23/09/2026

More than 140 feminists, activists, women’s human rights defenders, young leaders, advocates and allies from 21 countries across Oceania have gathered in Pacific Harbour, Fiji, for the opening of the 4th Pacific Feminist Forum (PFF). 

Under the theme “Feminist Futures, Just Pacific,” the 4^th PFF brings together diverse voices from across the region to reflect on where Pacific feminist movements have come from, where they are now, and where they want to go next. 

“We are not here simply to talk about the future. We are here to shape it,” said the 4^th PFF Regional Working Group. 

The opening of the 4^th PFF began with a solidarity night dinner where Pacific feminists welcomed one another into the space with open hearts and open arms. Old friends reunited, new friendships formed, and the room coming alive the Pacific way - with singing, dancing, laughter and the unmistakable joy of being together.  

The participants on the second day of the forum paid their tributes to four fierce Pacific feminists who were honoured for their activism on women’s rights, disability rights, indigenous rights and social justice. 

These women were internationally acclaimed human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Imrana Jalal from Fiji, Helen Hakena from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and co-founder of the Leitana Nehan Women's Development Agency (LNWDA), Sonia Togna, pro-independence activist and co-founder of the Union of Francophone Women of New Caledonia and Sainimili Tawake, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Disability Forum and activist for people living with disabilities. 

The feminists reflected on their early years of advocacy and the continued work, overcoming structural barriers within their own communities while continuing to organise, advocate and create transformative change despite the challenges they faced. 

"When I started this journey there were only five to six women brave enough to come out as feminists then and as a feminist, you have no idea what it's like to be me to see all these amazing women feminists in the room. Forming the Fiji Women's Rights Movement was my way of trying to change the structural inequalities in my country," Imrana said.  

There were also presentations made on nine National Feminist Forums held across the Pacific, discussing national priorities and experiences, followed by plenaries and parallel workshops facilitated by members of the Regional Working Group.   

The 4^th PFF builds on the legacy of the first Pacific Feminist Forum held in 2016 and the collective work of feminist movements across the region over the past decade. Since then, two more forums were organised in 2019 and 2023. 

“Pacific feminist movements have always been at the forefront of challenging inequality, defending human rights and demanding change in the region. The PFF is an opportunity to bring that collective knowledge and power together across countries, generations and movements and turn it into action.” 

The 4^th PFF is convened by the Regional Working Group comprising Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Voice for Change - Jiwaka (Papua New Guinea), SISTA (Vanuatu), femLINKpacific, Brown Girl Woke (Samoa), Diverse Voices Action (DIVA) for Equality Fiji, ILGA Oceania, FATULEI Association (Tuvalu), Pacific Disability Forum and International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), in partnership with the Australian Government. 

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Stage set for 4th Pacific Feminist Forum

16/09/2026

Feminists, women's human rights defenders and activists from across the Pacific region are set to gather in Fiji next week (21^st – 24^th September, 2026) for the 4^th Pacific Feminist Forum (PFF) - the largest feminist convening of its kind in the region.

Under the theme “Feminist Futures, Just Pacific,” the forum will bring together more than 140 representatives from across the Pacific, including intersectional women, girls, and gender-diverse people from diverse movements of women and human rights, disability inclusion, PIDSOGIESC, LGBTQIA+, youth development, and climate justice.

The 4^th PFF will also commemorate and celebrate with the nine countries that organised their own National Feminist Forums.

The 3-day forum features a running theme for each day with workshops, plenaries and talanoa sessions designed to amplify the voices and lived realities of diverse Pacific women and girls.

The programme includes:

• A welcome dinner and solidarity night celebrating Pacific diversity;
• Tributes to four powerful Pacific women's human rights defenders;
• Highlights from the nine National Feminist Forums;
• Closed plenaries for deep feminist dialogue on a wide range of topics including Pacific feminist resistance in the polycrisis, intergenerational feminist leadership, sexual reproductive health and rights, faith, culture and bodily autonomy and more;
• Information booths and market spaces showcasing various cultural items.

Regional Representation

Participants will come from 21 countries across Oceania including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The 4th PFF is organised by the Regional Working Group which comprises of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Voice for Change – Jiwaka (PNG), SISTA (Vanuatu), femLINKPacific, Brown Girl Woke (Samoa), Diverse Voices Action (DIVA) for Equality Fiji, ILGA Oceania, FATULEI Association (Tuvalu), Pacific Disability Forum, and the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) in partnership with the Australian Government.

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For media queries, please contact the Pacific Feminist Forum Communications Team on +679 2136547 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The 4th Pacific Feminist Forum is supported by the Australian Government through the We Rise Coalition, in partnership with International Women’s Development Agency, Pacific Women Lead at Pacific-Community-SPC, Women’s Fund Fiji, UN Women Pacific, UNFPA Pacific, and the Pacific Feminist Fund.