Date: 30 Jan 2024
Principal, Baldwin Lonsdale Memorial School, Sola, Torba Province, Vanuatu
Enshrined in Vanuatu’s National Gender Equality Policy is the importance of ensuring women’s full and effective participation in leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life. However, despite the progress in women’s education, and increased women’s participation in the labour force in Vanuatu, strong gender norms regarding women’s roles often lead people to prefer men in leadership positions. This also translates to the slow progress in increasing women’s representation in political institutions.1
Olivia Keith is the Principal of Baldwin Lonsdale Memorial School in Sola, the provincial headquarters of Torba Province. Already a leader in her community, in October 2022 Olivia agreed to be featured in the Tru the Lens film series produced by Balance of Power (BOP). However, she did not anticipate the film having significant impact beyond shining a light on her story as a woman leader in education.
The film was launched at a large community event on Rah Island, where Olivia and her family live, in April 2023. The launch attracted a huge audience, including many who travelled to Rah from Sola and other parts of the province. Over 200 people gathered in the community field to witness this launch hosted by the chiefs from Rah Island. Speeches were made by representatives of the Australian High Commission, the Ministry of Education and Training and Balance of Power.
So compelling was the film’s presentation of Olivia’s achievements that at the end of the launch event she was given a traditional kastom name by the chiefs, in recognition of her leadership. The chief explained,
”The highest rank for women is the one I gave last night to Olivia, which is ‘Moteilap’. In the past, women had a kastom of their own, whereby as they lived, they had to reach a certain stage to be able to receive a name like the one I gave last night, because they are highly prestigious women. Becauseshe is already a leader among women here, we are giving her that name, and we are honoured to give that name to her as a kastom name from our island of Motalava”.
Being given a traditional name by the chiefs and elders of her community not only solidified and legitimised her role as a woman leader in her community, but also catalysed public appreciation and recognition from her family. This was most noticeable from her brothers, who hold high status roles in their community and in the Anglican church. During the formal name-giving ceremony, they stood behind her, not in front, i.e., a powerful symbol of their recognition of her status.
The BOP Tru the Lens film profile of Olivia was a turning point, prompting Olivia’s family and her community to realise and then legitimise Olivia as a women leader. Going beyond the enthusiasm for the film and the increased understanding of Olivia’s contributions in her professional role as school Principal, the significant kastom action suggests that there are also shifts in how she (and perhaps, women more generally) are being seen in leaders outside of their professions. As the Chief who bestowed the kastom name on her said:
“Following the speeches from last night and the video that we watched, we decided to give her that rank because of all the good works that she is doing. Even though she is a woman, she holds a position that many of us do not have,as a principal of a school.”
1 National Gender Equality Policy 2020-2030, Department of Women’s Affairs, Government of Republic of Vanuatu.