Tuvalu PM Feleti Teo at the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the Pacific Islands Forum headquarters in Suva. 9 April 2025 Photo: Pacific Islands Forum
Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo says discriminatory laws and cultural norms continue to be obstacles to full gender equality in his island nation.
With a population of just over 10,000, the country comprises nine islands spread across 750,000 sq/km of the South Pacific Ocean.
While appearing before the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the Pacific Islands Forum headquarters in Suva, Teo said Tuvalu faced "unique structural challenges" in advancing gender equality
Teo said the island's geography means the government's capacity to enforce laws and policies is seriously constrained.
"Access to justice and essential services remains a challenge, particularly for women experiencing gender-based violence or those seeking economic opportunities," he told the CEDAW Committee on Wednesday.
"Despite these challenges, we remain committed to ensuring that gender equality is integrated and mainstreamed into our national development."
Teo said Tuvalu has made gains in the legal and policy framework for gender equality, such as raising the minimum legal age for marriage to 18, criminalising domestic violence, and protections against workplace discrimination.
"In terms of leadership, we have seen a gradual but encouraging increase in the number of women in senior government positions," he said.
"Today, women hold 37 percent of senior leadership roles in government, compared to 34 percent in 2018.
"In the judiciary, women now make up 53 percent of magistrates, a significant increase from 13 percent in 2020.
He said women also lead key government institutions, such as the Attorney-General and Auditor-General offices.
However, he said despite this progress, "deep-rooted challenges remain".
"One of the most pressing issues is gender-based violence. Forty-four percent of women in Tuvalu have experienced intimate partner violence, yet only one in three seek help."
He said another area of concern is women's participation in politics, as the country currently has no woman MP.
"While efforts to increase women's leadership are ongoing, cultural and institutional barriers remain strong."
The Prime Minister also revealed that there "is considerable resistance" to the adoption of temporary special measures.
He pointed out that Tuvalu also needed to invest in a strong system for collecting and analysing gender-based data.
"There is an absence of sex-disaggregated data makes it difficult to assess the real impact of policies and programs in improving gender equality."
He added that, while Tuvalu is proud of the progress made to date, a lot of work remains.
"Gender equality is not just about laws and policies, it requires shifts in attitudes, strengthened institutions, and collective actions across whole of society."
