Manukau Professor elected President of P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A
P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A, which has branches throughout the country from Whangarei to Invercargill, is an NGO dedicated to the representation and support of Pacific women living in New Zealand.
As National President, Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop will hold the role for up to four years, during which she hopes to continue to support the growth in membership and branch level initiatives.
“We already have excellent initiatives for Pacific women and families happening in the local branches, such as research and education and support,” says Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop. “During my term as President, I would like to draw on and share that knowledge with all the branches, so we become stronger across the country.
“It is a real honour for me to have been elected to this position. For me, this is all about supporting young Pacific women and girls in New Zealand because we know that when women are involved, this works for the good of the whole family and community. Our aim is to support more young Pacific women become involved in policy decision making, whether this be in the home, the community or nationally, and imparting a Pacific understanding with decision makers.”
Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop’s history with P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A stretches back to the 1970s, where she was Scholarships Officer and founding member of the Newtown branch in Wellington. She subsequently held the post of Vice President of the Wellington Central area, until she moved to Auckland to take up her role with AUT in 2009.
One of Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop’s first actions as National President was to support the establishment of a Manukau branch of P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A, which was launched at AUT’s Manukau campus. “For Pasifika, Manukau is a pivotal area, as this is where a significant proportion of Pacific people live,” says Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop. “But it’s also a very young area; there are high numbers of youth here.” The launch, which occurred on International Women’s Day in early March, attracted locals and media alike. “I think the number of people who turned up indicates the interest; we had women from all walks of life, it was just fantastic.”
As for the outlook of Pacific women in New Zealand, says Professor Fairbairn-Dunlop: “Things have been moving in the right direction. We have increased the number of female Pasifika graduates, and more women are moving into leadership posts within the public and private sectors. But there are few women in politics or decision-making globally, and even fewer Pacific women, so there is scope for so much more. That is what we are driven to support.”