SOUTH TARAWA, Kiribati — Throughout the world, societies grapple with a persistent question: Why does meaningful social change often prove elusive, even when policies are in place and good intentions abound? In Kiribati, this question has particular urgency with respect to the equality of women and men.
“National policies alone are insufficient,” reflected Quddus Akura Terubentau, of the Office of External Affairs of the Bahá’ís of Kiribati, in a conversation with the News Service.
“While the country has embraced equality of men and women at the national level, cultural and family norms persist in ways that hinder its full realization,” he said.
Mr. Terubentau added: “The path forward requires a dual approach: strengthening grassroots initiatives to address cultural barriers and ensuring that national-level efforts are meaningfully integrated into local contexts.”
This persistent gap between policy and practice prompted the Office to engage government officials, civil society leaders, and technologists in ongoing conversations to explore how families can foster environments that support the well-being of all its members in a rapidly changing world.
A discussion forum recently convened by the Office of External Affairs brought some of these diverse perspectives together.
Family and cultural barriers
The conversation explored various pressures on family life. Retired Member of Parliament Beta Turpin observed that when parents rely heavily on authoritarian approaches to discipline, or when the many competing demands on families’ time leave less space for meaningful connection with children, it can become challenging to cultivate equality and mutual respect within the home.
Information technologist Kanaan Ngutu pointed to new pressures facing families at a time of rapid technological change. “Social media is influencing children in ways that sometimes normalize behaviors once considered inappropriate,” he observed.
“Parents are often distracted by work or by their own devices—they are less present to guide their children,” said Mr. Ngutu.
Yet, he emphasized that the solution is not to reject technology. “Children must not be deprived of the opportunities that technology provides, but must be supported, accompanied, and guided so they are able to thrive with it.”
“Many families find themselves practicing patterns that, upon reflection, they recognize as harmful. But without opportunities for reflection, people may not see how certain norms are contributing to wider challenges. This is where spaces for thoughtful dialogue become so important.”
Quddus Akura Terubentau, Office of External Affairs of Kiribati
Rusila Tekamotiata, Gender Equality Program Manager at the Australian High Commission in Kiribati, emphasized an obstacle confronting many societies. “Within families, women—particularly older women—are sometimes the strongest defenders of traditional male dominance,” she said.
Ms. Tekamotiata added: “For meaningful change to take root, transformation must begin at home.”
“Many families find themselves practicing patterns that, upon reflection, they recognize as harmful,” Mr. Terubentau added.
“But without opportunities for reflection, people may not see how certain norms are contributing to wider challenges. This is where spaces for thoughtful dialogue become so important.”
A question of authority and nobility
The consultation turned to deeper questions: What conditions allow people to bring about genuine change in their lives and communities, and why can that change sometimes prove so difficult, even when its importance is understood?
“There is a common assumption in many societies that change must be driven by external pressure,” Mr. Terubentau explains. “We see this pattern in various institutions—whether through legal penalties, social sanctions, or the threat of exclusion from community. These approaches all rely on authority to compel behavior.”
The underlying problem, he suggests, is a limited view of human capacity. “This thinking assumes people cannot change because they are not seen as noble beings. But they are spiritual beings with a higher nature that can help them transcend limitations.”
This shift—from seeing people as needing external control to recognizing their inherent nobility—reshapes how institutions relate to communities and individuals.
“When we see people as noble beings, communication changes. There is respect, because institutions are addressing noble souls,” said Mr. Terubentau.
Glimpses of change
The Office sees this understanding reflected in neighborhoods where Bahá’í community-building activities are flourishing. Families are learning to consult together—not through debate, but through respectful listening. In such a process children’s voices are valued and men share responsibilities once seen as women’s roles, and rigid divisions give way to cooperation.
“Our efforts are humble, but we are witnessing change,” Mr. Terubentau said. “In families which are studying and applying the Bahá’í teachings, such as those about consultation, husbands and wives become true partners. They make decisions together and support one another equally.”
He continued, “These patterns also influence service beyond the home. Many husbands and wives are engaged together in activities for the betterment of society—challenging the norm that women should remain confined to domestic life. Where this partnership exists, experiences of violence are notably reduced or absent altogether.
“When husbands and wives consult on the goals of their family—how to work together and include their children’s views—they create unity,” said Mr. Terubentau.
Through regular consultation, families reflect on their progress, share challenges, and identify ways to support one another.
“Each person brings a unique perspective,” he explained. “When these are harmonized—including those of children—the family becomes stronger.”
Participation in Bahá’í moral and spiritual educational programs reinforces these habits.
By learning to listen, empathize, and collaborate, individuals carry these capacities into family life, into places of work, and ultimately into society, making it a more unified and purposeful experience.
A path forward
The emerging experiences from community-building efforts and national conversations with social actors offer insights into how lasting change can come about.
“Policies matter, but they cannot substitute for the learning that happens within families and communities.” That learning—rooted in recognizing the nobility of every person—reveals how authority can be reimagined.
“True authority, from this perspective, lies not in control but in fostering trust, reflection, and cooperation,” said Mr. Terubentau.
