Pacific women's wellbeing
Pacific peoples have become a highly visible and important feature of New Zealand’s social landscape. This has seen the need for more informed data on the issues and priorities of Pacific peoples increase significantly over the past two decades.
Economic wellbeing, in particular, was identified as a major concern for Pacific women at a Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ (MWA) consultation meeting in 2001. As a result, MWA secured funding from the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (through the Cross Departmental Research Pool) to lead a project entitled Improving Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being. The project presents a unique opportunity to hear the voices of Pacific women and gain some valuable insights into their issues and priorities.
The project included a qualitative research study, undertaken by Koloto and Associates, looking at the different factors that may affect Pacific women’s economic well-being. Focus groups and individual interviews were held with 230 Pacific women from six centres across the country. The results of the qualitative research, along with earlier work on the overall trends for Pacific women across a range of socio-economic indicators, are intended to inform policy development by government agencies that impact on Pacific women and their families, and for use by Pacific peoples and the general public.
One of the highlights of the research is the sense of satisfaction women got from participating in the study. Many of the participants remarked that their involvement in the study was the first time that they reflected on their roles and the contributions they make to their immediate/extended families, church and communities in New Zealand, as well as the Pacific Nations.
The research report is expected to be released in early 2006.
For more information, contact Huia Haeata at haeata@mwa.govt.nz
