She Leads Fale Alea 2022 in its final session passed all its agenda items;
- Building Control and Standards Amendment Bill 2022
- Motion for an Order for Temporary Special Measures
- Petition to lower voting age
SLF MPs unanimously passed the Building Control and Standards Amendment Bill 2022.
27 young girl MPs supported the Motion for an Order for a Temporary Special Measures in place for allocation of reserved seats in Parliament for women.
And on the voting petition, 16 voted in support of it while 9 MPs were against it.
SLF also passed a petition which is a call for amendment of the law to lower the national voting age from 21 to 18.
SLF young girls this week practice their debate and discussion on the above-mentioned issues in a parliamentary setting with the Lord Speaker chairing it on the first and final sitting days.
SLF Hon. Prime Minister, ‘Ilaisaane Fakatoumafi and other MPs including the Whole House Committee Chair Rose Koloti released the outcome statement during a Mock Press Conference with the Media.
A roundtable session with the Lord Speaker was conducted in the final session with young females voicing some of the issues that they are interested in or affects them. Issues raised includes study opportunities for the youth, land matters, drugs and alcohol related and social problems among matters raised during the roundtable session with the Speaker.
In seeking the Speaker’s advice for the youth empowerment in Tonga, Lord Fakafanua urged the young participants to make it a priority to live a Godly life, study hard and finish from school so they can have a good future and provide for themselves.
Love your neighbor and not selfish as Tonga is different from any other countries where everyone is family. The Speaker also advised the young adults to be respectful with each other as our Tongan values of loving and sharing with each other, brings peace, harmony and stability in Tonga.
His last word of encouragement for the participants, Lord Fakafanua stressed the importance of getting their voices heard in Parliament. Secondly, good education paves the way for a better tomorrow for them.
On politics, the Speaker urged them to vote wisely and to ensure their elected MPs delivers their promises made during election campaign.
The SLF initiative is an annual program which expose, encourage and empower young women to participate in the political processes and boosting women’s leadership potential.
SLF youngest participant was, 18-year-old Talei Folaumoetu’i. She says it is a rewarding experience to join this year’s event. Joining other girl MPs on the very first day, Ms. Folaumoetu’i was excited to learn more about the roles and functions of Parliament. Now after joining the two-week long program, she is more interested to become a politician in the future.
Meanwhile 22-year-old SLF Niuas Noble Representative Makeleta Vaiomo’unga of Ovaka Vava’u said she was so excited to be part of the program to empower women. The Niuas Noble Representative was also appreciative the chance to actually sit on the MPs chair in the Parliament’s Chamber and experience what is it like to be a MP in real life.
Ms. Vaiomo’unga shared she has learnt that becoming a Member of Parliament is not an easy job. However, she was grateful for the opportunity to join SLF's event because of the importance of getting women into Parliament and for their voices be heard in the political decision making.
She Leads Fale Alea 2022 wraps up with the presentation of certificates to the participants.