We, Pacific women have a place in science: Helena Puamau’s call for inclusion and leadership

At the Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT), Helena Puamau, who’s a  Technician - Genebank (In-Vitro) at the Land Resources Division at SPC, spends her days conserving, multiplying, and distributing some of the region’s most important plant genetic resources.

From taro and cassava to vanilla, pineapple, and swamp taro, her work as a genebank lab technician ensures that Pacific communities continue to have access to diverse, climate-resilient crops. Crops that will carry future generations through the challenges of food insecurity and a changing climate.

Helena’s reflection on the 16 days of activism

When reflecting on the 16 Days of Activism, which begin on 25 November and run until 10 December, Helena sees it as more than an international campaign to end gender-based violence.

For her, it is a reminder that: “Dignity and equality should be everyday norms where no one is judged, limited, or dismissed because of their gender.”

She shares that harmful narratives still linger in society with assumptions that women are less capable, less deserving of leadership, or expected to “fit” into narrow roles.

She believes that we must challenge this thinking, raise more awareness, and create spaces where everyone - women, men, and gender-diverse people are valued equally.

She describes the barriers many women face, such as discrimination, inequality, domestic violence, and the everyday pressures that quietly limit their voices.

“A safe and respectful workplace is one where women can come to work without being micromanaged, where they can express opinions freely, and where their confidence is not policed through comments about modesty or ‘systems' that cannot be challenged,” she said.

“These mindsets hold workplaces back, and change begins with unlearning, listening, and making room for new perspectives.”

Her perspective through a Land Resources Division (LRD) lens

Working in LRD has shown Helena the power of those perspectives. She sees more Pacific women in laboratories, in the field, and in agricultural science than she ever imagined.

At CePaCT, women are conserving the region’s genetic resources, protecting its food systems, and shaping the future of agriculture. She sees this community as a powerful force, with role models who show young girls that Pacific women belong in science, can lead, innovate, and safeguard the Pacific’s resilience.

Across the Pacific, women carry deep knowledge about crops and how they survive storms. Without women’s voices, genetic resource collections risk losing irreplaceable knowledge that strengthens resilience, enriches science, and grounds it in real community needs.

“Women bring emotional intelligence, cultural insight, and a deep understanding of household realities, qualities that make agricultural research more effective. They also make it easier for other women to access support and information, reducing vulnerability and strengthening food and nutrition security across the region,” she said.

Her message to Pacific women is the following:

“We have a place in science; we are the backbone of our Pacific’s future. The knowledge being passed down from our grandmothers, every seed we plant, every field we step into, and every meristem we multiply is an act of leadership that will shape our Pacific communities to be stronger, healthier, and resilient.”

“I would encourage Pacific women to keep taking up spaces in the agriculture fields, in the laboratories, in farms, and in classrooms where Pacific perspectives can meet science, where their voices can be heard.”

Helena believes that men also have a role in creating this future. She encourages men to express healthy masculinity through listening, supporting women’s leadership, valuing women as equal partners, and showing emotional intelligence.

“Ending gender-based violence requires everyone to reflect, reset, and rebuild new norms.”

She hopes that SPC continues nurturing a workplace where Pacific women and girls feel safe, respected, and supported. A place that shows the region what a truly inclusive future looks like.