Faamanatu 'Molly' Nielsen was disappointed that she would be missing the International Women's Day festivities in her home country of Samoa this year, but was lucky enough to pass by the University of Sydney's Great Hall as the International Women's Day morning tea was being held on Monday.

Molly is part of a delegation of Samoan and Papua New Guineans who are currently visiting the University of Sydney for a three-week workshop on climate change. Whilst she is visiting Sydney, Samoa is holding their own International Women's Day activities, the first year that they have done so according to Molly.

"Back home they are celebrating International Women's Day for the first time. It is initiated and coordinated by the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development. We also have many activities around mothers day back home which showcase women's talents."

Molly says she has never found that being a woman has held her back. And her role as Senior Capacity Building Officer with the Ministry for Natural Resources and Environment is testament to that.

Molly was an English teacher for a number of years before deciding to study a Bachelor of Arts at the National University of Samoa. She started working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in 2005 after finishing her degree and has risen through the ranks since then. Now she helps to develop educational materials on environmental sustainability for primary and secondary school children.

This year she was selected for an AusAID Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship which allowed her to travel to Australia for the program she is currently attending, Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change in the Pacific. The delegation will be attending workshops and site visits to learn more about climate change policy and best practices adopted in Australia.

Molly says that gender equality in Samoa is very positive.

"I think we all have the same quality of opportunities as the men. There is a one-third representation of women in our parliament, and out of the thirteen government ministries half of the CEOs are women. We have good opportunities for education, careers, family, and opportunities to discover the whole world - such as me being here in Sydney. We have the opportunity to have a say - look at us here, out of the Samoan participants in our delegation, there are four women and one man."

"Women are the backbone of every Samoan family. It's true, you know what they say- behind every great man is a great woman!"

Contact: Kristi Maroc