The Commonwealth Women’s Forum opened in Samoa on Monday, highlighting the urgent need for renewed action toward achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls across its 56 member countries, which represent 2.7 billion people. Held ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) starting Friday, the forum gathers hundreds of delegates to assess both progress made and significant gaps in key areas such as women’s leadership, violence against women, and various forms of discrimination related to age, disability, identity, and poverty.
Despite ongoing global initiatives aimed at improving the lives of women and girls, gender inequality persists in many forms worldwide. Over the two-day forum, delegates will develop concrete proposals to present to Commonwealth leaders, urging stronger measures to eliminate barriers and biases that hinder women’s advancement.
Addressing the forum’s opening ceremony, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, the first woman to lead a Pacific Island member country of the Commonwealth, pledged to advance these proposals.
“I look forward to the reports from the forum and take forward, as chair-in-office, some of these critical priorities you will present to leaders to set our compass for the future,” said Mata’afa.
In her remarks, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, KC, the first woman to hold the position, passionately reaffirmed her commitment to placing women at the heart of the organization’s efforts. She emphasized the importance of delivering on this promise and ensuring that gender equality remains a central focus in all initiatives undertaken by the Commonwealth.
“A day like this reminds us that women are at the core of progress across our Commonwealth. Yet, despite these successes, women continue to face significant hurdles.
“In far too many places, violence against women persists. Income inequality, structural discrimination and the exclusion of women from leadership opportunities still plague our world,” said Scotland.
She emphasized that overcoming these obstacles is not only a matter of justice but also essential for development, noting that women’s participation is crucial for creating prosperous and peaceful societies. “On our own, we are invisible. Together, we are invincible,” Secretary-General Scotland told the delegates, urging them to collaborate to transform gender equality from an aspiration into a tangible reality for all.
