Comment from the WCCC Director

The Ministry of Education, Women’s Affairs and Culture (MEWAC) has publically noted their concern on the high drop-out rates of boys from the primary and secondary school levels, where girls are doing much better.  It’s a gender issue that needs to be addressed.

However, we also must not lose sight of the fact that in the workforce the actual play-out of leadership positions shows us that men are still dominating these higher positions, Director, CEO and Ministerial positions – positions that play a key role in decision making processes, are largely held by men.

So while we agree to address this issue of boys doing not so well in primary and secondary school, we must also be ready to address the gender issue of women’s lack of representation at the highest positions in the workforce, particularly government positions.  We cannot address one gender issue and ignore another when they are so intimately linked.

Policies and programs currently developed by our new government must take into consideration a meaningful gender analysis in all its planning stages.  With the National Strategic Development Plan 9, we question the process in which it has been drafted and developed.  Has it undergone a gender critique?  We missed the opportunity to show this in our NSDP 8 and it would be a huge shame to have missed the opportunity to have done this with the NSPD 9.

This month, we also farewell our communication officer, VIDA volunteer Leeanne Torpey, who has been with the WCCC since its inception in October 2009.  In solidarity we wish her all the best with her onwards journey and futures plans and welcome our new communications and administration officer Tupou Lanuamata, Malo aupito Leeanne!!!