PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON LEGAL IDENTITY AND IDENTITY

PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON LEGAL IDENTITY AND IDENTITY SECURITY 8 -10 TH JULY 2019 MULTISECTORAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSAL AND SECURE LEGAL IDENTITY AND THE ROLE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRATION LEGAL IDENTITY, GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION • Why Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Pacific? • How are we progressing as a region? • What does legal identity have to do with gender equality & women’s empowerment? • Where to from here?

WHY GENDER EQUALITY & WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT? • High prevalence of Gender Based Violence Education outcomes do not translate to employment outcomes for women • Increasing inequalities with 1 in 4 Pacific Islanders living below the average national basic needs poverty line (BNPL). • Low levels of women’s political participation and economic empowerment • High rates of teenage pregnancies • NCD Epidemic and impacts on women

HOW ARE WE PROGRESSING AS A REGION? • Making progress on addressing poverty • Increased access to primary and secondary education • Access to health facilities and services • Increased support for teen mums & survivors of violence

HOW ARE WE PROGRESSING AS A REGION? • Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration; Pacific Platform for Action on Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights • National policy commitments – National Gender Policies • Legislations on gender based violence • Gender Equality featuring in national development strategies

WHAT DOES LEGAL IDENTITY HAVE TO DO WITH IT? • Discriminatory citizenship and identification laws hinders women’s ability to fully participate in and contribute to economies. The majority of the estimated 2. 4 billion people who lack an identity card are women • Legal identity = accessibility • Proof of identity is needed to access financial services • Platform for having a voice • The right to a legal identity is fundamental to inclusive development

SO WHAT FOR THE PACIFIC? • Lack of legal identity disallows women to exercise their civil and political rights and secure socio-economic benefits as citizens • Cost of legal identity denies women access to these rights and benefits • Do we have data and research on this issue? • Tracking progress through monitoring?

WHERE TO FROM HERE? • A start of a conversation to be held • Evidence? • Policy Interventions? • Partnerships to leverage efforts • Follow through from here onwards • Continue the conversation

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION