SPC/CRGA 34 Paper Series 2.2 ORIGINAL : ENGLISH

SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY

THIRTY-FOURTH MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIONS (Noumea, , 16-19 November 2004)

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION REPORT

(Paper presented by the Secretariat)

1. The mission of the Social Resources Division (SRD) is defined as: “Working to maximise the development potential of Pacific Island people in health, culture and information, and to enhance the empowerment of women and young people.”

2. The Division comprises a very wide range of programmes and sections, some of which report to the Senior Deputy-Director General, as they too operate from Suva. This report will not try to cover all the SRD’s programmes and sections, but will focus on the rationalisation achieved in the Division’s work and on certain major activities undertaken in 2004. Annex 1 offers a more detailed account of programme activities. 2004 will be remembered for some major initiatives in multiple programme integration.

3. This report highlights four of the main directions pursued by the Division in 2004, in line with the strategic priorities of the SPC Corporate Plan 2003-2005.

4. It has helped member countries and territories build their capacity to base their strategic and policy decisions on quality information, as an essential pre-requisite to good governance.

5 Through enhanced programmes, it has striven to help member countries and territories to effectively combat the recurrent and emerging perils that threaten the health of Pacific Islanders, as recommended by the 2nd Conference of the Pacific Community.

6 It has worked to help construct harmonious Pacific Island societies through the development of strategic, legal and policy frameworks and new skills to permit women and young people to take part in national development through the full expression of their potential and by protecting Pacific identities.

7 It has gone ahead with its appraisal of the impact of regional strategies and its programmes, in order to optimise the impact of its technical input, its advisory capacities and its financial. Paper Series 2.2 Page 2

I – Collecting, disseminating, analysing and utilising quality information

8. The pessimistic diagnosis prevailing for some time now about the quality of the statistical information available in Pacific Island states and territories, whether economic, social or environmental, was confirmed during the regional reporting process on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) coordinated by SPC at the request of UNDP and the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP).

9. The purpose of the Millennium Declaration, a ’ initiative from which the MDG emerged in 2000 and to which the Pacific Island countries have subscribed, was to identify a limited number of key goals at the international level in order to meet the challenges of development and fight increasing poverty in the context of globalisation. The regional report draws on data gathered in 15 Pacific Island states, with the cooperation of National Statistics Offices and other national, CROP and UN agencies. Despite the difficulty of analysing often incomplete and sometimes contradictory data and the major disparities between Pacific Island countries, the report underscores the significant progress achieved in the Pacific Islands region in pursuing the eight MDG, some of which have been reached or even passed in this region. It does, however, also reveal very slow progress in some areas such as the status of women and causes for concern in terms of emerging poverty (or hardship), new public health threats and low achievements in the educational sector (for more information on the report, please see information paper 6).

10. The report also contains recommendations to PICT and regional organisations, urging them to define indicators specific to the particular needs and aspirations of countries of the region.

11. Implementation of the MDG means that the MDG and their relevant targets and indicators are made part of the national planning process. The SPC opted to advocate such a planning and monitoring process when it decided to make the MDG a strategic priority in the 2003-2005 Corporate Plan. In 2004, the Social Resources Division developed an ambitious strategy for this purpose by bringing together most of its technical programmes in the SPC MDG Task Force.

12. The Statistics and Population/Demography programmes have played a key part in SPC’s MDG support work.

13. PRISM, the regional statistical data bank, expanded considerably in 2004. The 19 countries and territories concerned by this project have agreed to compile and publish all the standard indicators, including the MDG-related ones. By providing NSOs with a single system (Adobewriter) and training users in website creation and management, the PRISM team has increased its capacity for swift electronic publishing of statistics. Also, AusAID has decided to commit three further years of funding to this project, which will enable it to consolidate the required skills in member countries and territories so as to sustain PRISM. The excellent PRISM website visitor figures confirm this project’s impact.

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14. The Statistics Programme’s training and technical advisory efforts were kept up in all areas, economic statistics in particular, and will contribute directly and indirectly to the development of PRISM and the advancement of the MDG. The Statistics Programme has also played a leading role in launching the Poverty Fund initiative, financed by the , while hosting two specialists who will help include poverty-measuring parameters in national planning and budget processes and statistical poverty data in the PRISM system.

15. Improving data analysis regarding population and social statistics in general, in connection with recent censuses and demographic profiles, to which it often contributed, were some of the major tasks carried out by the Population/Demography Programme in 5 PICTs in 2004, plus cross- sectoral cooperation within the SRD (Womenn’s Bureau, Adolescent Reproductive Health)

16. The Population Geographical Information System initiative is being pursued. It enables planners and other decision-makers to be more receptive to statistical information, and to be better prepared to analyse it with a high-quality, easy-access tool, which can be applied at national, provincial, local and other levels. The system has been developed in four countries (FSM, , and ) and will be introduced into the Solomons in the near future. Even though British (DFID) funding for the GIS project has ended, this programme will endeavour to continue with the development of the system in 2005, funding permitting, to assist other countries and territories wishing to introduce such a system.

