
The PITAA-NTO Women in Tax Pilot Mentorship Programme officially concluded on Thursday, 26 June 2025, during a public webinar co-hosted by the Network of Tax Organisations (NTO) and the Addis Tax Initiative (ATI), titled “Empowering Women in Taxation: The Role of Women-led Networks.” This milestone event marked the formal closure of the six-month pilot programme, which was jointly launched in 2024 by NTO and its members, including the Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association (PITAA) and CREDAF.
Implemented under the NTO and facilitated by the International Tax Compact (ITC), the PITAA Women in Tax Pilot Mentorship Programme ran from December 2024 to May 2025. It aimed to support the leadership development of women working in Pacific tax administrations through a structured mentoring framework involving monthly webinars and mentor-mentee interactions. Together with the CREDAF initiative, the two pilot programmes engaged more than 80 women from affiliated tax administrations — a significant step forward in regional efforts to advance gender equality in the tax field.
The virtual closing webinar brought together ATI and NTO members and featured testimonials from participants of both the PITAA and CREDAF programmes. It provided a valuable platform for reflecting on lessons learned, sharing experiences, and amplifying the voices of women in tax.
In his keynote remarks, Mr. Petero Maivucevuce, Head of the PITAA Secretariat, commended all participants for their dedication and underscored the broader significance of the programme:
“Thanks to your commitment and active engagement, we are beginning to see the fruits of our vision. Whether you have had smooth progress or had to overcome challenges, your participation has been the heart of this programme. You have helped lay the foundation for something bigger—a movement towards gender equity, leadership development, and regional collaboration in the tax field.”
Mr. Maivucevuce also highlighted that while the pilot had formally concluded, PITAA viewed this as the beginning of a wider initiative — envisioning the creation of a Pacific Women in Tax Network. This emerging network aims to foster ongoing peer learning, professional development, and leadership among women tax professionals across the region.
The event encouraged participants to build on the momentum by setting new leadership goals, fostering peer-to-peer support, and sharing their learnings within their respective organisations. As part of the programme’s wrap-up, participants were also invited to submit final feedback and reflections to inform the next phase of PITAA’s gender equity and leadership efforts.
PITAA extends its heartfelt appreciation to all mentors, mentees, and partners — particularly the NTO, ITC, CREDAF, and regional tax administrations — for their collective efforts in making this pilot a success. This collaboration has helped lay the groundwork for meaningful and sustained progress toward inclusive, effective, and gender-responsive tax administration across the Pacific.