Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

5
Strategies
In relation to <strong>the</strong> range <strong>of</strong> housing and land issues identified during <strong>the</strong> Consultation, <strong>the</strong> following
strategies to advocate for women’s rights to adequate housing and land at different levels were identified.
5.1 Local Level
• Empower women to be vocal and to challenge <strong>the</strong> barriers raised by custom and tradition;
• Promote women’s right to land as a specific <strong>the</strong>me;
“Telekia is a widow and is Melial<strong>of</strong>a’s niece. Telekia’s fa<strong>the</strong>r is Melial<strong>of</strong>a’s only bro<strong>the</strong>r
and <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>the</strong> only children <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir fa<strong>the</strong>r Tanei from <strong>the</strong> island <strong>of</strong> Funafuti. Telekia’s
fa<strong>the</strong>r married Mili from <strong>the</strong> island <strong>of</strong> Nanumea and <strong>the</strong>y have lived <strong>the</strong>re ever since. Several
years after her fa<strong>the</strong>r and husband died, Telekia and her children toge<strong>the</strong>r with her sisters
migrated to <strong>the</strong> capital island <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir fa<strong>the</strong>r. On arrival, Telekia and her sisters consulted
<strong>the</strong>ir aunt Melial<strong>of</strong>a who is <strong>the</strong> caretaker <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir family lands, and were given a small
portion <strong>of</strong> land in <strong>the</strong>ir village to build a home for <strong>the</strong>mselves. Years passed and Telekia
and her sisters realised that <strong>the</strong>y needed to build more houses for <strong>the</strong>ir children as
Telekia’s house had become too small for <strong>the</strong>m. Again Telekia and her sisters approached
<strong>the</strong>ir aunt and requested for some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> family lands to be given to <strong>the</strong>m to build <strong>the</strong>ir
houses, but <strong>the</strong>ir aunt refused.
Telekia continued to fight for her fa<strong>the</strong>r’s share <strong>of</strong> family lands. She filed a complaint in
<strong>the</strong> Land Court that her family land be equally divided between her fa<strong>the</strong>r and her aunt.
The Land Court did not approve as <strong>the</strong>re was not enough land to be divided, and also
because Telekia and her sisters did not contribute to community functions <strong>of</strong> Funafuti
people. Telekia was not happy so she appealed to <strong>the</strong> Appeals Panel. The Appeals Panel
agreed that <strong>the</strong> family lands be divided equally between Telekia’s fa<strong>the</strong>r and his sister
Melial<strong>of</strong>a. Telekia’s fa<strong>the</strong>r received 50% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir family lands that were situated at <strong>the</strong>
far nor<strong>the</strong>rn part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> island where one would be required to travel by bus or taxi to
<strong>the</strong> main settlement.
Telekia is unemployed and is 64 years old and is living with her mentally retarded son <strong>of</strong>
16 years. The eviction, change <strong>of</strong> location and resettlement has created hardship. Telekia
was evicted from her house, which she had built from scratch. She was moved to o<strong>the</strong>r
lands and told to build a new house, but she had no money to buy <strong>the</strong> materials and no
one to help her build a new house. The o<strong>the</strong>r land is in <strong>the</strong> far north <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> island, where
<strong>the</strong>re are no nearby services for her mentally disabled son. She is unemployed and
accessing services elsewhere is too costly. Telekia believes she has been unfairly treated
and she has appealed to <strong>the</strong> <strong>High</strong> Court <strong>of</strong> Tuvalu for <strong>the</strong>ir family lands to be redistributed
so she can have some lands in <strong>the</strong> main settlement.” (Susie Saitala K<strong>of</strong>e, Tuvalu)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 49