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The Environment

This was broadly defined as the physical environment (natural resources such as land, water, etc) and the total social environment, (political structures, power relationships, decision-making), which affected use of the physical environment and resources. On questions of political power, it was agreed that women did have power in Pacific societies when they were consulted before decisions were made, on land for example. The workshop debated whether this was real power or influence – some participants thought that traditional relationships between men and women were misinterpreted by outsiders; other thought that though women were consulted in decision making, this did not constitute real power if women were not given responsibility for the final decision. The statement sometimes made about how women had power in traditional societies, was compared by one participant to a male politician proudly stating he had a good wife behind him, yet he remained the person holding the position and making decisions! Until women had an equal say, it was argued, women did not have equal power in traditional or modern society. Participants' views produced a useful exchange on experiences of women in decision-making in the village.