17. SPC has also agreed to implement a UNFPA-funded sub-regional population project over the next three years. The Programme’s human resources will be increased accordingly and this additional project will contribute to the achievement of the general goals of the SPC Population/Demography Programme, as its task will be to pursue the inclusion of population parameters in SPC member states’ and territories’ policies and budgets.

18. National youth policy development and the Pacific Women’s Bureau-led appraisal of progress on implementing the Pacific platform of Action (PPA) have revealed serious gaps in available national statistical data on youth and the status of women, as confirmed in the regional MDG report.

19. The same realisation applies to the statistics available to national public health services. The three sectoral programmes concerned have begun strategic thinking in close consultation with the statistics and/or population/demography programmes on improving sectoral information. This thinking has already led to some capacity-building initiatives, in health surveillance and more specifically tuberculosis control. It is anticipated that PRISM will eventually host sectoral databases, while the Public Health Programme would like to promote the use of the GIS for health data in the Pacific. All these current linkages also take practical shape within the MDG Task Force, as mentioned above.

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20. The Task Force comprises the Statistics Programme, including the Poverty Assessment Project, the Population/Demography Programme, the Public Health Programme, the Pacific Women’s Bureau (PWB) and the Pacific Youth Bureau (PYB), who have set themselves the following goals, when so requested by countries and territories, through a pragmatic approach to MDG development: enhance the quality of statistics; contribute to the identification of relevant targets and indicators, through direct collaboration in-country with NSOs, planning offices and sectoral departments and by promoting a participatory approach to the MDGs;data dissemination, especially through PRISM; develop data analysis skills; encourage the use of these data and the development of appropriate policies by decision-makers.

21. Following a series of preparatory meetings, a visit will be paid to and Vanuatu by the Task Force early in 2005. The Land and Marine Resources Divisions are both considering ways in which they could be involved in this project. UN agencies have already joined in-country missions with the Task Force and CROP agencies have also been invited to join.

II - A strong response to major public health risks in the Pacific Islands

22. The theme of the Second Conference of the Pacific Community was the Pacific response to recurrent and emerging infectious diseases, echoing the concern about HIV/AIDS expressed by Forum Leaders at their Auckland meeting. At this Conference, the SPC announced initiatives that would enable it to significantly develop its infectious disease prevention work. The regional project under the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis (developed by 11 countries in the Pacific, with SPC’s assistance and for which SPC is playing the role of project recipient), the Franco-Australian HIV/AIDS Project and regional public health surveillance capacity-building efforts under the - PREPARE Project are the foundations for the SPC Public Health Programme’s capacity extension in these areas.

23. The current mobilisation against HIV/AIDS has produced a 2004-2008 regional strategy, drafted over 8 months, after an intense period of consultation with countries, territories and regional organisations. It was presented and approved at the last Forum Leaders meeting in Apia. The meeting gave SPC responsibility for implementing the regional strategy. At the national level, HIV/AIDS plans and policies were also reviewed in 10 countries.

24. HIV/AIDS national surveillance capacities were enhanced through training sessions and the development of standardised surveillance methodology. HIV/AIDS is now also on the list of priority diseases targeted by the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN), meaning that work to stem its spread can now enjoy all the logistical support available from the network. Training was given to health professionals on treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS, and treatment is now being introduced in a number of PICTs. The capacity of health laboratories to provide support in the HIV/AIDS field was also reinforced.

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25. In addition, the crucial task of changing attitudes to HIV/AIDS within governments and civil society was taken on. One important highlight this year was the first-ever regional meeting of Pacific Parliamentarians to address “The role of Pacific Parliamentarians in the fight against HIV/AIDS” convened in Suva in October 2004. This meeting, attended by more than 100 parliamentarians from 18 of SPC’s member countries and territories was an initiative of the Pacific Parliamentary Assembly for Population and Development (PPAPD), in collaboration with SPC and UNFPA. The chair of PPAPD, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of , Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, deserves special mention for the leadership role he displayed both in initiating and planning for the meeting as well as guiding the meeting to a very successful conclusion that resulted in a declaration of commitment by all the PICT at the meeting. This meeting for Pacific Parliamentarians, the first after the Leaders approved the Pacific Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS, has broken new ground. All the Parliamentarians who participated are now, without exception, strong advocates in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They have pledged their full commitment to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in their work and outside work places. They have undertaken to influence resource allocation within the government budgetary process to reflect the need for governments to recognise the potentially devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on the social, cultural, economic and political situation in their respective countries and territories. Crucial to the success of the meeting was the participation by People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Special mention is therefore made of the excellent presentations by Ms Maire Bopp Dupont, Executive Director of PIAF and Ms Joana Raitini from Fiji Network Plus, a network of PLWHA in Fiji. The meeting also identified two to three important interventions that each of the Parliamentarian delegations would try to resource and implement in the next two years, in addition to their general commitment to assist all other sectors and programmes in their respective countries and territories. SPC and UNFPA are committed to assisting PPAPD in its continued involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDs. The broad-based partnership in the funding of the meeting, involving UNFPA, UNDP, AusAID, NZAID, AFPPD, SPC, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WHO, ILO, ADB and UNAIDS, and their ongoing commitment to work with other development partners and to continue to assist Pacific Island countries and territories in the fight against this disease, are greatly appreciated.

