I Choose To Challenge

Runte Likiafu manages the portfolio of Skills, Climate Change and Private Sector Development for the Australian High Commission in Tonga.

Runte is amongst twenty-three women from across the Indo-Pacific to be awarded a Meryl Williams Fellowship by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in 2021. The Fellowship supports women in agriculture science across the Pacific to build their leadership skills and make an impact, contributing to gender equity and better research outcomes across the region.

This year’s International Women’s Day is especially important to Runte, who has been examining her own perspective on gender equity.

“I Choose to Challenge’ by Runte Likiafu

This month, I am celebrating International Women’s Day with my family, colleagues and community. We can all choose to challenge and call-out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to celebrate the wonderful achievements and contributions of women.  

I challenge that Women are equal in any home, organisation, society and country.

I challenge to say that without presence of Women, life is boring with no beauty, no competition, no challenges.

This year’s IWD is very special for me. Becoming a Meryl Williams Fellow has given me the motivation to challenge my own ignorance. I have chosen to celebrate International Women’s Day with compassion, by talking with my family, colleagues and community about the ways in which women contribute to our society and taking photo’s that demonstrate this contribution. I hope you enjoy these images and agree with me that women are equal in being amongst the most clever, beautiful, loving, hard-working and wonderful creatures in this universe.

I celebrate my mother and all mothers for holding such an important and inspiring role.

I celebrate our daughters for their contributions to our society

I choose to challenge that Women can also be bee keepers.

I choose to challenge that women hold an equally important role in raising our boys.

I choose to challenge that Women are equally great educators for students.

I celebrate the Women that work in the Health Sector and their male colleagues.

I celebrate Women’s role in supporting family and church.

I celebrate the warm love and food on the family table that women bring.

I choose to challenge that more Women be accepted into male dominated sectors and roles, including as CEO’s and agricultural exporters.

I choose to Challenge that Women play an important role in the future of our children.

I Choose to challenge that Women are competitive, strong sports players.