Key Points:
- Pacific Women Entrepreneurs are being supported through the Pasifika WE-Guardians project (2024–2028) in Fiji, Samoa, and Tuvalu to boost climate-resilient businesses.
- The initiative provides training, funding, and market access to women-led enterprises, promoting sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem protection.
- Women are positioned as leaders in climate and economic solutions, strengthening community resilience and local value chains.
Canada has launched a new regional initiative aimed at strengthening women’s entrepreneurship and climate resilience across Pacific Island nations. The project, titled Pacific Women Entrepreneurs as Island Guardians (Pasifika WE-Guardians), was announced during an official visit to Fiji by Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai. He was received by Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, along with Canadian diplomatic representatives, marking a significant step in Canada’s growing engagement in the Pacific region.
The multi-year initiative will run from 2024 to 2028 and will be implemented across Fiji, Samoa, and Tuvalu. It is designed to support women-led and women-owned enterprises that are closely linked to natural resources such as land, forests, and oceans. The launch coincides with Canada’s broader diplomatic expansion in the Pacific, including the opening of its High Commission in Suva and a series of high-level engagements with regional leaders and development partners.
Women at the Center of Climate and Economic Solutions
The Pasifika WE-Guardians initiative focuses on empowering Pacific Women Entrepreneurs as key drivers of climate-resilient economic development. Women across the Pacific play a central role in food production, natural resource management, and community leadership, yet often face limited access to finance, markets, and decision-making platforms. The project seeks to address these gaps by strengthening business capabilities, improving access to climate-responsive financing, and supporting innovation in nature-based enterprises.
A core objective of the initiative is to integrate gender-responsive approaches into climate adaptation strategies. By supporting women-led businesses that protect ecosystems while generating income, the project aims to promote sustainable livelihoods and long-term resilience. These efforts are expected to enhance local value chains, improve productivity, and support environmentally responsible business models rooted in Indigenous knowledge and local practices.
Long-Term Impact for Pacific Communities
Pacific leaders have welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that women should be recognized not only as those most affected by climate change but also as leaders capable of shaping effective solutions. With Pacific Island countries facing increasing threats from rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation, empowering Pacific Women Entrepreneurs is viewed as critical to community stability and economic security.
The project will provide targeted support to women-owned enterprises through training, innovation funding, and infrastructure investment. Early activities include strengthening climate-resilient production and processing capacity in sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and eco-based industries. These measures are intended to help businesses withstand climate shocks while expanding market opportunities.
By placing women at the heart of climate action and economic development, the Pasifika WE-Guardians initiative reflects a collaborative vision for inclusive growth in the Pacific. Canada and its regional partners aim to build resilient communities where Pacific Women Entrepreneurs’ leadership, environmental stewardship, and entrepreneurship work together to secure a sustainable future for island nations.
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