Category: Politics

A health worker administers medication for lymphatic filariasis. Photo by: Ruth McDowall / RTI International / CC BY-NC-ND
Politics, Social

Tonga eliminates filariasis after a 300 years epidemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed this week that the kingdom of Tonga eliminated the lymphatic filariasis disease after an epidemic of three centuries that, only 40 years ago, infected 45% of the population, with one in 12 people declaring elephantiasis. This lymphatic filariasis plague is caused by a parasitic worm, transmitted by mosquitoes. Some of the ill will develop a syndrome called elephantiasis, causing their limbs or … Continue reading Tonga eliminates filariasis after a 300 years epidemic

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Environment, Politics

Samoan girl has been a climate advocate for 8 years, addressed the UN at 14yo

Nineteen-year-old Brianna Fruean has not let age be a deterrent when it comes to advocating for climate change issues in her native Samoa and the wider Pacific. In fact, her youth has served as an advantage when speaking to her peers about the need to take urgent action on an issue that looms large in their lives In addition, she’s emerged as a voice of … Continue reading Samoan girl has been a climate advocate for 8 years, addressed the UN at 14yo

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Politics, Social

Lourdes Pangelinan, the first woman to lead a Pacific regional organisation

When Lourdes T. Pangelinan became Director-General of the then Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in January 2000, she made history as the first woman to lead a Pacific regional organisation, the SPC. She first joined the Pacific Community as Deputy Director-General in 1996. At the time, she was no stranger to the organisation, having represented Guam at SPC technical and policy meetings for a … Continue reading Lourdes Pangelinan, the first woman to lead a Pacific regional organisation

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Politics, Social

Discover 70 Inspiring Pacific women

Everyday for the next 70 days, the portrait of an inspiring Pacific woman will be published on Pacificans.com coming from the campaign “70 inspiring Pacific women”. This initiative wants to celebrate the contribution of women to our societies.  Read all the portraits on Pacificans.com Two portraits are already online, one of Brianna Fruean from Samoa, who was speaking at international summits at 19 years old as a … Continue reading Discover 70 Inspiring Pacific women

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Culture, Politics, Social

The push by Vanuatu to legalize kava root worlwide

For Pacificans, the idea that kava could be considered a drug or a toxic plant is strange, but it is still the case in many parts of the world. Kava is cultivated all over our ocean to produce a traditional bitter drink from its roots. When prepared correctly, drinking kava creates a mellowing effect and a wellness feeling without affecting cognitive functions. It has an … Continue reading The push by Vanuatu to legalize kava root worlwide

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Environment, Politics

A lawyer wants to give legal rights to the Pacific Ocean

The Institute for Research and Development (IRD) in New caledonia has started a long fight to give a legal personality to the Pacific Ocean. This achievement would give our ocean legal rights, defensible in court against companies, individuals or even countries that are hurting it. Only just introduced to the United Nations in New York, the project could take the form of a international convention. … Continue reading A lawyer wants to give legal rights to the Pacific Ocean

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Environment, Politics

How one rugbyman protected a patch of ocean the size of Mexico

The parliament in the Cook Islands voted the creation of Marae Moana, a large marine parc encompassing all of the waters controlled by the country. An area of 1.9 million squared kilometers (730 000 squared miles) is now protected, an area the size of Mexico, or 3 times France. It got approved by a massive bill, voted last Thursday with large bilateral support according to Cook … Continue reading How one rugbyman protected a patch of ocean the size of Mexico

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Culture, Politics

The world recognizes Polynesian cultural heritage & it was damn time!

Better late than ever, the ancient Polynesian roofless temple or “marae” of Tapuatea has eventually been integrated to the list of the World Heritage Sites in Oceania today. Since the inscription of Easter Island and its giant statues in 1995, the region hasn’t succeeded in obtaining much of the focus of UNESCO until these last years, more precisely since The Pacific 2009 Programme (2000-2009). According … Continue reading The world recognizes Polynesian cultural heritage & it was damn time!

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Environment, Politics

The UN tries to save Tuvalu from climate change

The United Nation just started its plan to save Tuvalu from climate change, a program included in the Green Climate Fund with a budget of 36 million US dollars. The UN wants to spend this money over the next 40 years in the tiny Pacific archipelago of 10 600 people, a country of atolls with an average elevation of 1.8 meters (6 feet). Scientists expect … Continue reading The UN tries to save Tuvalu from climate change

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