Alison Barrett

In this month’s edition of the Pacific Islands focus column, Isabelle Zhu-Maguire – PhD candidate and Croakey Health Media Member – reports on disaster recovery, new security alliances and renewed calls for the Federal Government to sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Isabelle Zhu-Maguire writes: Approximately 200 people gathered in Fiji in July at the ‘Let’s Talk Periods! Festival’, calling for menstrual health to become a central part of disaster preparedness.

Introduction by Croakey: Pacific Island and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders are calling “for an ambitious, fair and inclusive approach to COP31” and for their voices to be centred in discussions about the climate negotiations and action agenda. At Oceania’s First Voices workshop this week on Ngunnawal Country, Indigenous and community leaders met to discuss shared priorities to take to COP31 in Türkiye in November.

In the latest edition of the Pacific Islands forum column, Isabelle Zhu-Maguire – PhD candidate and Croakey Health Media Member – reports on the impacts of the fuel crisis in the Pacific region, as well as providing an update on dengue fever, gender inequality in politics and a boost for social welfare.