Women in Development: Kiribati

Situation
FSP/Counterpart International’s work with women’s groups in Tonga, Solomon Islands and Kiribati began in the late 1970s when there was renewed international interest in women’s organizations as structures through which women could participate equitably in development. FSP/Counterpart began assisting the Kiribati National Women's Federation (AMAK) at the end of 1981.

There is a long history of women's groups in the South Pacific. They date to the turn of the century when Christian missionaries established women's groups for Bible study, church auxiliary work, and training in domestic roles that were deemed appropriate by missionaries. The first groups were led by wives of overseas missionaries.

FSP/Counterpart looked to strengthen women's position in society by expanding their roles. Women did not have publicly recognized roles in community decision-making; nor do they have the right to control income.

What We Did
FSP/Counterpart worked through the Kiribati National Women's Federationto encourage women’s participation in community development and to assist women’s groups to carry out projects to generate income or make physical improvements to the village or to members’ houses.

The Kiribati National Women's Federation (Aia Maea Ainen Kiribati or AMAK) was established by the Community Affairs Division of the Ministry of Health and Community Services to be an umbrella organization for village level women's groups.

The government established AMAK under its auspices to become an independent national umbrella body to unite Catholic, Protestant and Homemaker Clubs at the national policy and planning level and to provide technical assistance to all women's clubs in the country. FSP/Counterpart was asked by the government to aid AMAK in its transition to independence from the government in 1982 and in the expansion of activities to include income-generating projects.

The seven AMAK extension workers conducted one to three-day training sessions as they visited the women's clubs throughout Kiribati, and they assisted groups that wanted to establish projects.

AMAK also attempted to change women's participation in the political process. While hard to assess in such a traditional society, senior (male) national government officials commented that in their travels they had observed that women were more visible in public life in Kiribati since AMAK was formed.

Impacts
At the height of the project, there were about 180 women's clubs in Kiribati. About 65 grants were awarded since the grant program started in 1983.

Counterpart implemented this program in the Solomon Islands and Tonga as well.