Ei-iE

COPE Women’s Network Conference 2019 was held on 15-17th October in Nadi and was based upon the COPE Women’s Network Action Plan as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference covered a wide range of important topics dealing with women in leadership, the status of women, financial literacy, women leading climate change, women facing opposition and building our ideal women’s network.

In particular, the following aims and objectives: AIM 1: TO INCREASE THE INFLUENCE AND PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE UNION AT ALL LEVELS IN THE COPE REGION Objective 1 To develop and strengthen Women’s Networks at COPE and Affiliate Levels. Objective 2 To develop skills to enable women members to deal with perceived conflict between industrial issues and professional responsibilities. Objective 3 To identify and overcome barriers to women’s participation in the union. Objective 4 To ensure that women members in the COPE Unions are aware of their contractual, trade union rights. Objective 5 To increase the number of women members in the COPE Unions and to develop retention strategies. Objective 6 To ensure that women are represented at all levels of the union structure at least in proportion to their membership. Objective 7 To promote, develop and acquire skills to get in and remain in the positions of influence and decision making. Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Goal 5 Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls Sustainable Goal 13 Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts# (13B Impacts on Women and Youth.)

Workshop presentations, panel discussions, group discussions and presentation

It provided an opportunity to bring together women network members from across the Pacific in order to strengthen leadership skills and develop strategic action plans for each national Women’s Network. The workshop was productive, and energetic with lots of enthusiasm and active engagement.