26. Overall, 2004 has been a year of significant achievement in HIV/AIDS, but much more remains to be done. Efficient strategic coordination for all regional initiatives and stronger national mobilisation should produce significant results in 2005, at community level, following the steps already taken.

27. Malaria work funded under the GFATM regional project has begun to produce results, particularly in the . For example, diagnostic techniques have been improved through both training and easier access to equipment. Further, in one year a 50% reduction in reported cases in Honiara has been recorded since the re-introduction of malaria control programmes made possible by the commencement of this project.

28. Tuberculosis control efforts were also strengthened. A meeting of regional TB control programme managers and health laboratory directors was held to review the use of the DOTS strategy, and to assist in the identification of areas requiring further strengthening.

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29. Importance was attached to equipment, training and quality control in public health laboratories. Efforts were made to strengthen health service logistical capacities in implementing the Directly Observed Treatment – Short Course (DOTS) strategies in rural areas and outer islands. Finally, communication and information within the regional TB network were considerably improved with the inception of the section’s website and the development of the TB data bank.

30. The Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), endowed with 14 million US dollars for a five-year period, has shown that it has the potential to significantly improve the situation in eligible countries, especially with regard to tuberculosis and malaria.

31. The regional project conducted under the GFATM has made and will continue to make a big difference to the ability of countries to control these 3 important diseases. The regional project is also highly regarded by the GFATM, and a number of our initiatives are seen as models for other multi-country projects. For example, CCM-Forum, the electronic communication system for project participants established by the Noumea-based project coordinator, is referred to by the GFATM as the best existing information and communication tool between project stakeholders. It should however be recognised that the arrangements required by the GFATM to report on activities spending, so as to assess the proper implementation of the project at the regional and national levels, are not fully operational in some countries. Delays in the implementation of some activities and in reporting to the SPC as the Principal Recipient remain too frequent. It must also be acknowledged that the HIV/AIDS component is suffering from a lack of technical assistance at national level, a challenge to which the SPC teams will have to rise in 2005.

32. With regard to the GFATM work programme, it is important that the eleven countries concerned develop a sense of collective responsibility. The region is already entering a critical period, because it will need to demonstrate that it has met an acceptable proportion of objectives by the end of Phase 1 of the project in order to receive the Phase II grant. At the same time, a fresh funding proposal is already being planned for the GFATM’s next funding round, to further scale up regional and national efforts to combat these diseases and address identified gaps. In both cases, SPC’s role will be a key one. All these issues were debated during a PIIRCCM meeting that took place at the end of October 2004.

33. Through the training activities it often carries out in conjunction with WHO, the SPC is continuing to implement the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) work programme. In 2004, the focus was on field epidemiology and survey techniques into origins. Influenza, leptospirosis and emerging such as SARS were given special attention, with notable support from the Asian Development Bank. The purpose, under the EpiNet component of PPHSN, was to prepare national and regional teams to respond to outbreaks appropriately. Alongside these activities and the development of the PacNet and LabNet facilities by the section, special attention was paid to improving computer tools for processing epidemiological data in PICTs.

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34. The prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD) is also a major priority for the PHP, operating under strategic frameworks such as the Commitment, Healthy Islands and the Framework Convention on Control. However, despite the existence of these frameworks, and the constant efforts of the SPC experts, much remains to be done to build sustainable responses in PICTs, and so achieve long-term health improvement.

35. The Pacific Action for Health Programme (PAHP), due to come to an end in 2005, with the active involvement of NGOs and in agreement with health departments, has succeeded in achieving some significant successes in the participating countries of Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tonga. These have included development of alcohol and tobacco legislation, development of a national NCD control plan in Tonga and soon in the two other countries, and a variety of local level health promotion initiatives. These actions will bear fruit if the governments of these countries, supported by NGOs, continue to actively pursue this agenda. However, the ending of AusAID funding support for the regional project will require the countries to identify domestic funding sources (such as health promotion foundations), and explore opportunities for bilateral aid funding.

36. The fight against , another scourge affecting the Pacific, is one of the main concerns of the Lifestyle Health Section. As part of its healthy lifestyle promotion campaign throughout the region, the Section has developed a training kit called: ‘Introductory Diabetes Training Manual for Community Health Workers’ which is gradually being introduced to the region through workshops. At the same time, guides to healthy food have been produced and workshops organised on physical activity for community health workers. The Section is also continuing with its production of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials in Pacific languages.

