<div dir="ltr"><table class="gmail-Bs gmail-nH gmail-iY gmail-bAt" cellpadding="0" style="border-spacing:0px;padding:0px;border-collapse:collapse;width:952px;display:block;color:rgb(32,33,36);font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium"><tbody><tr><td class="gmail-Bu gmail-yM" style="vertical-align:top;padding:0px;width:0px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></td><td class="gmail-Bu gmail-bAn" style="vertical-align:top;padding:0px;display:block;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-if" style="margin:0px 16px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-aHU" style=""><div class="gmail-nH gmail-hx" style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(34,34,34);min-width:502px;padding:0px"><div class="gmail-nH"><div class="gmail-h7 gmail-ie gmail-nH gmail-oy8Mbf" tabindex="-1" style="clear:both;padding-bottom:0px;max-width:100000px;outline:none"><div class="gmail-Bk" style="margin-bottom:0px;border-width:0px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:initial;border-bottom-style:initial;border-left-style:initial;border-top-color:rgb(239,239,239);border-right-color:initial;border-left-color:initial;border-bottom-color:initial;border-radius:0px;width:936px;float:none"><div class="gmail-G3 gmail-G2" style="padding-top:0px;background-color:transparent;border-right:0px;border-bottom:0px rgba(100,121,143,0.12);border-left:0px;border-top:none;border-radius:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div><div id="gmail-:15d"><div class="gmail-adn gmail-ads" style="border-left:none;padding:0px;display:flex"><div class="gmail-gs" style="margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:864px"><div class="gmail-"><div id="gmail-:15g" class="gmail-ii gmail-gt" style="font-size:0.875rem;direction:ltr;margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div id="gmail-:15f" class="gmail-a3s gmail-aXjCH" style="overflow:hidden;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:small;line-height:1.5;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><div dir="ltr"><p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:center;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="color:black;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;text-align:justify;white-space:pre-wrap">Gender equality and women’s rights is the limelight for 2020.</span></p><p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:center;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">The International Women’s Day is a time of reflection, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women in Pacific Island Countries (PIC) and communities. </span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap">This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” and Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) is calling on all Pacific Governments to stand up for gender equality and women’s rights i</span></font><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap">n all its legislative policies for 2020. To mark 25 years of implementing the Beijing Platform for Action - a progressive </span><span style="font-size:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">road-map</span><span style="font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap"> for gender equality – there is </span></font>the<font color="#000000" face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;white-space:pre-wrap"> need to take stock of progress in each country and bridge the gaps that remain through bold, decisive actions. </span></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">As per recent data from the PDF Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Monitoring Report of 2018 on Kiribati, Samoa, Palau and Vanuatu shows that women with disabilities have fewer opportunities for inclusion and participation than the rest of the population. </span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">Further studies highlight their vulnerability to violence and abuse, and the fact that women with disabilities experience additional and different forms of violence from women without disabilities, including acts such as the withholding of medication and assistance, denial of food or water, and forced sterilization and medical treatment. </span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">These data confirm the outcomes of studies carried out in the region highlighting that, as in other part of the world, women and girls with disabilities face multiple layers of discrimination. </span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">These realities have been acknowledged by successive PDF Women with Disabilities Forums and Meetings of Pacific Ministers for Women. Pacific Island Countries have made clear commitments to take action. Most countries in the region have ratified both the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the CRPD, which both require Government states to take action to ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of their human rights.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">There are also number of regional frameworks that address gender inequality, and among these some consider the specific issues of women with disabilities. These frameworks include:

</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">- Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED);</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">- Framework on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities </span></span></p><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 45pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">- Revised Pacific Platform for Action on the advancement of women </span></span><span style="color:black;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:12pt">and gender equality (RPPA);</span></p></blockquote><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action;</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">- Framework of Pacific Regionalism.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">These commitments have been leading to progressive changes, and a number of initiatives have started to address some of the key issues of gender inequality pertinent to women and girls with disabilities at national or
