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Tuvalu National Council for Women

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Tuvalu National Council for Women
Formation1980
HeadquartersFunafuti
President
Temukisa Hauma
Co-ordinator
Lilian Falealuga Tine[1]

Tuvalu National Council for Women (TNCW) is a Tuvaluan national council, which is the umbrella organisation for non-governmental women's rights groups in the country. The TNCW aims to enable gender equity in Tuvalu, through educational campaigns and through resourcing women to be informed about their economic, legal and social rights.

Background

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The work to create the Tuvalu National Council for Women (TNCW) began in the late 1970s.[2] It was formally established in 1980 during Tuvalu's transition to independence.[3] Initially the organisation's goals were to improve the standard of living for women, but this has expanded to include gender equity in all forms.[3]

Administration

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The TNCW has a council which consists of sixteen women.[2] Two women represent each of the islands that compose the country.[2] It acts as a bridge between governmental and volunteer organisations and is registered as a charity.[2][4] The TNCW has a staff of three: one co-ordinator and two further staff.[2] The organisation's base is in Funafuti.[5] As of 2023 the co-ordinator was Lilian Falealuga Tine. [6]

Lilian Falealuga Tine was previously the Interim Coordinator of the TNCW.[7][8][9]

Projects

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The TNCW has run a variety of projects, including a programme to encourage legal literacy (which began in 1999),[10] providing training in family planning and business administration, as well as establishing the Women's Handicraft Centre, which is a nation-wide marketing system for women craftworkers, in particular for weaving.[2] In 2006 they secured funding from the Japanese government to fund improvements to the centre.[11] They have also run programs addressing violence against women.[12] In 2001 the TNCW began a credit scheme where women could borrow money in order to establish small businesses such as poultry farming, pig-keeping and catering.[3] However many loans went un-repaid.[3]

Programmes have also been run in response to the climate crisis. These include women planting mangroves as coastal protection, as well as home gardening projects and consultancy and education work.[3] In 2016 the TNCW worked with the Green Climate Fund to enable women from the islands of Nanumea and Nanumaga to be part of talks about climate crisis. One their key issues was the additional burden of social care than women take on in the aftermath of natural disasters.[13] In 2020 they co-ordinated the events for International Women's Day, which included a church service and hymn competition.[10]

Finance

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Until 2011, the TNCW's annual budget was 10,000 AUS dollars, however that year it was cut by 50% – a trend that continued in 2012. The government stated that the reduction in support was as a response to the 2008 financial crisis.[2]

Leadership

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Presidents

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The president leads the Tuvalu National Council of Women, represents women’s interests to the government, and oversees the council’s work promoting women’s rights and equality in Tuvalu. The following are known to have held the office since the role was created:

President Term Notes
Office not in use 1980–1993
Suliana Seluka 1993–2006 [14]
Katalaina Malua 2006–2016 [15]
Temukisa Hauma 2016–present [16]

Co-ordinators

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The coordinator manages the day-to-day work of the Tuvalu National Council of Women, coordinates its programmes and staff, and helps connect the council with the government and women’s organisations across Tuvalu. The following are known to have held the office since the role was created:

Coordinator Term Notes
Lita Pita Unknown–2006 [17]
Pulafagu Toafa 2006–2021 [18][19]
Lilian Falealuga Tine Interim; 2021–2022 [20]
Pula Fangu 2022–2023 [21][22]
Lilian Falealuga Tine 2023–present [23]

References

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  1. ↑ "2024 Pacific Islands Forum Women's Leadership Meeting Outcome" (PDF). Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stocktake of the Gender Mainstreaming Capacity of Pacific Island Governments: TUVALU (PDF). Secretariat of the Pacific Community. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Background Information (PDF). Tuvalu Trade Portal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  4. ↑ Tuvalu: the 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (PDF). United Nations. 2012.
  5. ↑ "Tuvalu National Council of Women". Commonwealth of Nations. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  6. ↑ "2024 Pacific Islands Forum Women's Leadership Meeting Outcome" (PDF). Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Raising the voice of rural women in Tuvalu". UNDP. 8 March 2024. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Creating opportunity for vulnerable women in the Pacific islands". Grameen Foundation BELUU Program Team. 10 June 2023. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  9. ↑ Tomu Paneta Hauma (2023). "A Study on the Commercial Development for Handicrafts to Enhance and Strengthen the Handicraft Industry in (Funafuti)" (PDF). Department of Trade of Tuvalu. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Tuvalu National Council of Women International Women's Day release". Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  11. ↑ "Embassy of Japan". www.fj.emb-japan.go.jp. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  12. ↑ "Progressing Women's Empowerment in Tuvalu". BORGEN. 2017-12-20. Archived from the original on 2021-09-07. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  13. ↑ FP015: Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (PDF). Green Climate Fund. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  14. ↑ "Pacific women's directory: A guide to 500 women's organisations in the South Pacific" (PDF). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Women's Political Participation in Tuvalu" (PDF). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  16. ↑ "Tuvalu makes history with first woman Governor-General". Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "Rapporteur's Report: National Women's Forum 2025" (PDF). Government of Tuvalu. 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  18. ↑ "Japan Provides Funds to Tuvalu National Council of Women". Embassy of Japan in Fiji. 14 February 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  19. ↑ "Tuvalu: Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women". United Nations. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "Raising the voice of rural women in Tuvalu". United Nations Development Programme. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Tuvalu State of Environment Report 2022" (PDF). Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  22. ↑ "Tuvalu National Women's Forum 2025: Rapporteur's Report" (PDF). Government of Tuvalu. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "2024 Pacific Islands Forum Women's Leadership Meeting Outcome" (PDF). Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
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