37. Another activity of benefit to the region as a whole is the tobacco and alcohol control work done by the Tobacco and Alcohol Section. Supporting the signing and ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has been one of the Section’s key short-term goals. With the 14 island states having now signed this document, the specialist is assisting island countries and territories to develop strategic frameworks, and providing them with help in drafting their national strategies, while developing specific strategies with regard to NGOs. The first regional meeting on the theme of alcohol and health was held at the SPC in October 2004. It was an important step forward in the regional mobilisation on this major risk factor for health, and gave participants an opportunity to look at information and strategic tools to facilitate the development and implementation of national plans and policies.

38. NCD control requires determination and perseverance, and sustained multi-sectoral action. The parties concerned are many in number, progress can be slow and aid donors may be reluctant to get involved in projects that may not swiftly yield measurable results. However, we do know that sustained multi-sectoral health promotion efforts can be effective in reducing the disease burden resulting from NCDs. We also know that the relevant disease burden and costs in PICTs mean that such efforts are essential. SPC, through its PHP will continue to play an active part in this fight.

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III – Contribute to cohesion and harmony in Pacific Island societies

39. Helping women and young people play a full part in the development process and sustaining cultural identities are key components in stability and harmony in Pacific Island societies. These goals are shared by all programmes at SPC but 3 programmes have a specific responsibility in helping to achieve them.

40. The Pacific Women’s Bureau and the Pacific Youth Bureau help to equip PICTs with legal and policy frameworks enabling women and young people to improve their situation. They are also involved in helping foster a number of key development skills.

41. Advocacy regarding the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and assistance with the full inclusion of its provisions in national legal, legislative and administrative arrangements by signatory countries remains one of the main strategic thrusts of the Women’s Bureau. After adoption of the Convention, as in Kiribati and Federated States of Micronesia in 2004, the second stage of the process is the preparation of a national report reviewing the status of women. CEDAW advocacy remains a central role of the Bureau, along with the assistance provided with the reporting process, in particular by disseminating information collected from the Fiji CEDAW report to the UN and the CEDAW workshops organised by the SPC in Samoa or more recently in Nouméa. More broadly, advocacy of ‘gender-specificity’ in government machineries and with decision-makers has been one of the Bureau’s strategies in the workshops organised on this theme and in a ‘train-the-trainers’ guide it has produced.

42. The awareness of country personnel and sectoral departments but also of NGOs on development- related topics was enhanced. The role of gender issues in good governance and peace, the relationship between gender and nutrition, but also new prospects for information technology training, have been or are about to be addressed by the Women’s Bureau. In addition, media awareness of changes in women’s status in the region and gender-related themes has been vigorously pursued.

43. Through the activities of the Suva-based Community Education Training Centre (CETC), SPC is directly increasing the capacity and effectiveness of women in community development work. In 2004, the Centre offered a seven-month training programme to 30 students from 11 countries. Assessment of the course’s relevance was conducted through a tracer study targeting CETC students over the ten year period from 1992 – 2002. Feedback from the students on the quality of the programme offered by CETC and how it strengthened their capacities to meaningfully serve their communities was excellent. Some good suggestions were also noted for possible inclusion in the revised CETC programme structure and content. CETC also commenced summer courses this year. The first of these, a three week summer course on Enterprise Development, commenced yesterday, 15th November. Based on the outcome of this pilot course, and our ability to mobilise additional resources, other summer courses addressing more advanced or specialised skill gaps will be planned and run to complement the standard seven month course.

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44. The Youth Bureau has pursued its efforts to help PICTs develop youth policies involving all stakeholders. In 2004, five more countries were added to the list of countries with national youth policies. A significant technical assistance effort was made in Micronesia in 2004.

45. The Youth Bureau pursued the task of training young trainers on topics such as empowerment, self- esteem, objective-setting and project development and management. Using the Small Island States Fund, the Bureau was able to fund or co-fund projects designed to help Pacific youth improve their work prospects. This Fund, which gives the Bureau a chance to have a direct practical impact, but which raises evaluation issues, will encounter funding constraints in 2005 for which solutions have yet to be found.

46. Finally, the Bureau’s specialist is playing a very active part in the implementation of SPC programmes calling for his support, such as the PAHP NCD control activity and the Adolescent Reproductive Health Projects. The latter funded by UNFPA has a strong focus on the need for accurate reproductive health information and services by girl adolescents in nine participating Pacific Island countries. This project has four focus areas – in-school programmes; out-of-school programmes, programmes for traditional, community, religious leaders and parents; and programmes for the media. A review of this project’s achievements in the participating countries had shown high levels of success in areas such as the mainstreaming of sexual education into school curricula, establishment of user-friendly ARH service centres and linkages with the national health systems, involvement of community and religious leaders, establishment of school counselling services, establishment of adolescent peer groups that work with ARH service centres and outreach programmes.

47. In 2004, two major events were scheduled, one in the Women’s Bureau’s work programme and one in the Cultural Affairs Section’s diary.

