7am - 8:30am - Joint Forums Opening Ceremony

Location - Mulinu'u Bay 

Watch the livestream

9am - 10:30am - Opening Plenary

Arrival of Chief Guests

Welcome Remarks & Speeches

- The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, Commonwealth Secretary- General

- Hon Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o MP, Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa

- Hon Myles LaRoda MP, Minister for Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, The Bahamas

Launch of the Samoa Gender Climate Survey by Hon Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o MP, Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa

“Echoes of the Wave: Resilience Unveiled”
In collaboration with Onomea Productions. Amidst emotional reflections after the tsunami, High Chief Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale shares a survival story—a testament to enduring resilience. Within this tapestry of strength, women’s empowerment emerges as a vital thread, weaving hope and determination.

Official Photographs

MC: Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago, Regional Director, Oceania Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature

10:30am - 11am - Networking and Refreshment Break

11am - 12:30pm - Opening Plenary continued: Women in Leadership

In conversation:

- The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, Commonwealth Secretary- General

- Cici Manwa, Councillor, Tilbury Riverside & Thurrock Park, United Kingdom

Women in Leadership Panel

Panel discussion by speakers exemplifying women’s leadership from across the Commonwealth

- Hon Lenora Qereqeretabua MP, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fiji

- Ambassador Amina Mohamed, Former Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kenya, Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Sport, Enterprise and Development

- Emeline ‘Uheina ‘I Luvuluvu Katoa Tuita, Chief Executive Officer, Tonga Development Bank, Tonga

- Jotika Sharma, Executive Director Programmes & Chair International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) Women's Committee, Fiji

- Mossarat Qadeem, Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth, Pakistan

- L. Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, President, Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL), Trinidad & Tobago

Moderator: Jude Kelly CBE, CEO & Founder, The WOW Foundation

12:30pm - 2pm - Networking Lunch

2pm - 5pm - Parallel Session A: Gender & Climate Change

Keynote Address:
Hon Doreen Sioka MP, Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Namibia

Context Setting Presentation: The Rationale for Collaboration on Gender-responsive Climate Action

Aishwarya Pillai, Lead Specialist- Infrastructure for Resilience Island States (IRIS), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

World Café Dialogue

Group 1: Bridging the knowledge gap on the gendered impacts of climate change
Facilitator: Vashti Maharaj, Adviser Digital Trade Policy, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Group 2: Increased access and deployment of gender-responsive climate finance
Facilitator: Opeyemi Abebe, Adviser and Head – Trade Competitiveness Section, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Group 3: Strengthened leadership and decision-making power for women and men in climate action
Facilitator: Steve Onwuasoanya, Head (Ag) Human Rights Unit, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Group 4: Integrating the needs of the most vulnerable in climate action including indigenous people, persons with disability and youth. Facilitator: Abiola Sunmonu, Adviser and Head – Africa, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Networking break
Moderated Panel Discussion including Question and Answers

- Hon Lenora Qereqeretabua MP, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fiji

- Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago, Regional Director, Oceania Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature

- Brianna Fruean, Advocate, Commonwealth Youth Award winner (climate change), Samoa

- Delphine Serumaga, UN Women Multi-Country Office Representative for the Pacific

Moderator: Unnikrishnan Nair, Assistant Director of Climate Change, Commonwealth Secretariat

Closing Remarks and Way Forward

Ruth Kattumuri, Senior Director, EYSD, The Commonwealth Secretariat

2pm - 5pm - Parallel Session B: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

Keynote Address:
Hon Mmapaseka Steve Letsike MP, Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa

1st Panel Discussion

Panellists will share examples of effective ending VAWG policies, programmes and initiatives which are grounded in the local context

- Hon Myles LaRoda MP, Minister for Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, The Bahamas

- Rochelle White, Assistant Secretary, Office for Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia

- Fiona Hukula, Policy Adviser, Gender Equality, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Papua New Guinea

- Sarah Kamau, Chair, Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum, Kenya

- Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) / kNOwVAWdata, UNFPA Pacific, Fiji

- Logotaua Palepa Swanney Solease, Board Member, Samoa Victims Support Group, Samoa

Moderator: Sneh Aurora, Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), United Kingdom

Musical Interlude:

Lorraine Lionheart, the Commonwealth Resounds!

Networking break

2nd Panel Discussion

Panellists will discuss engaging men and boys in eliminating violence. Highlighting initiatives from across the Commonwealth that work proactively to engage men and boys.

