Shifting the Power Coalition

26/04/2026

: Pacific Young Women are Flipping the Script

“For me flipping the script means disrupting structures that decides who are the experts, that decides who is at risk or that decides who gets to lead.”

StPC’s Young Women’s Programme Coordinator, Virginia Tome shared this powerful statement at our recent Young Women’s Summit hosted Mecca’s Richmond Office in Naarm, ahead of the conference this week.

She said in practice, disrupting structures look like young women defining their own agendas.

“We are being actively involved in the designing process, also being recognised as experts of their own lived realities in climate action, disability inclusion and humanitarian responses.”

Naomi Woyengu, Director of Hauskuk Initiative who facilitated discussions during our Summit, also shared ‘flipping the script’ means dismantling those systems of oppression.

“We also heard from young women that they are putting the emphasis on leading and not just participating,” she said.

“Something that also came out really strongly was around the dismantling of those underlying systems around patriarchy, extractivism and colonialism,” she added.

The Summit was a Learning Exchange between the Shifting the Power Coalition’s YW’ Steering Committee and ActionAid Australia’s Activist Network.

The Coalition’s Young Women’s steering committee is in Melbourne and will be sharing more updates as the week progresses.

07/04/2026

update from parters on and :

The latest update from the Fiji Meteorological Service (1.44pm): Cat 3 Tropical Cyclone (TC) Vaianu located south of Fiji and is moving southeast (away from the country) at 10 knots. At 9am this morning the system was located 240km west of Viwa and 290km west of Nadi.TC Vaianu is currently moving southeast at about 18km/hr and is expected to lie 210km south-southwest of Kadavu or 300km south of Nadi at 9:00am tomorrow.

Meanwhile Cat 3 TC Maila is intensifying while moving slowly southeast of the Solomon Islands at 4 knots, according to Solomon Islands Meteorological Service. Expect gale force winds of 34 to 47 knots (63-70 kilometers per hour) over whole of Western province islands with very rough seas and moderate to heavy swells (3.5 – 6.0 metres) with coastal flooding and widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms. Elsewhere (other provinces), expect winds to reach 20 to 25 knots (37- 46 kilometers per hour) increasing to 33 knots (61 kilometers per hour) over Choiseul and Isabel provinces with moderate to rough seas and moderate swells (2.5-4.0 meters) and potential coastal flooding. Expect heavy rain at times and thunderstorms over the remaining provinces.

In Papua New Guinea, the PNG National Weather Service report that a warning is current for Milne Bay Province, especially the coastal and island communities of:
Woodlark, Sudet, Misima, Rossel Islands including Bougainville. Tropical Cyclone Maila remains a strong Category 3 system near PNG’s eastern islands and is moving slowly southeast. Very strong winds are being recorded, with gusts up to 204 km/h. Rough to dangerous seas extend up to 300–350 km from the centre, affecting a wide area. Heavy rain is expected, with a risk of flooding and landslides.

According to Sister Lorraine Garasu of the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation, the biggest challenge is getting information out quickly to rural areas in Bougainville. With updates shared through StPC's communication channels from official sources, Sr Lorraine said she was able to share the information to their community networks to keep safe and be prepared.

Melvine Waim of the Bougainville Women's Federation shared that since Wednesday last week, Buka had been experiencing heavy rain fall, strong winds and rough seas while Central and South Bougainville were affected by land slide and flooding and power blackout. "Several incidents have been reported in the villages. One woman was injured after a tree branch fell on her, while another person narrowly escaped serious harm when a coconut tree fell onto his house as he was cooking for his family," she said, sharing these pictures of the impact of TC Maila on Torokina.

In its first frst sitrep, Pacific Disability Forum highlights ongoing efforts to ensure inclusive preparedness and response as weather conditions impact Fiji.

The Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation through its branch focal points, is sharing regular updates with members based on information from the Fiji Meteorological Service and the National Disaster Management Office. An inclusive early warning has also been developed to better reach persons with disabilities.

Three evacuation centres have been activated in Kadavu due to flooding, currently supporting multiple households in Nakasaleka, Rakiraki and Lawaki.

Key messages from PDF emphasise the need to embed inclusion from the outset. This includes ensuring evacuation centres and facilities are accessible, consulting persons with disabilities on their needs, removing barriers to services, and ensuring assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walking aids are not left behind during evacuations.