48. The 9th Triennial Women’s Conference, followed by the 2nd Pacific Ministerial Conference on Women, held in Fiji in August 2004, required extensive preparation. One of the main purposes of the meetings was to assess the status of women in the region, on the basis of the Pacific Platform for Action and one year from the ‘Beijing+10’ meeting; in addition to the assessment document, the Bureau, with the assistance of partner agencies and donor organisations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, UNIFEM and the Republic of Korea, had commissioned studies on priority emerging issues for regional women (HIV/AIDS, globalisation and trade liberalisation, migrant labour, tradition and religion, media and information and communication technologies), which set the framework for the third Triennial Conference. This new and more ‘technical’ approach to the Triennial, through the conference format, the wide range of topics addressed and the high quality of the contributions, received a favourable reception from participants. The outcome of the appraisal itself will be addressed later in this paper and extracts of the reports from the two meetings are attached to this summary (Annex 2).

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49. Finally, 2004 was the year of the 9th Festival of Pacific Arts in , a major challenge for the host country, which, despite the tyranny of distance, drew in delegations from all island member countries and territories of the Council of Pacific Arts. Over 2000 delegates celebrated the richness, diversity and vigour of Pacific cultures. Two weeks of dialogue and debate reaffirmed the central role of Pacific cultural identities in regional development. The presence of many young people was a reminder that the values conveyed through these identities should, in a dynamic process, give them a better chance to face the challenges of globalisation.

50. The vital role played by the SPC Cultural Affairs Programme in the organisation and running of the Festival was repeatedly emphasised by the host country. Prior to the Festival, a major fund- raising effort had been made, especially with the , the French Government and Taiwan. The Adviser took the initiative of organising a visit to Palau by the Director of the 8th Festival, held in Noumea, New Caledonia, for him to share the learning and experience acquired at the New Caledonia Festival with the Palau Organising Committee. The part played by the Adviser in the negotiations between air charter companies and Festival countries was also a determining factor.

51. Finally, the arrangements made by the SPC, also involving the Regional Media Centre in order to retain a visual memory of the 9th Festival, will in particular enable the 10th festival in (2008) to have strong and unprecedented arguments in the fund-raising effort, while the Cultural Affairs Section has already responded to an Arts Council request to compile technical information about hosting such festivals, in a document intended for future host countries. Page 9 par 44 2nd and 3rd line.....NCD control activity and the Adolescent Reproductive Health Projects. The latter funded by UNFPA etc...

IV – A review to influence the future strategic plan

52. The 9th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and the Meeting of Women’s Affairs Ministers provided all women’s development stakeholders, particularly governments, national women’s machineries, NGO’s and regional bodies, the tools needed to assess progress towards achievement of the objectives of the Pacific platform for Action over the preceding ten years.

53. Despite the above qualifications on the assessment itself, including the absence of clear indicators and strategic directions and the lack of distinction between national and regional goals, the scarcity of statistical data and the lack of reference data and a timeline to assess progress, much convergent information would indicate that, although progress has been made in some areas such as schooling for girls and maternal health, with major disparities between countries, progress has been very slow in many other areas, such as the economic empowerment of women or their status in public and political life in most countries and territories, in the development of the legislative, legal and administrative provisions that must accompany improvements in women’s status and in the situation regarding the violence which they continue to be the victims of.

54. Institutional, political and cultural factors are seen as the main barriers to change. The slow progress recorded requires the attention of all the parties concerned and should trigger more determined

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mobilisation at the national and regional levels for the momentum created at the Beijing conference to start things moving forward again.

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55. The Triennial Meeting and the Ministerial Conference both agreed to revise the Platform so as to operationalise it, to include some emerging issues and to have indicators to assess progress with its aims. More strategic national planning, closer monitoring of events, a regular increase in budget allocations to national machineries, the development of legislative and legal frameworks and appropriate programmes and procedures in particular in conjunction with CEDAW and the involvement of new generations of women in public and political life are necessities which the Triennial Conference and the Ministerial Meeting restated in their final statement to countries and territories.

56. As regards the Bureau, as part of the implementation of the Pacific Platform for Action, the Beijing Platform and CEDAW, which remains its main strategic guide, a specific contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the development of a regional data bank, the provision of legal capacity, a better balance between GAD and WID interventions, the consolidation of cross-cutting action as a contribution to women’s development are some of the strategic directions that need looking at without delay.

57. Three Social Resource Division programmes were subject to independent review in 2004. The Statistics and Population/Demography programmes review team recently came to SPC during an information collecting phase while they were in the region undertaking field work. The review report may be finalised in time for CRGA. This review occurs as demand for capacity building in the national statistical information systems is showing a rapid increase in the region and within the organisation and with it requests for training and technical assistance to these two programmes from SPC member countries and territories. What is at issue with this review is to adapt programme structure and strategy so that they can respond to this increasing demand by prioritising their work.

58. The Youth Bureau review is now complete and although, as this paper is written, the SPC has not yet approved the final report, it is possible to share some of the conclusions and recommendations issued in the report.

