Cook Islands women have significantly outperformed global averages in business leadership roles, according to a new report, but gender parity remains elusive in higher political positions.

The Cook Islands women, particularly those in leadership positions and in the business industry, have once again dominated global and regional standards, according to a recent report by the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI).

Titled “Leadership Matters 2024: Benchmarking Women in Business Leadership in the Pacific”, the report builds on the foundation set in the 2021 “Leadership Matters” report and monitors progress in women’s roles as board directors, chairs, deputy chairs and chief executive officers across 14 Pacific nations.

According to Sarah Boxall, PSDI’s economic empowerment of women expert, since 2021, women’s representation in business leadership roles in the Cook Islands has increased in most metrics and continues to outpace global averages.

Boxall attributed this growth to inclusive corporate policies, increased support from families and communities, and a growing number of talented women rising to leadership positions and mentoring others.

The report also highlights that the average percentage of women directors in the Pacific climbed from 21 per cent in 2021 to 26 per cent in 2024, just above the 2023 global average of 23 per cent. In the Cook Islands, this figure surged from 32 per cent to 40 per cent over the same period. 

Women’s representation as CEOs in the Cook Islands also saw an increase, rising from 27 per cent to 29 per cent, well above the regional average of 20 per cent and the global average of 6 per cent. 

The percentage of boards with gender parity in the Cook Islands grew from 17 per cent in 2021 to 38 per cent in 2024.

Ombudsman Niki Rattle, the former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, said it was absolutely pleasing to read the success of women in business in the Cook Islands.

“I am not surprised!” Rattle said women of the Cook Islands are resourceful in so many ways that stem from their cultural upbringing of learning the things of the home.

“In my Manihiki upbringing, women are considered to be able to take on any task, do anything they are faced with … ‘na mea o te fare’ in simple translation, the things of the home, meaning knowing who you are and what you are about, where you come and what makes you and your culturally inbred self that is your foundation!

“I do believe that is the beginning for many women in learning from the grassroots that transform into the confidence of trading and setting up a business because part of your leadership within the home is being able to care and nurture your family through your own innate abilities and the love of your people, those around you and the desire to care, love your own and expanding to others and eventually the nation.”

Liana Scott, president of the Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council, also welcomed the report and said it was fantastic to see the Cook Islands leading the way in women in business leadership.

Scott, who is also the general manager of the Muri Beach Club Hotel, says Cook Islands women are very entrepreneurial, many have their own businesses, and they perform well under pressure.  

“Women are very much seen as equals, even in the homes, women are budgeting the income to ration for the week, while juggling activities for the kids and working full time,” said the former Miss South Pacific 1999-2000.

“Growing up, I was fortunate enough to come from a family that worked hard and shared tasks equally – in fact I remember mum being out on the road and Dad did most of the cooking at home. I guess subconsciously that may have contributed towards my direction and confidence in accepting roles of leadership.

“A few of my nieces have roles in Perth in the mining field, so I feel the stigma of his job vs her job continues to diminish.”

Dr Debi Futter-Puati, University of the South Pacific (USP) Cook Islands campus director, said the gender composition of tertiary education at the campus reflected similar statistics “in that far more women than men work tirelessly at improving their skills through tertiary qualifications”.

“They do this while multi-tasking their studies with other responsibilities such as raising their families and working full time. Just yesterday (last week) a new graduate shared with me that while she completed her degree she got married, worked full time, built a house and became the mother of four children,” Futter-Puati said.

“Research clearly indicates that those that attain tertiary qualifications increase their socio-economic status, as well as improve the likelihood of improved socio-economic status of their families and increasing the likelihood that they will go on to do tertiary education.”

However, she pointed out that while there has been improvement in women’s business leadership, there is still work to be done to achieve gender equity.

The report also indicated that men still occupy the majority of board director positions and CEO roles in the Cook Islands, with only 15 per cent of board chair positions held by women in 2024, a decrease from 25 per cent in 2021. 

Cook Islands also has seven female MPs, one short of a third of the 24-member Parliament. The country has one female Minister in the six-member Cabinet and a female Associate Minister and Assistant Minister.

Futter-Puati said: “We see that the rise in women directors and CEOs does not translate into a rise for other areas of leadership and decision making, such as gender equity in Cabinet for example.”

“However, we need to celebrate this success and congratulate these incredible businesswomen making significant impacts to our economy and acting as role models to other women.”

Scott also said it would be nice to see a few more women in Parliament, “but as a whole, more and more women are putting their hand up and stepping forward with confidence and I applaud this!”

Rattle, a passionate advocate for gender equality in Parliament, says there remains a huge gap in the highest decision-making body of the nation, Parliament.

This is where the most important decisions are made for the welfare, security, safety, prosperity and advancement with equity for all people, including the Pa Enua. Women are needed to balance the power and achieve gender equality in decision-making at this level, she said.

“In my view, there should be equal number of women and men in Parliament as after all half of our population – women – are not equally represented in the highest house of decision making and some of the very successful young businesswomen would be excellent to step up and change the dynamics of the powers of decision making.”

Data for the report was collected from 397 organisations across ADB’s 14 Pacific developing member countries, supplemented by insights from over 350 Pacific business leaders through surveys and interviews.