The group included Magdalene Toroansi, former minister for women from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville; West Papua human rights activist, Olga Hamadi; Solomon Islands youth worker, Veronique Maebiru, and from Fiji, Anareta Apole, Menka Goundan, Alisi Daveta and Justine Maravu.

Fay Volatabu, the general secretary for the National Council of Women, writing in the Fiji Times said "I take my hat off to these women! It's not easy leaving children and families to the care of someone else to go study peace building in another country even if its only for eight weeks. And these are not ordinary women — these are women who feel deeply and are burdened for their countries as evidenced by their postings on Facebook."

The Women's Peace-building Leadership (WPL) Program sponsored the women. It is run by the Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding, and is co-ordinated by National Council of Women Fiji executive, Vani Catanasiga .

Source

• Fiji Times
• Image: sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net