59. First of all, the Youth Bureau enjoys a very good reputation with its regional partners. Work done in contributing to the development of national youth policies should continue to be a priority. Support to small island states through the grant system is widely appreciated. Bearing in mind its limited resources, especially in terms of human resources and on the basis of the strategic directions set for it by the first youth conference held in 1998 in Tahiti, the review team arrived at a positive assessment of the Bureau’s performance. It does however reveal that, beyond its direct regional partners, there is little awareness of the Bureau’s activities. Another review finding is that the many training activities carried out in-country have resulted in a substantial number of experienced trainers now in the region. In view of the Bureau’s modest human resource levels these trainers could implement future training activities supported by the Bureau in the region. More generally, it suggests that the Bureau should have a regular regional consultation process comparable to the PWB’s Triennial Conference or the Arts Council meetings for the Cultural Affairs Programme that would provide guidance and share findings. An offshoot of the Pacific Youth Council could play this role. The information system set up by the Bureau is of a high standard. It could be improved through becoming more interactive.

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60. The purpose and operation of the Small Island States Fund need reviewing to ensure in particular that funds disbursed serve their designated purpose. It is recommended that the onerous administrative and financial management tasks associated with this Fund be handled outside the programme. The review also calls for an increase in the Bureau’s financial and human resources and to this end suggests that the SPC Executive and Youth Adviser engage themselves in a pro-active fund-raising campaign. Finally, the Bureau is encouraged to cooperate more with other regional organisations active in the youth sector.

61. All these review findings come at an opportune moment, before the Beijing+10 meeting for women, the youth ministers’ conference and the meeting of planners and statisticians to be held in 2005. These reviews and meeting will yield precise information to shape SPC’s future strategic plan.

Support services contribution

62. Lastly, it would be remiss not to mention the outstanding contribution of the programme support services: the Library, Publications Section, Interpretation/Translation Section and the Information and Communication Technology Section, plus the Regional Media Centre, in Suva, who manage to absorb the organisation’s expansion in activity and maintain a quality service. They all played a major part in assisting the Communications Officer to develop SPC’s communication policy and rationalise internal and external information production policy guidelines and information dissemination policies.

63. The Library has cleared a considerable backlog in cataloguing and is seeing more interest from programmes in a very promising development as it rapidly evolves into the documentation centre the SPC requires. In addition, the Suva Library, in collaboration with the FAO, convened a two-week workshop on electronic information management in September 2004, focussing on information requirements and availability in the agriculture sector. The Librarian also provided direct technical assistance, through visits to Libraries in Tonga and Fiji and advisory services to many other national agricultural libraries.

64. The Interpretation/Translation Section will lose one of its translators at the end of the year. His recruitment 18 months ago made it possible to clear the chronic backlog in this Section’s work. We hope that the ‘Multitrans’ translation assistance software introduced in 2004 will lead to productivity gains and enable the Section to cope with an ever-increasing workload.

65. The ICT Section again demonstrated its competence and flexibility in 2004. The video-conference link set up between the SPC Headquarters and the Suva office and the new version of the software installed are just two of the major developments to be credited to this Section in 2004. It should also be noted that the Section continued to deliver IT training in an efficient manner through workshops, to host Pacific Island trainees at SPC, to provide technical assistance to countries (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and FSM in 2004) and to develop collaborative efforts with regional IT institutions so as to promote IT development in the Pacific.

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66. The Regional Media Centre assisted Suva-based programmes in developing their media and IEC skills through training, technical advice and production. Another one of its core objectives is direct assistance to PICT. This has been delivered in-country or within the context of workshops in Suva in such areas as video and/or TV production techniques, screen-writing and radio broadcasting. Training has also been provided to CETC students as part of their curriculum. One of the year’s highlights was the training session organised jointly by the SPC Cultural Affairs Programme and CETC with the financial assistance of Taiwan, during which 27 participants from seven Micronesian countries and territories received two weeks of training in Palau, in producing documentary films on the Festival.

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16 October 2004

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Additional information can be found in the following attached documents:

Annex 1 Programmes’ summary activity reports

Annex 2 The revised Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality – Extract from the Regional Charter

Annex 3 Staff of the Social Resources Division (Nouméa) - Donor core and voluntary funding

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Annex 1.1

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - DEMOGRAPHY/POPULATION PROGRAMME

SUMMARY ACTIVITY REPORT

Executive summary highlights by strategic plan objectives (2003-2005)

Objective 1: Good Quality Population and Social Data for PICTs

Completed final census reports and demographic profiles based on 2000 round of censuses for the , , Tuvalu, and , with plans in place to conduct a series of national policy dialogues in these countries to review implications of census findings for national and sectoral policy and planning.

Census coverage and data quality suffered in some member countries during the 2000 round censuses, due to lack of adequate resources available. Give the pre-eminence of periodic national censuses as the most important national database guiding socio-economic policy development and planning, together with greater (external) demands placed on countries on regular monitoring of, and reporting on socio-economic development (e.g. MDGs), more financial and technical resources need to be available for the 2010 round of censuses in the Pacific.