- Samitha Sugathimala, Global Co-Chair, MenEngage Alliance, Director, Foundation for Innovative Social Development, Sri Lanka

- Phillip Carlisle, Regional Chair, CariMAN, Dominica

- Tura Lewai, Fiji Programme Manager, Oxfam, Fiji

Moderator: Lemau Pala’amo, President, Soul Talk Samoa

MC Sneh Aurora

Word Cloud and Session Summary

5pm - 5:45pm - Pacific Leadership for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

A discussion on the Pacific’s regional approach to gender equality and women’s empowerment

Keynote Address:
Hon Lord Vaea MP, Minister of Internal Affairs, Tonga

Panel Discussion

- Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead – Pacific Women and Girls, Pacific Community

- Easter Chu Shing, Deputy Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa

- Claire McGeechan, Deputy High Commissioner, Australian High Commission in Samoa

- Fiona Hukula, Gender Adviser, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

Moderator: Papali’i Mele Maualaivao, Country Programme Coordinator, UN Women, Samoa

5:45pm - 6pm - Launch

Pola Puipui Samoa National Prevention Framework, prevention framework for ending gender-based violence - ‘Let it End with Me’

- Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o, Minister for Women and Community Development

- Siliniu Lina Chang, Director Samoa Victims Support Group

6pm - 9pm - Manaia Women Maketi (Night Market)

9am - 10:30am - Day 2 Plenary – Leaving No One Behind

1st Panel Discussion

Session will create the space to hear from a range of voices on the ways in which gender inequality interacts with other forms of disadvantage

- Su’a Hellen Wallwork, Attorney-General and Chair, Pacific Islands Law Officers Network, Samoa

- Hon. Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, MP, Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa

- Heike Alefsen, Regional Representative for the Pacific UNOHCHR

- Sruti Mohapatra, Vice-Chair, Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum, India

- Joleen Mataele, Vice-Chair, The Commonwealth Equality Network, Tonga Leitis Association Programme Coordinator, Tonga

Moderator: Jude Kelly CBE, CEO & Founder, The WOW Foundation

10:30am - 10:45am - Networking and Refreshments Break

10:45am - 12:20pm - Day 2 Plenary – Leaving No One Behind

2nd Panel Discussion

Session will consider an enabling environment for greater inclusion

- Lord Collins of Highbury, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office), United Kingdom

- Dame Carol Black GBE, FRCP, Commonwealth Special Envoy for Ageing Well

- Providence Umurungi, Chairperson, Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights, Rwanda

- Sovaia Sisi Coalala, Inclusive Development Programme Team, Pacific Disability Forum, Fiji

- Angela Hassan-Sharp, Divisional Manager; United Nations, Human Rights and Commonwealth Division; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand

Moderator: Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago, Regional Director, Oceania Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature

12:30pm - 1:30pm - Networking Lunch

1:30pm - 3:30pm - Parallel Session C: Digital Inclusion: The Dynamic Opportunities and Dangers

Keynote Address:
Hon Peace Regis Mutuuzo, Minister of State for Gender and Culture Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda [TBC]

Interactive item

Panel Discussion

To consider both the potential of and the risks of digital technology in furthering gender equality and women’s empowerment.

- Hon Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, Minister of ICT Samoa

- Bernadette Lewis, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization

- Seluvaia Kauvaka, Founder, Tonga Women in ICT, Tonga

- Jennifer Britton, Deputy Programme Manager, ICT for Development, CARICOM Secretariat

- Dibya Singh, Sub-regional Digital Expert, UNDP

- Rury Demsey, Consultant, International Telecommunications Union, Area Office for South-East Asia

Moderator: Virginia Dawson, Policy Director, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

1:30pm - 3:30pm - Parallel Session D: Women’s Economic Empowerment

Opening Remarks

- Hon Myles LaRoda MP, Minister for Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, The Bahamas

Presentation of TCS Research findings

Research on Women-owned MSME’s Access to Finance in the Pacific Islands

Panel Discussion

Panel discussion on research findings and how women entrepreneurs can build and scale-up

-Hon Myles LaRoda MP, Minister for Social Services, Information andBroadcasting, The Bahamas

- Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Fiji

- Maria Ronna Luna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi, Founder Greenhouse Coworking, Greenhouse Studio

- Tuala Maria Melei Tagiilima, Unit Head, Samoa Pacific Country Office, Asian Development Bank

- Tofilau Fiti Leung Wai, Founder and CEO of Samoa Stationery and Books (SSAB)

Moderator: Opeyemi Abebe, Adviser and Head of Trade Competitiveness Section, Commonwealth Secretariat

E-platform for information on access to finance and global trade opportunities: Suresh Yadav, Senior Director a.i. Trade and Oceans Directorate, Commonwealth Secretariat

3:30pm - 3:45pm - Networking and Refreshments Break

3:45pm - 4:50pm - Women at the Heart of Change: Leading Resilience and Innovation

High-level Closing Panel:

- Hon Fiame Naomi Mata’afa MP, Prime Minister, Samoa

- Hon Feleti Penitala Teo OBE, Prime Minister and Minister of Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment, Tuvalu

Moderator: Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago, Regional Director, Oceania Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature

LAUNCH Resilient Spirit: Portraits of Samoa Women Warriors

- By Hon Fiame Naomi Mata’afa MP, Prime Minister, Samoa

- Narrative by Loau Donina Va’a, CEO, Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa

4:50pm - 5pm - Outcomes of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum & Closing Remarks

Arjoon Suddhoo, Deputy Secretary-General, Commonwealth Secretariat

Evening - Reception