Yap Women's Association

Yap Women's Association is a women's rights organisation in Yap State, in the Federated States of Micronesia. Founded in 1955 as a non-profit, it works to provide resources for women in the state.

Background

The Yap Women's Association was founded in 1955 as a non-profit initiative to represent women's groups in Yap State.^[1] One of its founders was nurse and activist Anna Falgog, who brought together women who worked in government to set up a women's group.^[2]

Programmes

The YWA acts as an intermediary between the national government and local groups.^[3] As reported in 1992, the YWA could provide catering and dancers for events targeted at tourists.^[4] In 1995 the YWA supported the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries and Archives Conference and was represented by Laura Tiningdad.^[5] As of 2001, a member of the YWA served each year on the Yap Day committee.^[6] In 2009, the association supported the creation of the Neighboring Islands Women Association, to deliver services for the outer islands surrounding Yap. The initiative was led by Irene Futumai.^[7]

As of 2013, seventy-three groups were registered with the association.^[1] In 2017, the Chinese government gave the association a grant of $120,000 to fund the construction of a new building.^[8] Between 2015 and 2019, assistant attorney general Rachelle Bergeron, who was later murdered, worked closely with and updated the bye-laws of the YWA.^[9][10] In 2018, the YWA hosted Baklai Temengil and Jennifer Chieng in the run-up to the 2018 MicroGames.^[11]

As of 2020, the president of the YWA was Laura Ngaden.^[9] In 2013, she was the State Electoral Commissioner.^[12]