Kia Orana!

The Cook Islands National Council of Women (CINCW) held their biennial meeting in Rarotonga on 3-5 March 2025: Uikaraurau: Konitara Vainetini o Te Kuki Airani, with funding support from the New Zealand High Commission in the Cook Islands.

Following on from the Pacific National Councils of Women Forum (see Youtube recording) jointly organised by NCW Australia and New Zealand in 2024, there has been contact between NCWNZ and CINCW resulting in an invitation for NCWNZ representatives to attend the biennial meeting and support the preparation of a CEDAW NGO report. See the Cook Islands News (16 April 2025) article. Suzanne Manning, NCWNZ President, and Beryl Anderson, NCWNZ Life Member and CEDAW Committee convenor, accepted the invite to travel to the beautiful – and warm – Cook Islands.

Cook Islands National Council of Women (CINCW) group photo, March 2025.Bottom row: Beryl Anderson (2nd left) and Suzanne Manning (4th left), and Vaine Wichman, CINCW president (centre).

Beryl at the meeting in the Highland Paradise Cultural Centre.

The meeting was a gathering of delegates from all of the islands, both Southern and Northern groups, as well as members of associated organisations in Rarotonga, the largest island. We learnt that it takes as long to travel from the northernmost island of Penrhyn as it does to travel from Auckland!

We were warmly welcomed and included in the meeting, which was held in the Highland Paradise Cultural Centre. The impressions were of vibrant colours, smiling faces, lots of music, laughter and dance, an abundance of reo Māori, and some serious discussions. The optimism did not deny the fact that there were gender issues to be addressed in the Cook Islands.

Uikaraurau was based on three themes: healthy homes, happy homes, safe homes. The first two days addressed these three themes with speakers and discussions. Healthy homes focused on non-communicable diseases and lifestyle choices that could be made to reduce the impact of these diseases. A key message to the women was that it was okay to prioritise yourself – your own health, happiness and safety. It was noted that as the women were the key to lifestyle choices within the home, when women change - everything changes.

The opening of Uikaraurau meeting. From left: the Australian Deputy High Commissioner, Vaine Wichman CINCW President, Catherine Graham NZ High Commissioner, Suzanne Manning and Beryl Anderson, NCWNZ

Happy homes covered economic empowerment especially promoting women in business. This included a focus on climate justice, as climate change is affecting the natural resources that are used to make handicrafts – a major industry in the Cook Islands, predominantly women-led businesses.

A second concern was retaining Cook Islands Māori, as 90% of children start school in Rarotonga speaking English as their dominant language. The online presentation from Dr Akevai Nicholas, a Cook Islands’ lecturer at AUT, about the need and mechanisms for language revitalisation was well received. CINCW has an ongoing commitment to using the language in as much business as possible, and the meeting itself demonstrated this beautifully with Frances, the MC, translating a summary after each presentation – either into Māori or English, as appropriate.

Vaine Wichman delivering the CINCW Biennial Report.

Safe homes included discussion around intimate partner violence, as well as a more general concern for gendered online violence. The results of the report “Toku Akapunga e Te Maroiroi | My shelter and strength” released by CINCW in 2024 were discussed. This report was a breakdown of the comprehensive 2014 domestic violence survey (the most recent data available) by Island, which showed some interesting differences. There was discussion over how to use these data for advocacy and awareness raising, especially on commitments and responsibilities in healthy relationships. There was also an online presentation from Poto Williams on ways to take advocacy action, and getting more women elected to leadership and governance positions.

The final day was a CEDAW information gathering workshop, facilitated by Suzanne, Beryl and Ruta Pokura-Matai (the writer of the CINCW NGO report), presentation of the biennial CINCW report, and elections. Congratulations to Vaine Wichman, elected as President for another term.

For NCWNZ, the visit was a useful way to further our relationship with CINCW and to understand their context better. We will continue to support the writing of their CEDAW report, made easier now because of the connections we made.

There was also a visit with the New Zealand High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, where we were able to share information and advocate for continued support for CINCW. We were also interviewed by the Cook Islands newspaper and TV, about our involvement in the meeting.

Researching the context of the Cook Islands also involved sightseeing and sampling local food, ably supported by Suzanne’s husband Bruce, who accompanied us as driver, executive assistant and photographer.

Beryl and Suzanne visiting the Maire Nui gardens, and at a Cultural Night show and dinner.

By
Beryl Anderson ONZM
and Suzanne Manning

To read more articles from The Circular (March-April 2025) issue 651, click on the tag below.