Last week Pacifica Inc launched its first online survey designed to capture the experiences of Pacific Island women in New Zealand.
The organisation, headed by Dunedin-based president the Rev Alofa Lale, is a non-profit that provides opportunities and assistance to Pacific Island women across the country.
Mrs Lale said it was a unique opportunity for them to tell their own stories.
The information would give the organisation insight into the health, education, family status and spiritual needs of Pacifika women, which would be used to determine what areas need work.
It would also be used in its report to the United Nations next year.
Pacifica Inc was granted Economic and Social Council status in 2021, the first Pacific peoples’ organisation in the country to be awarded the honour, she said.
Not only would Pacific Island women be able to tell their stories in New Zealand, but now to the whole world.
It was a "hugely" empowering thing.
"Often we have stories written about us and not from us."
Growing up Pacific New Zealanders often fell into a routine of living while trying to maintain a sense of culture, faith and identity in a land that was away from their ethnic culture.
However as time went on there was a growing awareness of systematic issues that Pacifika women faced, such as pay inequality.
"There’s a lot more to it than we thought."
This survey would help the organisation understand how people felt about their situations in New Zealand.
It planned to publish a report with the findings by February next year, she said.
The survey is available online and open until November 21.
