Ruby Thoma, born Ruby Dediya in 1949 in

Nauru Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Ki ...

,
Developing a More Facilitating Environment for Women’s Political Participation in Nauru
'',

South Pacific Forum The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between countries and territories of Oceania, including formation of a trade bloc and regional peacekeeping operations. It was founded in 197 ...

is a Nauruan politician. After completing secondary school in Australia, she was trained as a nurse at

Epworth Hospital Epworth HealthCare is a provider of acute medical, surgical and rehabilitation services in Melbourne, Australia. The group has four divisions: Epworth Richmond, Epworth Eastern, Epworth Cliveden, Epworth Freemasons and Epworth Geelong Epwo ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. She graduated from the

University of Otago Christchurch School of Medicine The University of Otago, Christchurch is one of seven component schools that make up the University of Otago Division of Health Sciences. The University of Otago, Christchurch is based primarily at Christchurch Hospital, in Christchurch Central ...

and became a

midwife A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

in Nauru. Entering politics, she stood as a candidate for the 1983 general election, in the Anetan/

Ewa Ewa or EWA may refer to: Places ; Ethiopia * Ewa (woreda) ; Nauru * Ewa District, Nauru ; United States * Eastern Washington, the portion of the state of Washington east of the Cascade Range * ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii, a census-designated place * E ...

constituency. She was supported by a group of women who helped her in her electoral campaign, arguing that voters would benefit from having an educated woman, able to defend the interests of women and children, in

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

; since the country's independence in 1968, all members of Parliament had been men. She encountered resistance, including from female voters who told her that politics should rightly be left to men. She was unsuccessful.

Election to Parliament

Standing as a candidate again in the 1986 general election, she was elected, becoming the first woman MP in the country's history. There were no political parties in Nauru; all members of Parliament sat as independents, constituting informal coalitions.

Minister for Finance and later Parliamentary activity

She joined President Hammer DeRoburt's parliamentary majority, and he appointed her minister, from December 1986 until the government was brought down upon losing the confidence of Parliament in August 1989. Ruby Dediya kept her seat in Parliament in the ensuing general election, but lost it in the 1992 election. She founded the People's Movement Association to oppose what she saw as wasteful public spending by President Bernard Dowiyogo's government. As she was a public sector employee, she was consequently sacked from her position as a midwife. She regained her seat in Parliament in the 1995 general election. She was appointed as Minister Assisting the President of Nauru in the cabinet of

Kennan Adeang Kennan Ranibok Adeang (23 December 1942 – 26 December 2011) was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru for three separate periods during the late 20th century. Born in Nauru, and educated in Australia, including at the Australian ...

from November 1996 to December 1996, and she hold the portfolio of

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

at the same time. However, she lost her seat in 1997. This marked the end of her political career."Nauru: past national women in politics"
Pacific Women in Politics

Historic significance of role

Throughout her career, she was the only woman MP. No other woman was elected to Parliament until Charmaine Scotty became MP for Yaren in the 2013 general election. In the late 2000s, she was appointed to preside the commission tasked with overseeing constitutional reform proposals. The projected reforms were ultimately not implemented, as they were rejected by referendum in February 2010."Summary of the Report of Select Committee on Constitutional Amendment Bills"
government of Nauru, 10 March 2009

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thoma, Ruby 1949 births Living people Members of the Parliament of Nauru Finance Ministers of Nauru People from Anetan District 20th-century women politicians Women government ministers of Nauru Ministers Assisting the President of Nauru Female finance ministers Women vice presidents 20th-century Nauruan politicians