Wide Bay Conservation Association (WBCA) is a community-based organisation working with communities in East Pomio Local Level Government (LLG) since registration with Investment Promotion Authority in 2004. WBCA has been facilitating governance training for Wards in East Pomio LLG. They also focus on women empowerment, making sure women are represented in different leadership spaces and their priority needs are included in the Government planning and budgetary processes.

WBCA recognised that there wasn’t an established network and a focal point for all women in the district to be connected to. Women and women leaders in East Pomio were not connected to other women and women leaders in other LLGs within Pomio District. This resulted in women in the district not collaborating and working together to address issues affecting women in the district or advocate for women to take leadership roles within the LLGs and district.

WBCA held the first Pomio Women’s District Forum from 23-26 November 2022 at the Palmalmal District Office. The intention was to provide a space for women in the district to explore and discover their own potential, so they create collective voices for equal rights in Pomio District. 50 women leaders from 5 LLGs of Pomio District came together to share their stories, experiences, challenges and accomplishments that they have and experience in their homes and under the LLG. The forum provided space for collective voices of women in the district. Women were able to meet with other women representatives from other LLGs and had an opportunity to share experiences from what they do in their LLGs, learn from each other’s stories and develop networks among each other. They also strengthened women rights and established a network of women leaders in the district.

The forum is significantly important because it is the first women’s forum to be implemented at the district level bringing women from the district and provinces together. It is a call for the different levels of government who have totally forgotten about women in their LLGs. The important outcome was that all stakeholders contributed to the successful implementation of the forum. Service providers, community leaders, public servants all contributed one way or the other to bring the forum to the end.

The District Deputy Administrator said this forum was the beginning of a long journey for women in the district and women must continue to step up and speak up for their rights as leaders in the district. The West Pomio LLG Manager was thankful that the forum was hosted in his LLG and that he was happy to see women leaders taking up roles as executives and members at the ward level, LLG and District level. He encouraged women to stand up and speak out for what is right in their families and communities. Many women who were living with family issues for a long time took the courage to speak up on issues affecting them during the float (parade) while with other women.

The forum enhanced the motivation of women to undertake similar forums in three districts using the theme WBCA have used for this one. The forum also inspired WBCA to continue their efforts in networking and connecting women from different districts. It is also an advocacy message for LLG to continue their support in the expansion of women networks across different districts and encouraging women representations at different levels of government.