regional level. Thou there has been unprecedented advances all around, still no country has achieved gender equality.</span></span><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">Thus Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) calls for the inclusion and involvement of women with disabilities in all regional and national initiatives, policy, programs and services for gender equality and empowerment of women with disabilities, including sexual reproductive health and rights.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">PDF also calls on Governments to ensure that Government policies, disability-related programs and services are gender sensitive and contribute to the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">Let’s make 2020 count for women and girls everywhere by ensuring that no one is left behind by seizing the </span><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">opportunity to mobilize global action to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls, especially women and girls with disabilities.</span></span></p></div><div class="gmail-yj6qo"></div><div class="gmail-adL"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-hi" style="border-bottom-left-radius:1px;border-bottom-right-radius:1px;padding:0px;width:auto;background:rgb(242,242,242);margin:0px"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-ajx" style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="gmail-gA gmail-gt gmail-acV" style="font-size:0.875rem;padding:0px;width:auto;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-top:none;margin:0px;background:transparent"><div class="gmail-gB gmail-xu" style="border-top:0px;padding:0px"><div class="gmail-ip gmail-iq" style="clear:both;margin:0px;padding:16px 0px;border-top:none"><div id="gmail-:15h"><table class="gmail-cf gmail-wS" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td class="gmail-amq" style="padding:0px 16px;vertical-align:top;width:44px"><img id="gmail-:14i_4" name=":14i" src="https://www.google.com/s2/u/0/photos/public/AIbEiAIAAABECMqrjP2-vbruoQEiC3ZjYXJkX3Bob3RvKihlODNhZDY0ZjcxMzZjZThmNDhkMjA5NThlODhmZjkwZTJkYTZlMDRkMAGHM1YFgaR3LGUveeXxUnZjUkX6Gw?sz=40" class="gmail-ajn gmail-bofPge" style="display: block; width: 40px; height: 40px; border-radius: 50%;"></td><td class="gmail-amr" style="padding:0px;width:864px"><div class="gmail-nr gmail-wR" style="box-sizing:border-box;border-radius:1px;padding:0px;border:none;margin:0px"><div class="gmail-amn" style="color:inherit;height:auto;padding:0px;display:flex;line-height:20px"><span id="gmail-:15a" tabindex="0" class="gmail-ams gmail-bkH" style="border:none;display:inline-flex;font-family:"Google Sans",Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;letter-spacing:0.25px;background:none;border-radius:4px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(95,99,104);height:36px;outline:none;padding:0px 16px 0px 12px;min-width:104px;margin-right:12px">Reply</span><span id="gmail-:15c" tabindex="0" class="gmail-ams gmail-bkG" style="border:none;display:inline-flex;font-family:"Google Sans",Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;letter-spacing:0.25px;background:none;border-radius:4px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(95,99,104);height:36px;outline:none;padding:0px 16px 0px 12px;min-width:104px;margin-right:12px">Forward</span></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail-nH"></div><div class="gmail-nH"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-nH"><div class="gmail-l2 gmail-pfiaof" style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px 16px 0px 72px;text-align:center"><div id="gmail-:18n" class="gmail-aeV" style="float:left;width:282.375px;text-align:left"><div><div class="gmail-md gmail-mj" style="font-size:0.75rem;color:rgb(95,99,104);padding-top:0px;letter-spacing:0.3px;line-height:20px"><div><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span></div><div class="gmail-aeW"><a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/u/0/settings/storage?hl=en&utm_medium=web&utm_source=gmail&utm_campaign=manage_storage" class="gmail-l8" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decoration-line:none"></a></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail-aeU" style="float:left;width:282.375px"><div id="gmail-:155"><div><div class="gmail-ma" style="font-size:0.75rem;color:rgb(95,99,104);padding-top:0px;letter-spacing:0.3px;line-height:20px"><a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/" target="_blank" class="gmail-l9" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decoration-line:none"></a><a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/" target="_blank" class="gmail-l9" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decoration-line:none"></a><a href="https://www.google.com/gmail/about/policy/" target="_blank" class="gmail-l9" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decoration-line:none"></a></div></div></div></div><div id="gmail-:16o" class="gmail-ae3" style="float:left;width:282.375px;text-align:right"><div><div class="gmail-l6" style="padding-top:0px;font-size:0.75rem;color:rgb(95,99,104);letter-spacing:0.3px;line-height:20px"><div></div><span id="gmail-:159" class="gmail-l8 gmail-LJOhwe" tabindex="0" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span></div></div></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div></div></div></td><td class="gmail-Bu gmail-yM" style="vertical-align:top;padding:0px;width:0px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><div class="gmail-Bt" style="height:0px;overflow:hidden;width:0px"></div><div class="gmail-nH" style="width:0px"><div class="gmail-no" style="float:left"><div class="gmail-nH gmail-nn" style="min-height:1px;float:left;width:0px"></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>