PDF have emphasised that an inclusive response is not an add-on; it is essential to protecting lives and dignity in times of crisis.

18/03/2026

: Backyard gardening with the YWCA of Solomon Islands

What does climate resilience look like when it’s led by Pacific young women?

In a context where many communities face rising food costs and increasing dependence on imported goods, this initiative could be seen as radical. It places tools, knowledge and resources directly into the hands of young women, enabling immediate action and long-term resilience.

Read more:

What does climate resilience look like when it's led by Pacific young women? In Honiara, it looks like 24 young women from 12 wards coming together to reimagine food security, community and power from the ground up. But this was never just about gardening. It was about who holds knowledge. It was ab...

12/03/2026

: On the Air with Talitha Project, Tonga

This is what investing in young women's leadership looks like in practice.

Youth mentors from Talitha Project's partner, Takuilau College, recently completed a two-day media training building practical skills in radio broadcasting and digital storytelling.

Through this training, the youth mentors will be capturing stories from young people in 'Atata, 'Ahau and Kanokupolu in the Hihifo district documenting their experiences during disasters and amplifying community knowledge on preparedness and resilience.

This set of work is part of our ongoing collaboration to strengthen Pacific young women's leadership across the climate, humanitarian and security nexus.

This was supported by UK International Development from the UK government.

UK in Tonga

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Our partners: Bougainville Women's Federation Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation Transcend Oceania Hauskuk Initiative Nei Mom Uprising Talitha Project, Tonga Vois Blong Mere Solomon YWCA Solomon Islands ActionAid Vanuatu Vanuatu Young Women For Change Vanuatu Disability Promotion & Advocacy Nuanua O Le Alofa, Disability Advocacy Organisation in Samoa Pacific Disability Forum ActionAid Australia

10/03/2026

: Nuanua O Le Alofa, Disability Advocacy Organisation in Samoa

As a Coalition, we're inspired by this message from our Coalition partner, NOLA, as Samoa undergoes its national review under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Geneva.

As global spaces like the Commission on the Status of Women ( ) convene these next two weeks, we are reminded that gender equality must be disability inclusive. When women with disabilities lead, rights, justice, action and opportunities become truly inclusive.

Read more

Warm greetings from Geneva, where I have the honour of representing Nuanua O Le Alofa (NOLA) at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) review of Samoa.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, I extend heartfelt congratulations to all women and girls with disabilities in Samoa and across the Pacific and the world. Today is a moment to recognise your strength, your leadership, and the powerful role you play in shaping our families, communities, and nations.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme calls on all of us to accelerate action toward gender equality. For women and girls with disabilities, this message carries even deeper meaning. It reminds us that true equality cannot exist unless every woman regardless of disability has equal access to education, leadership, justice, safety, and opportunity.

Here in Geneva, as Samoa’s progress under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is reviewed, I am reminded that the voices of women with disabilities must remain central in shaping policies, programs, and development pathways. Our lived experiences continue to guide stronger, more inclusive systems.
At Nuanua O Le Alofa, we proudly stand alongside our Government particularly the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD), our national focal point for disability in celebrating and honouring the contributions of women and girls with disabilities in Samoa and beyond. Our partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensure that national development, gender equality, and disability rights move forward together.

Next week, I will have the privilege of joining the Samoa Government delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). This global platform provides an important opportunity to continue advancing the voices and priorities of women with disabilities, and to strengthen the partnership between government, civil society, and organizations of persons with disabilities like NOLA.

To every woman and girl with a disability: your leadership matters, your voice matters, and your presence strengthens our movement for equality.
Let us continue to move forward together.

“When women with disabilities lead, inclusion is no longer an aspiration it becomes a lived reality for all.”

Happy International Women’s Day.

09/03/2026

: International Women’s Day

For IWD, we’re taking a moment to honor the steady leadership of our partners on-the ground who respond to, serve and continue to uplift the voices of all women in their diversities within the islands, communities and countries.

Guided by this year’s theme “Rights. Justice. Action” our partners continue to highlight the central role of protection. Through women-led, community-based approaches, our partners remind us that crises response is not simply about relief. It is about dignity, safety and ensuring that those most affected are protected first.

