Tokelau

Tokelau, which is comprised of three coral atolls, Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu, has been a Trust Territory of New Zealand since 1925 and is substantially dependent on financial assistance from New Zealand[1]. It is situated in the Pacific Ocean, near Samoa. The population of Tokelau is decreasing by approximately 0.9% per annum and there is a greater population of Tokelauans now living in New Zealand (approximately 6,200[2]) than in the country itself[3]. Labour standards are not considered to be an issue in Tokelau as New Zealand legislation and standards apply to the country, which provides for relatively high standards compared to other Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)[4].

Women and the Law

There is limited women’s political participation in Tokelau. While women’s representatives from each atoll have observer status at the General Fono (the highest national forum of Tokelau), only three of the 20 General Fono delegates are women, constituting 15% of the representation[5]. This number has decreased from 2007 when five out of the 20 Delegates were women[6].

The National Women’s Council has not met for more than 10 years[7].

Violence against Women

Little to no data has been collected on the prevalence of violence against women in Tokelau, however, it is recognised that the problem does exist[8]. People are reluctant to seek assistance with personal problems due to confidentiality issues of living in small communities[9]. There is also a lack of basic support services such as counselling and social work. Currently the only sources of assistance are clergy, health professionals and teachers[10].

Women and the Economy

There is a lack of opportunities for women and girls to further their studies, either academic or vocational, and there is no adequate funding for national women activities (i.e. capacity building workshops or training) at either national or village levels [11].

The ratio of employed men to women (aged 15 years and over) is approximately three to two[12] and women make up the highest number of unemployed. Unemployment in terms of the formal labour market can be attributed to cultural aspects, for example women in Atafu are not permitted to enter the village workforce[13]. Women occupy 81% of senior management positions in the Tokelau Public Service[14]. The number of women employed in the non-agriculture sector is expected to increase as more attain higher post-school degrees[15]. Currently women lead employment figures in the areas of professional, clerical and administrative work, while men lead employment figures in agriculture, fisheries and technicians[16].

The inati system (a system of strong communal sharing) is a critical traditional arrangement of the workforce based on the collection and distribution of seafood, ensuring that all households, including those of single mothers and the elderly, are well nourished[17].

When looking at education, there is low gender disparity in terms of both access to education and educational attainment in Tokelau; enrollment numbers in both primary and secondary schools for boys and girls are almost on par[18]. The numbers of men and women achieving higher post-school degrees and certificates are also on par[19].

Women’s Health

A cervical cancer screening programme, launched in April 2009,  saw at-risk women referred and treated[20]; 87% of women participated in the programme[21]. Further screening is planned for 2014[22]. In 2010, a national breast screening programme screened 41% of women under 50 years old and 59% of women over 50 years old, a total of just under 1,000 people[23]. Approximately 97% of all women screened had normal breast examination results[24]. The breast screening staff  was a visiting team of specialists from New Zealand who trained local medical officers and nursing staff to conduct the examinations[25].

Maternal mortality is noted as 0 per 100,000 live births[26], with 100% of births attended by a skilled health professional[27].

National gatherings of the Fatupaepae (women’s group) raise and discuss issues of concern, including, but not limited to, the following: there are significant data gaps in relation to many important areas for women, including life expectancy, teenage pregnancy, incidence of cancers and non-communicable diseases; lack of health equipment to check for health issues such as breast and cervical cancer; a perceived increase in teenage pregnancies and unplanned pregnancies in young women; concern about non-communicable diseases such as cancer, strokes and diabetes; perceived increase in teenage and young women consuming tobacco and alcohol[28].

Women and the Environment

The Environmental Vulnerability Index classifies Tokelau as highly vulnerable[29]. Environmental sustainability is a key issue for low-lying atolls especially in the areas of the impact of climate change and rising sea levels[30]. Tokelau is vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise partly due to its small land mass surrounded by ocean, and its location in the region is prone to natural disasters[31].

Women know little about the environment and impacts of climate change, including natural disasters on Tokelau[32]. Limited or no environmental data are available, including impacts on women during natural disasters. In many cases there are no previous records with which to measure change over time[33].

UN Women in Tokelau

Advancing Gender Justice in the Pacific (AGJP) Programme: UN Women continues to support advocacy initiatives that promote women’s political participation and in the provision of knowledge products on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and harmonised human rights reporting.

Ending Violence against Women (EVAW) Programme: This programme provides stakeholders with access to virtual knowledge platforms, tools and evidence-based resources in order to better equip them with the knowledge and evidence to advocate for strengthened EVAW legislation, improved policies and services for violence against women survivors. Social media tools are also made available to support community mobilisation aimed at ending violence against women and girls, through campaigns such as the United Nations Secretary General’s UNiTE to EVAW and Say NO-UNiTE.

Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Programme: UN Women supports informed and evidence-based decision-making with regards to gender issues through the production of nationally-generated disaggregated data and statistics on the economic situation of women.

Increasing Community Resilience through Empowerment of Women to Address Climate Change and Natural Hazards (IREACH) Programme: UN Women supports the incorporation of gender dimensions in strategic documents for disaster risk management and climate change through the provision of knowledge products and tools on the gendered implications of climate change and disasters.