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Tonga’s Catholic Women’s League marched to Parliament on Tuesday to present a petition asking the government not to ratify the United Nation’s Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Parliament opens 28 May. The government announced to the UN in March this year that it intended to ratify CEDAW.
The main reasons for their opposition is that they believe that the convention, which seeks to eliminate discrimination against women, clashes with their Christian faith and does not concur with the fundamental values of Tonga’s family life.
Lady ‘Ainise Sevele, the Assistant President of Tonga’s Catholic Women’s League with the Vicar-General Monsignor Lutoviko Finau and other church members led the march of about 300 people. Lady Sevele said the petition had more than 2000 signatories.
The government has faced mounting pressure since announcing it would ratify CEDAW.
Three separate christian groups have submitted petitions to parliament objecting to the ratification process with many worried it would open the door for same sex marriage and abortion.
MP Samiu Vaipulu is putting forward a parliamentary resolution asking the Tongan government to stop going ahead with the ratification.
Vaipulu says the people have done all they can and now the issue is between parliament and the government.
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