Objective 2: Increased Utilisation of Population and Social Data

The Programme successfully completed development of national population GIS prototypes for four member countries (FSM, Kiribati, Samoa and Vanuatu) by conclusion of the DFID-funded project in June 2004, with system development for a 5th country, Solomon Islands, currently underway, and expected to be in place by early November 2005.

Internal SPC resources have been allocated to continue this valuable programme activity and develop national population GIS systems for some other countries in 2005 (Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna with discussions still underway with New Guinea), SPC is continuing its efforts to seek additional external funding to expand coverage of the PopGIS systems to other interested SPC countries and territories.

Objective 3: Enhanced storage and dissemination of regional population and social information

The programme has had a very successful period in disseminating regional population and social data and information through publications – both in printed and electronic format through our popular website (http://www.spc.int/demog) The latest version (2004) of our popular Pacific islands Population Poster will be made available to CRGA delegates. National and regional reports have been published, and presentations made at national workshops, regional meetings and international conferences – analysing recent population developments and their implications for public policy and planning.

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Objective 1: Good quality population and social data for PICTs Outputs Activities undertaken Small island states covered Contributions made by 1.1. Improved skills in 1. Cook Islands Four of our five in-country technical island Following extensive technical assistance throughout 2003, Cook Island assistance activities and training, member countries collecting, demographic analysis was completed and published in 2004. A series of were Some contributions “in kind”: processing and census data user workshops to review implications of census findings for extended to small island states analytical activities regarding analysing data from national and sectoral policy and planning, was postponed until after elections. Nauru and Tuvalu census 2. Nauru: analyses, involved close censuses and Following extensive technical assistance throughout 2003, Nauru demographic collaboration with colleagues administrative analysis and analytical census reports were also completed in 2004, with both from their respective reports submitted for clearance to the Nauru Government. statistics offices sources 3. Tuvalu

Finalised basic analytical census report in time for the Tuvalu Economic

summit in June, and also completed demographic profile, with both reports to be published before the end of the year. 4. Wallis and Futuna Provision of technical assistance mission to assist Wallis and Futuna statistics office census office with data processing, with calculating/estimating census based population and other socio-economic indicators, and processing and tabulating data from the territorial Civil Registration system. A population profile for Wallis and Futuna has also been completed, and is currently being reviewed by Wallis and Futuna authorities. 5. Samoa Provision of technical assistance with the analysis of fertility and mortality trends emerging from the 2003 Samoa Demographic and Health Surveys.

6. Ad hoc technical assistance to other SPC programs 6.1 Pacific Women’s Bureau: compilation of indicators required for the review of the implementation of the Pacific Platform for Action on gender/women and various development issues, including the 1995 Beijing Platform of Action. 6.2. CETC tracer study: finalising the 2004 CETC Tracer Study questionnaire and designing a data entry and processing system to help with the analysis. 6.3 SPC MDG Task Force: providing ongoing technical backstopping (data/information, review indicators, review documents, attend regular meetings, maintain close involvement with current and upcoming national MDG activities in Vanuatu and Tuvalu)..

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Objective 2: Increased utilisation of population and social data Activities undertaken Small island states covered Contributions made by Outputs 1. Run final advanced population GIS user workshops for planners, policy analysts One of the four population GIS prototype island member countries 2.1. Improved presentation of and statisticians in FSM, Kiribati and Vanuatu development countries (Kiribati) was a Some contributions “in kind”: small island state; With all project development 2. Complete system development for all four countries population and social Population GIS more suitable to larger, Activities fully funded by SPC, data 3. Conduct sub-regional workshop for country PopGIS focal points/administrators and more populated countries, given the development of national very nature/raison d’etre of the system population databases involved by PICTs 4. Develop MOU/Licence agreement with all four countries, with both sets of legal (sub-national planning applications). national staff working with 2.2. Planners and policy makers documents currently being reviewed by legal authorities in all four countries SPC Demography/Population trained and skilled in program staff in Noumea for interpretation of population 5. Ad hoc popGIS support to other SPC programmes short periods. and social trends and Following various PopGIS demonstrations at various national and regional events, implications including to other SPC programs (SPC Nabua, February 2004; Health programme, May 2004), we have received several ad hoc requests for technical assistance from various SPC Health program areas this year, in the form of entering specific health data (diabetes; alcohol and tobacco consumption/sales outlets) onto our national PopGIS systems (Kiribati, Vanuatu), and produce a series of maps for colleagues for conference papers and other reports/ publications. We are also in discussions with SPC’s Public Health Programme and PRISM project, of providing technical GIS assistance to our colleagues in the second half of 2004, which underlines both the growing interest in, and broader application potential of our PopGIS development.

