Tonga Skills supported the Nukualofa Urban Development Sector Project (NUDSP) in the premiere of the first three of a series of 12 Women of Tonga short films. The screening took place on Friday 1st December to an audience that included the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Mr Andrew Ford, development partner representatives as well as some of the women who featured in the films.

The films, featuring successful Tongan women in various industry sectors, is the outcome of NUDSP workshops addressing gender-related employment issues. A key issue raised in these workshops was the need for women to feel welcome, secure, respected and supported in the workplace, in order to succeed. The Women of Tonga films provide real-life examples of how this can be achieved.
In his key note address, High Commissioner Ford acknowledged the celebratory way gender issues were addressed in the films and paid tribute to the achievements of Tongan women in the Tongan workforce. His Excellency also informed the audience that the films will be broadcast via social media and the internet and will also be distributed free to every high school in Tonga.
Tonga Skills supports gender equality through supporting the development of a more inclusive skills system. It enables access to skills development activities across Tonga to enable people to improve their ability to increase income and employment in different sectors such as tourism, handicraft manufacturing, agriculture and construction. To date more than 50% of participants in these activities have been women and Tonga Skills will continue to provide and support activities targeting women’s economic growth.

Tonga Skills is an Australian Government investment, working in partnership with the Tonga Ministry of Education and Training to support inclusive economic growth through skills development in Tonga.