$160,000 to promote women in leadership roles in the Pacific
The Howard Government will commit $160,000 to Australian Non-Government Organisations to bolster women’s participation in leadership roles in the Pacific Region.
The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, Julie Bishop MP, today announced funding of $160,000 for nine projects, which will support women’s leadership and decision making in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
“These grants provide up to $20,000 to support organisations which are already working with women across the Pacific, and are signatories to the Code of Conduct of the Australian Council for International Development,” Minister Bishop said.
“The projects aim to strengthen women’s leadership skills and encourage their participation in decision making on a range of important issues affecting Pacific women.
“Some of these issues include the management of land and natural resources, improving literacy and numeracy skills, economic development and small business development,” Minister Bishop said.
The projects are funded under the 2006-07 Women’s Leadership and Development Programme – Pacific Region. The projects will be undertaken in 2007-08 and completed within 12 months.
The announcement follows Australia’s participation in the 10th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and the 3rd Pacific Ministers Meeting on Women, which took place in Noumea, New Caledonia between 27 May and 1 June 2007. Details of the conference are available at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community website(www.spc.int/women).
| Organisation | Project | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Union Foundation of Australia | The Solomon Islands Young Women’s Leadership Program | Solomon Islands |
| Australian Conservation Foundation | “Women, we need your voice and to take action” | Papua New Guinea |
| International Women’s Development Agency | Promoting Women’s Participation and Leadership through Civic Literacy and Economic Empowerment | Timor-Leste |
| World Vision Australia | Leadership for Peer Educators | Solomon Islands |
| International Women’s Development Agency | A Voice for all East Timorese Women: Enhancing Women’s Participation and Leadership through Theatre | Timor-Leste |
| World Vision Australia | Port Moresby Women’s Leadership and Development Project | Papua New Guinea |
| Baptist World Aid Australia | Women’s Leadership and Development Project for Rural Timorese Women | Timor-Leste |
| World Vision Australia | Almami Women’s Leadership and Development Programme | Papua New Guinea |
| Australian Volunteers International | Growing Businesses for Women in Bougainville | Papua New Guinea – Bougainville |