In this episode, Robin Davies speaks with Dr Fiona Hukula, the Gender Specialist at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Dr Hukula is a social anthropologist with a Doctorate from the University of St Andrews. Over more than 20 years, she has dedicated her career to policy and social research, focusing on gender-based violence, urban issues, and socio-legal studies in the Pacific region. Prior to her current role, she was a Senior Research Fellow and Program Leader at the Papua New Guinea National Research Institute.

Dr Hukula emphasizes the importance of understanding and integrating traditional Pacific cultural values into frameworks for addressing gender-based violence. She discusses the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED), a significant regional commitment aimed at advancing gender equality and women's empowerment, which was revitalised in 2023 to include broader commitments and accountability mechanisms. The updated declaration reflects the diverse priorities of the 18 member countries, addressing issues such as technology-facilitated violence and women's leadership across various sectors. 

Dr Hukula also emphasises the need for inclusive approaches that engage men and boys as allies, and highlights the role of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in supporting member countries and civil society organizations, providing a platform for coordination and policy development.

Devpolicy Talks is the podcast of the Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre. Our producers are Robin Davies, Amita Monterola, Jackie Hanafie and Finn Clarke. You can read and subscribe to our daily blogs on aid, international development and the Pacific at devpolicy.org, and you can follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. You can send us feedback and ideas for episodes to [email protected].

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