A Pacific delegation comprising government and civil society representatives will participate in the 5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters (5WCWS) in Sydney, Australia, from 15-18 September 2025. The event is the largest global gathering of grassroots organisations and frontline workers dedicated to ending gender-based violence (GBV). The delegation highlights the Pacific region’s strong commitment to addressing GBV and includes representatives from 17 organisations across nine Pacific countries: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Delegates will engage in learning, knowledge sharing, and strengthening partnerships on a global stage.
Coordinated by UN Women and supported through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls, the delegation’s participation is funded primarily by the Australian Government and the European Union, with strategic coordination by UN Women and the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum. Additional support comes from Australia’s Pacific Women Lead program.
During the conference, government representatives from Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tonga will take part in a panel discussion titled “Developing National Gender-Based Violence Multi-Sector Service Protocols in Contexts Highly Prone to Disasters and Climate Change Across the Pacific.” Delegates from Kiribati and Fiji will also present posters showcasing the Strengthening Peaceful Villages primary prevention programme and the newly launched Fiji National Shelter Guidelines on responding to GBV cases. These sessions will highlight the region’s innovative efforts to create coordinated, survivor-centered responses to GBV, particularly in areas affected by climate crises and natural disasters.
Alison Davidian, UN Women Representative for Fiji Multi-Country Office, emphasized that in the Pacific, where levels of violence are high, shelters are critical lifesaving infrastructure. She noted that the delegation brings practical tools, national protocols, and climate-ready services to share with the global community, enabling frontline workers worldwide to adapt proven models.
Beyond formal sessions, the delegation will engage in knowledge exchange, advocacy, networking, and skills strengthening, focusing on adapting global best practices to the Pacific context. The 5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters provides a platform for thousands of participants to collaborate, learn, and drive the global movement to end violence against women and girls.
