BY JOY OFASIA
WOMEN from across the Pacific gathered for the first-ever Pacific Women Mediators Network (PWMN) Colloquium held at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara yesterday
The event, themed “Weaving Together Peacebuilding and Mediation Capacities Across Our Ocean of Peace,” marks a powerful step forward in recognizing the role of women in shaping peace in the region.
The week-long gathering brings together women peacebuilders from countries including Fiji, Tonga, West Papua, and the Solomon Islands. Together, they aim to strengthen mediation efforts, share experiences, and build lasting strategies to address both conflict and climate-related challenges in the Pacific.
“This colloquium is more than a meeting,” said Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Coordinator of the Pacific Women Mediators Network. “It’s a moment to honour the legacy of Pacific women peacebuilders and to strengthen the threads that tie our stories, struggles, and solutions together.”
Ms. Rolls stressed the importance of recognizing the often-overlooked contributions of women in conflict resolution. “Too often, the stories of women who held communities together during times of crisis go untold. We want to bring those stories to the surface and learn from them.”
The colloquium is also tackling three core issues: climate justice and security, self-determination and nuclear justice, and faith-based peacebuilding through regional bodies like the Pacific Conference of Churches.
“This is our chance to move beyond surface-level commitments to gender and peace,” Rolls said. “We want to put the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into real action — and that means listening to women on the frontlines.”
One of the participants, Mele Taufa, a young mediator from Tonga, said she’s grateful to be learning alongside experienced leaders. “There’s so much wisdom in this room. I feel hopeful for the future of our region because we’re learning from those who’ve lived through conflict and are now leading with compassion.”
The PWMN, launched in June 2023, is a locally-led initiative supported by GPPAC Pacific and the Pacific Conference of Churches. It aims to increase women’s participation in peacebuilding, especially in the face of rising climate threats and political tensions.
This event also comes ahead of two major milestones: the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, to be hosted in Honiara later this year.
For Ms. Rolls, this is a pivotal moment. “The Pacific has always been an ocean of peace. It’s time we recognize the women who have helped keep it that way — and empower them to continue leading.”
