The Tonga Statistics Department held its first survey on gender and environment in the Kingdom from 31 October 2022 to 24 December 2022. One of the key elements to successfully completing this survey was the effort of its enumerators who work tirelessly to overcome the challenges and obstacles to warrant the collection of data is accurate and complete. This is their story.
Date: December 2022
Interviewer: Montira Narkvichien
Velangilala Paletu’a
Velangilala Paletu’a, 37, is among 27 enumerators of Tonga Statistics Department tasked with doing the first survey on gender and environment in Tonga from 31 October to 24 December 2022. Velangilala and three other enumerators surveyed 300 households on Ha’apai island, where she was born. Tonga was hit in January 2022 by a Tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption. The UN Women-supported survey detailed how women and men manage natural resources, deal with hazards and the consequences of climate change and conserve the environment. UN Women gave training to the enumerators on how to do the survey.
Carter Pasikala
Carter Pasikala, 35, is among 27 enumerators of the Tonga Statistics Department tasked with doing the first survey on women and environment. The 31 October-24 December 2022 survey, supported by UN Women, covers 2,541 households on the main island of Tongatapu and outlying islands. It details how women and men manage natural resources, deal with hazards and the consequences of climate change, and other challenges. Tonga was hit in January 2022 by a tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption.
Matafolau Fa’aoa
Matafolau Fa’aoa, 29, is among 27 enumerators of the Tonga Government’s Department of Statistics who are doing the first survey on gender and environment. The 31 October-24 December 2022 survey supported by UN Women, covers 2,541 households on the main island of Tongatapu and outlying islands. It details how women and men manage natural resources, deal with hazards and with the consequences of climate change, among many other areas. Tonga was hit in January 2022 by a tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption. Matafolau is doing the survey on Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga, where she was born.
Moana Kioa
Moana Kioa, 45 is Principal Assistant-Secretary for Disaster Risk Management at the National Emergency Management Office in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. She is a finalist for the 2022 Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction Excellence Leadership Award. She believes the views of women, children and people with disabilities should be at the heart of any response to disasters. Her office will use data from a 31 October-24 December 2022, UN Women-supported survey on gender and the environment in Tonga in December to design a gender-responsive disaster risk management policy.