Thirty years ago, a Pacific group of women from government, non-government, and international organisations came together and defined key areas of concern for gender equality, how to address them, and how the Pacific Community (SPC) could assist in progressing these activities. 

As a result, the first version of the Pacific Platform for Action (PPA) for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights was released in 1994. That was 30 years ago, and a year prior to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, establishing the Pacific as a global leader ahead of other regions in terms of its leaders’ commitment to gender equality. 

This year we celebrate the 30 year anniversary for the PPA, which is still a critical tool guiding actions and reporting on progress towards achieving gender equality.

The PPA links to the following commitments and activities: 

• Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) and 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent: As the first regional instrument for gender, the PPA is used as a reference for other regional commitments like the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED). The PPA supported the development of the PLGED in 2012, led by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) that continues to support leaders to implement the PLGED including its 2023 revitalisation, connecting with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
• Triennial Conference of Pacific Women: Since its inception more than 40 years ago, the Triennial Conference of Pacific Women is today the primary mechanism for monitoring the progress outlined in the Pacific Platform for Action. SPC is the custodian of the Triennial and the PPA. Every three years, Pacific countries present how they are progressing to achieve gender equality commitments, as well as their challenges, at the Triennial Conference of Pacific Women. This year, Triennial discussions will be held from July 22-24 in the Republic of Marshall Islands.
• Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPA+30) and other regional and international instruments: The PPA is a guiding document or tool that countries can use to plan actions and report progress against instruments such as the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, Convention on the Elimination on all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPA+30), Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and more.  

The Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights (PPA): 

• Provides a roadmap for achieving gender equality and enhancing the well-being of all women and girls of all diversities in all their diversity, inclusive of young women, older women, rural women, women with disabilities, women with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and indigenous women
• Supports action on national, regional and international gender equality commitments made by Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), particularly under the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• Guides PICTs, regional agencies and development partners in prioritising strategic approaches to achieve gender equality. 

As detailed in the PPA, all Pacific Island governments and administrations, civil society organisations, CROP agencies and development partners supporting initiatives in the Pacific Islands region are encouraged to use the PPA to guide their policies and actions. Successful implementation of this Platform also relies on robust and active engagement with civil society organisations (CSOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs) and the private sector. The Platform will benefit all partners by providing an instrument to support their advocacy and to encourage governments to fulfil their obligations.

The PPA focuses on five ‘main expected outcomes’: 

1. Policies and legislation for the promotion of gender equality and women’s human rights are adopted and strengthened.
2. Full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership and decision-making become the norm for all women and men.
3. Reforms to give women and men equal rights to economic resources are implemented.
4. Gender-based violence is eliminated.
5. Universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SHRH) and diverse opportunities through education, are provided.

The first PPA was drafted prior to the Beijing Platform for Action.

There have been three versions of the PPA. The original 1994 document and its 13 ‘critical areas of concern’ was revised to create an updated PPA in 2005 with four ‘priority areas for action’. The PPA was again revised to produce the current, 2018 version of the PPA that has five ‘main expected outcomes’ plus, to achieve the PPA outcomes, a set of cross-cutting ‘strategic objectives’ around knowledge, mainstreaming, partnerships, investment and accountability. 

Here is the chronology for the three versions:

• 2018-2030 - Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights: The current, third version of the PPA was endorsed by Ministers of Women to promote gender equality and human rights.  
  Available for download under this link. 
• 2005-2015 - Revised Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (RPPA): The PPA was revised 10 years after it began, with the number of outcomes reduced.  
  Available for download under this link.
• 1994 - Pacific Platform for Action - Rethinking Sustainable Development for Pacific Women Towards the Year 2000: The PPA was drafted at the 6th Regional Conference of Pacific Women and presented the following year at the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. A copy of the original 1994 PPA is available on the National Library of Australia archives.