“It is the mothers, the aunties, the young women who are leading the preparation, cooking, weaving, decorating, organizing competitions, cultural dances and raising the funds to make our celebration possible. They do all this while carrying the daily burdens of the climate crisis… but they still lead, they still uplift the community. They still carry the nation on their shoulders.” - Routi Teeta, Nei Mom Uprising.

“We are calling for meaningful inclusion of women, not just as participants but as leaders, decision makers and protectors of our planet… We want to see women, especially mothers, recognized as the backbone of community resilience and grassroots voices like Nei Mom Uprising shaping national and regional climate policies.”

We celebrate you, all the women and young women in all their diversities carrying out this important work to ensure safety especially during times of disasters.

23/02/2026

An Indigenous led team of young lawyers from the Pacific make history during the first-ever climate hearings at the world's highest court, opening the way fo...

17/02/2026

: Pacific Island Feminist Alliance for Climate Justice (PIFA4CJ)

Last week the Movement-led Committee (MLC) met to convene their learning and impact retreat but also welcome new members from Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Bougainville and the Mariana Islands.

From governance to grantmaking, political strategy to storytelling - the MLC is grounding Pacific feminist climate justice in collective leadership and trust.

From 9–11 February 2026 we convened our Learning and Impact Retreat in Nadi, Fiji.

The retreat enabled new members of the Movement Led Committee from Bougainville, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands and Solomon Islands and the recently appointed PIFA4CJ Coordinator to reflect on the herstory of feminist organising for climate justice in the Pacific and the journey that has brought everyone in the room.

Together, members strengthened their commitments and ways of working, reviewed and adopted key governance documents, and aligned priorities through to mid-2026 including political strategizing with robust discussions on advocacy, regional engagement in Small Pacific Islands Developing States and territories, finance, grant-making, and the exciting feminist work ahead for 2026. We also focused on learning, impact, and communications, sharpening on how stories are told and documenting the work for cross-movement Pacific feminist solidarity and exchange.

The retreat affirmed our trust, clarified strategy, and strengthened collective leadership for bold, intersectional feminist climate justice across the Pacific.

DIVA for Equality FIJI Kastom Keepers Pacific Conference of Churches Pacific Disability Forum Jo-Jikum Shifting the Power Coalition Nei Mom Uprising

10/02/2026

: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Week

Our partners Pacific Disability Forum Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation Nuanua O Le Alofa, Disability Advocacy Organisation in Samoa and VDPA Vanuatu -Vanuatu Disability Promotion & Advocacy Association are in Fiji for GESI Week - grounding regional commitments in Pacific realities and pushing for gender justice and disability inclusion that's led by communities.

This year's PIFS GESI Week is happening in two parts:
1️⃣. 9–13 February: Preparatory sessions for upcoming regional and global engagements.
2️⃣16–18 February: Disability inclusion consultations focused on the Pacific Framework on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PFRPD) and the Pacific Youth Development Framework (PYDF).

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Our partners: Transcend Oceania FDPF Bougainville Women's Federation Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Hauskuk Initiative Nei Mom Uprising Talitha Project, Tonga Vois Blong Mere Solomon YWCA Solomon Islands, NOLA, PDF, ActionAid Vanuatu Vanuatu Young Women For Change VDPA ActionAid Australia

09/02/2026

: Wetlands, Knowledge and Climate Resilience

What does it mean to listen to Country in the time of the climate crisis?

This reflection from our Learning Coordinator, Vilimaina Naqelevuki, shares lessons on wetlands, indigenous knowledge and why healing land and water must be led by Indigenous custodians.

Read more: https://shiftingthepowercoalition.org/from-nyangbul-country-to-the-pacific-wetlands-knowledge-and-climate-resilience/

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Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation Transcend Oceania Bougainville Women's Federation Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Nei Mom Uprising Hauskuk Initiative
Vois Blong Mere Solomon Talitha Project, Tonga YWCA Solomon Islands Nuanua O Le Alofa, Disability Advocacy Organisation in Samoa VDPA Vanuatu -Vanuatu Disability Promotion & Advocacy Association Vanuatu Young Women For Change
ActionAid Vanuatu ActionAid Australia Pacific Disability Forum

“I have been asked if I think climate change is real? My response has been that if you look at Country, it will give you indicators if the Country is healthy and at the moment it's not.” Bandajulang and Nyangbul man from lower Richmond River, Marcus Ferguson, also known as ‘Uncle Marcus’ sha...