Focusing on human rights in the Pacific
A three-day conference focusing on human rights in the Pacific, with topics ranging from greater political rights,
gender equality, the rights of children and the rights of communities affected by climate change, starts on Monday at
Massey University’s Albany campus.
The conference is being jointly run by Massey University and the University of Canterbury.
Director Pasifika and conference co-convenor Associate Professor Malakai Koloamatangi says it is an important subject
that is very broad and somewhat contentious.
“The issue of human rights is very important in the Pacific, and it’s very contentious. We want to find out what the
current thinking is about human rights, and from that, find out how we can progress the discourse, and ultimately, see
how to create sustainable solutions.”
Titled Human Rights in The Pacific: Priorities, Practice and Sustainability, the conference will also host the inaugural
Queen Sālote Tupou III Lecture Series, which will be opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Sālote Mafile’o Piolevu
Tuita, Queen Sālote’s granddaughter. Dr Koloamatangi says Queen Sālote of Tonga was a highly regarded leader and poet,
both in the region and internationally, and was much-loved .“I’m very excited that we are able to host this inaugural
lecture series here at the conference. It’s going to
be an annual fixture. I think it’s an appropriate place – with Auckland being the largest Pacific city in the world.
Having Her Royal Highness come to open the conference,” Dr Koloamatangi says. The inaugural lectures will be given by
Director General Secretariat of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Peter Forau and the former Tongan Minister of Justice and
Attorney General ‘Alisi Taumoepeau.
At the end of the first day, the Pacific Research and Policy Centre will have its Auckland launch. Masseu’s Fin-Ed
Centre director Dr Pushpa Wood will speak at the launch. “This is an important milestone for the newly-created centre,
because it represents a genuine commitment by the University to support, coordinate and take Pasifika and Pacific
research to the world.”
On the third day, the Pacific Business Breakfast will be held at the Heritage Hotel, with new research on sustainable
development and human rights initiatives in the Pacific being unveiled.
Dr Koloamatangi says the conference is an opportunity to put a stake in the ground and see where we go from here. “In 12
months time we can take stock of what we’ve done and then have a similar, smaller symposium,” he says.
ends