Context of the inquiry
1.1
The JSCFADT has had a longstanding interest in the rights of women and girls, as well as a commitment to ensuring the promotion of human rights in the Asia-Pacific region. This report is the latest in a series which has considered evidence relating to these issues.
1.2
In December 2019, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, referred an inquiry in the following terms:
With respect to the status of human rights of women and girls in the Pacific, the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT), in particular the Human Rights Sub-Committee shall, in the context of the Pacific Step-up, give particular regard to:
The role of civil society groups in Pacific islands in responding practically to domestic, family and sexual violence, and other human rights issues such as gender equality;
The key figures and groups which advance the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific context;
Engagement of these groups with Australia’s Pacific Step-up;
The effectiveness of Australian overseas development assistance programs in supporting human rights of women and girls; and
1.3
Given the focus of the terms on the role of civil society, the Committee has revisited issues from its 2015 report, in particular the mechanisms and frameworks used by the Australian Government to:
reduce the ‘epidemic of violence experienced by women and girls’; and
make progress on challenges relating to ‘health, education, economic participation and the involvement of women in community decision-making and political life more broadly.’
1.4
The inquiry was referred as part of a series of inquiries conducted by Sub-committees of the JSCFADT designed to consider the Pacific Step-up. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) states that ‘the Step-up was first announced at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Meeting in September 2016 as a “step-change” in the way [Australia] would engage the region.’
1.5
The inquiry was announced on 12 February 2020, with submissions to be received by 20 May; the deadline was later extended to August due to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work of the inquiry was subsequently ‘paused’ in recognition of these disruptions on inquiry participants. Additionally, these impacts stretched the limited resources of communities and organisations, as they focused their priorities on the health crisis.
1.6
The Committee received 43 submissions. These are listed at Appendix A.
1.7
The Committee called for submissions at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and as border closures in our region were enacted. The fast-changing pace of events meant that contributions were received at different stages of the pandemic. Many initiatives under the Pacific Step-up were also disrupted as a result.
1.8
A public hearing was held on 18 June 2021, with representatives from DFAT and civil society organisations.
The Pacific islands
1.9
A map providing an overview of the Pacific islands can be found at Figure 1.1.
1.10
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) lists 22 nations targeted as part of the Pacific. These nations are listed in Table 1.1.
1.11
In December 2020, the United Nations Development Programme published its Human Development Index (HDI) statistics. Not all Pacific island nations were included in this index, with human and gender development indices not calculated for the majority of countries. Table 1.1 includes life expectancy at birth statistics, data that is generally available across Pacific island nations. Table 1.2 lists ranks of Pacific nations where a HDI rank, out of 189 countries, was published.
Table 1.1: Population statistics for Pacific island nations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
American Samoa
|
55,000
|
|
77.72*
|
72.55*
|
|
Cook Islands
|
18,000
|
|
79.88*
|
74.05*
|
|
Fiji
|
896,000
|
442,000
|
69.08
|
65.60
|
|
French Polynesia
|
281,000
|
139,000
|
79.65
|
75.32
|
|
Guam
|
169,000
|
84,000
|
83.30
|
76.50
|
|
Kiribati
|
119,000
|
61,000
|
71.97
|
63.90
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
59,000
|
|
76.76*
|
72.12*
|
|
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
|
115,000
|
57,000
|
69.38
|
66.07
|
|
Nauru
|
11,000
|
|
71.3*
|
64.06*
|
|
New Caledonia
|
285,000
|
142,000
|
80.16
|
74.66
|
|
Niue
|
2,000
|
|
|
|
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
58,000
|
|
78.79*
|
74.22*
|
|
Palau
|
18,000
|
|
77.75*
|
71.19*
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
8,947,000
|
4,379,000
|
65.45
|
62.94
|
|
Pitcairn Island
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
Samoa
|
198,000
|
96,000
|
75.24
|
71.13
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
687,000
|
338,000
|
74.62
|
71.11
|
|
Tokelau
|
1,000
|
|
72.69
|
68.83
|
|
Tonga
|
106,000
|
53,000
|
78.99*
|
75.63*
|
|
Tuvalu
|
12,000
|
|
70.59*
|
65.67*
|
|
Vanuatu
|
307,000
|
151,000
|
71.90
|
68.79
|
|
Wallis and Futuna Islands
|
11,000
|
|
83.61*
|
77.44*
|
Table 1.2: Human Development Index 2020
|
|
|
|
Fiji
|
93
|
|
Tonga
|
104
|
|
Samoa
|
111
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
117
|
|
Kiribati
|
134
|
|
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
|
136
|
|
Vanuatu
|
140
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
151
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
155
|
Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2020, December 2020, pp. 16-19.
Previous inquiries and reports
2019 - Australia’s aid program in the Indo-Pacific
1.12
In April 2019 the JSCFADT tabled its report into Australia’s aid program in the Indo-Pacific, and made recommendations relating to the empowerment of women and girls. As at July 2021, a government response is yet to be received.
2015 - Human rights of women and girls in the Indian Ocean–Asia Pacific region
1.13
In the 44th Parliament, the inquiry into human rights issues confronting women and girls in the Indian Ocean – Asia Pacific region was referred to the JSCFADT on 28 February 2014 and concluded in December 2015. The Committee heard from a wide range of stakeholders across 94 submissions and 17 public hearings. In December 2015, the JSCFADT tabled its report into human rights issues confronting women and girls in the Indian Ocean – Asia Pacific region. The Committee made 33 recommendations.
1.14
The Australian Government responded to this report in April 2017, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) noting that ‘many of the recommendations remain relevant for Australia and the Pacific in 2020.’
1.15
DFAT’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy, published in 2016, underpinned the Government’s response to the 2015 report. The strategy adopted the following three priorities to guide the Australian Government’s work on gender equality:
enhancing women’s voice in decision-making, leadership and peace-building;
promoting women’s economic empowerment; and
ending violence against women and girls.
2010 - Human rights mechanisms and the Asia-Pacific
1.16
In 2010 the JSCFADT tabled its report into human rights mechanisms and the Asia-Pacific. The Australian Government responded to this report in 2012.
Report structure
1.17
Noting the challenges presented by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on evidence gathering, the Committee’s report makes broad observations on key issues and notes that some evidence is effectively a snapshot of moments in time. The Committee thanks all inquiry participants for their understanding around this interpretation of central issues.
1.18
The Committee encourages interested readers to review the submissions and hearing transcript that has been published on the Committee’s website.
1.19
Chapter 2 discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and disaster readiness for the impacts of climate change; two factors that were commonly raised by inquiry participants.
1.20
Chapter 3 explores the role of Pacific island civil society groups in responding practically to domestic, family and sexual violence, and other human rights issues such as gender equality; and the key figures and groups which advance the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific context.
1.21
Chapter 4 discusses the engagement of these groups with Australia’s Pacific Step-up.
1.22
Chapter 5 examines the effectiveness of Australian overseas development assistance programs in supporting human rights of women and girls in the Pacific islands.