Indigenous women shape safety policy.

Indigenous women shape safety policy. :

"'Work is currently under way into a policy statement on Indigenous community safety, called 'rekindling family relationships', and the opportunity here is for the women to specifically identify projects or initiatives that make them feel safer in their community,' she said."

This is a great break through because I noticed in New Caledonia and Vanuatu that the women in the tribal communities played very strong roles both it upholding their cultural beliefs and moving their tribes to new and better ground. I could not believe how much the women involved themselves in politcal and social issues and how they would meet and have such a strong position and set of "guidelines" from their meetings. I learnt a lot because here,we are often given a role to play, whereas these women were themselves and part of their tribe and they knew their culture, history and aspirations and they could articulate these views and ideas to the wider community. They were the key negotiators in terms of public awareness on both sides of the coin. They could clarify their issues with regard to an economy as well as subsistence village life. They made appeals to government, they worked with school students and took their time to enlighten tourists as well if they were interested. You have to participate and change is action.