Therese Kaetavara, Women's MP for South Bougainville Photo: Facebook
Five years ago, Therese Kaetavara chose to follow the same path as her son, Emmanuel Carlos Kaetavara, and seek a seat in the Aonomous Bougainville Parliament.
Both were successful then, and both are standing again, hoping to return as MPs after the 2025 Bougainville general election on 4 September.
Therese, a longtime advocate for women's rights, is aiming to retain her South Bougainville women's reserved seat.
RNZ Pacific asked her how the last five years have gone.
(This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.)
Therese Kaetavara: Well, it's been quite a journey.
Don Wiseman: What would you say you've achieved in that five years?
TK: In these last five years, I think because I am mostly focused on women, working with women, I feel that I have achieved quite a bit.
I have worked hard trying to raise women and to attend it where they can economically sustain themselves.
DW: What were you doing that would help that happen?
TK: That's a good question. There is quite a few things that I have actually been helping the women with, especially helping them set up projects, like livelihood projects, projects that women actually work with, day in, day out, something that they know how to handle. They know how to manage.
DW: You're now going into a second election in your South Bougainville Women's Seat. What do you expect and what are you hoping for?
TK: I am re-contesting because I am defending the seat that I am sitting on, and my dream is to continue on with the work that I have started already.
I just like to brief you a little on what I am doing. I like to just move on with empowering the women, encouraging them to continue supporting the journey that we have. Just want to continue to encourage my women to strengthen them, to continue to support the political independence and the economic development of Bougainville.
DW: Have you noticed a change? Have things changed over the five year period?
TK: It has taken quite a while, and the change that is actually coming through has taken quite a bit of time, but it is coming through, and we are moving little by little.
But change is sure and it is certain. It is happening. There is change happening.
I see that in my women, as well, as I continue to encourage them, empower them, do capacity building and all that, and through the help that I continue to give there's more women coming in, through SMEs and all that.
Qith the gender balance in the second tier government, there's a lot of changes that have happened politically and economically.
DW: The government has its eye on independence for Bougainville by 2027. Amongst your constituents how important is that, do you think?
TK: It is very important. I see that in the region that I represent that is taken really seriously amongst the women community, or even the community as a whole, that's taken seriously, and that's been worked on.
The area that I actually am responsible for, everything that I do is towards building my women towards that journey, and that is recognised, throughout, because there's quite a lot of work that we do, quite a lot of awareness that's been going on, and everybody knows where we are heading.
