL women and girls, in all their diversity.

In the Pacific, we have seen remarkable commitments at the regional level:

• The Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration,
• The Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights, and
• The 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.

These frameworks are bold, they are ambitious, and they recognize that a resilient Pacific cannot be built without the full participation of women and girls.

A Long Way to Go

But let us be clear: our work is far from done.
Despite the Pacific’s strong traditions of matrilineal societies, gender inequality remains deeply entrenched. Women and girls still face barriers to employment, to political participation, to education, to healthcare, and to social protection.

The reality is stark:

• Women from marginalized communities, including indigenous women, women with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals, encounter compounded layers of discrimination.
• Climate change and natural disasters disproportionately impact women and girls, exposing them to greater risks if they are not meaningfully included in decision-making and response efforts.

We cannot afford to leave anyone behind. We must recognize these challenges and act—with urgency, with commitment, and with the resolve to dismantle the barriers that stand in the way of equality.

The Pacific: Not Just Responding, But Leading

The Pacific is not waiting for the world to act. We are shaping the solutions ourselves.

The gender equality commitments made by Pacific leaders are powerful, but they must translate into action. And this is where the UN must step up. Our role is not just to support but to amplify Pacific voices on the global stage and to challenge. 

Governments, civil society, the private sector, development partners—we must all stand together For ALL Women and Girls to secure their Rights, Equality, and Empowerment.

Our Call to Action

As we celebrate today, let us be defiant in our commitment. Let us be bold in our ambition. And let us be relentless in our pursuit of a future where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality.

Because now, more than ever, the world is watching. Now is the time for us to lead. The UN was founded on principles of equality, justice, and human dignity—and we must be unwavering in upholding these ideals.

This means:

• Engaging men and boys as allies, advocates, and champions of equality,
• Challenging harmful norms and pushing back against regressive forces,
• Creating spaces where women and girls can thrive, lead, and shape their own futures.

Let us raise our voices. Let us challenge injustice. Let us act.

And with that, it is my great pleasure to invite the UN Women Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Christine Arab, to deliver her keynote remarks.

Thank you.