A group of feminists in the Pacific are calling for the United Nations to pull the plug on the world's biggest annual meeting for women, due to begin next week in New York.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
The Commission on the Status of Women meeting has been planned for over a year, with more than 100 Pacific feminists, researchers and leaders set to rub shoulders with thousands of global delegates over two weeks of sessions.
Leading pacific gender activists including Fiji's Shamima Ali, Sharon Baghwan Rolls and Noeleen Nabulivou released a joint statement today.
They do not recommend travel to New York for the commission meeting given the high risk of covid-19 infection.
They say en route quarantine restrictions are becoming worse and will cause cost blowouts for Pacific travellers.
The joint communique hopes to draw more public support by the time organisers of the meeting take a vote in New York tomorrow.
UN organisers put out a statement over the weekend saying the covid-19 situation is forcing a plan B vote.
They will decide between a smaller, localised meeting for next week or the postponed global event for late 2020.