Tonga Committed to Increasing Women’s Participation in Parliament

07/08/2013 15:09

[Manhattan, New York: 03 March 2013] Despite the fact that eleven female candidates stood in Tonga’s last general elections in 2010 and were unsuccessful in securing a seat in Parliament, the Hon. Minister of Internal Affairs, Lord Vaea made an intervention at the 10th Commonwealth National Women’s Machineries Meeting held at the African Union Building in New York, that Tonga is committed to looking at strategies of increasing women’s political participation both at the local level and national level. 

The Hon. Minister informed the meeting that the Tonga Government, despite the unsuccessful elections for female candidates, had nonetheless appointed externally a female Minister to Cabinet, Dr. ‘Ana Taufe’ulungaki to the Portfolio of the Ministry of Education.

In terms of Education, the Hon. Minister highlighted the fact that females in Tonga have achieved gender parity in education.  The Minister noted that females are excelling well at all levels of Education and Training in relation to access to Education and Training as well as achievements in Education and Training as compared to other parts of the Pacific.  Tonga has also achieved great success in providing universal access to primary education, and that the Government is looking to address other challenges in secondary and vocational education.

In relation to Health, ensuring women’s access to adequate health care services has resulted in low maternal death rates for Tongan women.  Throughout National Development Plans and National Strategic Plans, the government of Tonga has made priority of including maternal and child health programs which provide consistency and sustainability over the years. Within the Public Health Division, the Reproductive Health Division, as of 2008, receives the largest share of funding (62%), translating an important commitment to maternal and child health.  [ENDS]

For more information please contact Polotu Fakafanua-Paunga at Polotu@gmail.com