Objective 3: Enhanced storage and dissemination of regional population and social information Activities undertaken Small island states covered Contributions made by Outputs: Due to nature of work (data capture, island member countries 1. Finalise/publish Pacific islands population poster, 2004 3.1. Wide range of raw and reporting, analysis, monitoring of not applicable (as this is a 2. Regular programme database and website update development), our coverage/activities do routine programme activity) derived population and not differentiate between islands – all 3. Continue storing raw/derived national data social data-sets/ SPC member countries are covered.

databases stored or maintained for member PICTs 3.2. Wide range of population and social information products developed and disseminated

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Annex 1.2

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - STATISTICS PROGRAMME

SUMMARY ACTIVITY REPORT

Three main highlights:

• AusAID committing funding to PRISM for three years from 1 July 2004 • the start-up of the ADB-funded Poverty Fund • major funds for redvelopment of the Solomon Islands statistical system

Activities undertaken by the Statistics Programme in Small Island States in 2004

During 2004 the Statistics Programme provided assistance to every SIS: through the Pacific Regional Information SysteM (PRISM) project a staff member from the national statistics office in each SIS received advanced website design training in Nouméa, and their office was provided with additional software to facilitate web-based publishing of key national data. The Programme also provided additional assistance to the following SISs in 2004:

• Cook Islands – economic statistics assistance, including the development of seasonally adjusted quarterly estimates of GDP at current and constant prices; the Programme is also assisting with the design and conduct of a national household expenditure survey, and arranged funding for this survey from the ADB; the Programme will be working jointly with the Poverty Fund to assist the Statistics Office with analysis of the survey results • Kiribati – the Programme conducted a four week in-country course on Data Analysis and Report Writing, and funded a technical assistance mission to improve the Kiribati national statistical website; the Programme is working with the Poverty Fund on planning for a national Participative Poverty Assessment in Kiribati • Palau and – the officers receiving PRISM training in April 2004 stayed on in Nouméa to work with Programme staff on analysis of their household surveys and the associated rebasing of their Consumer Price Indexes • Wallis and Futuna – the Programme funded the Tonga PRISM webmaster to provide in-country assistance to Wallis and Futuna with the development of their PRISM website • Tuvalu – the Programme has been advising on the design of a national household survey and is providing in-country assistance with the sample selection and planning; through its links with the ADB Poverty Fund the Programme has arranged supplementary funding for this survey • Kingdom of Tonga – the Programme provided economic statistics assistance as part of ADB RETA-6009; developed a data security strategy for the Statistics Department (this work will be used as a model for similar projects in other PICTs); trained 16 officers in data analysis and report writing • Federated States of Micronesia – the Programme conducted training in sample survey design and operation for 18 staff, and provided extensive advice regarding the development of a national household survey (since deferred due to funding constraints)

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Country assistance with activities undertaken by the Statistics Programme in 2004

The vast majority of resources used in providing statistical assistance to members in 2004 were sourced from from SPC and donor organisations. However it should be noted that NSOs have always provided extensive administrative support to these activities, as well as some financial support for catering associated with formal training courses; this continued in 2004. Some members also pay fees to local providers of Internet services in order to support their PRISM websites.

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PROGRAMME PROGRESS REPORTS VS STRATEGIC PLANS

LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIX FOR THE SPC STATISTICS PROGRAMME

Goal: Improved availability and analysis of PICT socio-economic data

Narrative Performance indicators Related activities, July-December 2003 Planned activities, January-June 2004

Extent of user satisfaction Objective 1: Good quality socio- economic information for PICTs

Output 1.1: Improved statistical • Significantly improved outputs in at least 3 NSOs Technical assistance in macroeconomic statistics Training courses in Solomon Islands, and related skills of NSS staff compared to 2002 to counterpart staff in Tonga under ADB RETA Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji and (sub- 6009; 14 staff in Guam and 16 staff in Tonga regional for Micronesia); in-country follow • At least 50% of justifiable training requests met in trained in data analysis and report writing; 18 FSM up on improving GDP estimates (Vanuatu, current year or firm commitments made for the staff trained in sample survey design and Samoa, Cook Islands) following year operation; one-on-one counterpart skills transfer with staff from Niue (CPI), FSM (HIES design), Samoa (household survey framework, CPI rebase), and Solomon Islands and PNG (database applications).

Output 1.2: Wider range of key • At least 20% increase between 2002 and 2005 in Extensive follow-up with countries leading to Further development of PRISM by the indicators produced by NSSs the total number of agreed ‘core indicators’ increased storage on PRISM of the set of key Programme, on-going provision of expert published indicators for PRISM; renewed NSO commitment advice to NSOs including through in- at STATS13 and PRISM Technical Meeting to country missions; support to countries with support PRISM as the preferred platform for measuring and disseminating MDG dissemination of national data; Vanuatu pilot test indicators to pervade all Programme of approach for increasing national capacity to activities measure MDG indicators – results presented to STATS13

Output 1.3: PICTs using • At least 12 NSOs with major systems developed On-going advice to PNG and Niue on Continued development of PRISM technology and/or supported in-house based on standard computerising CPI calculations; in-country training websites; advanced training in Nouméa for effectively software in Guam and Tonga including significant software PRISM webmasters; Programme providing component; on-going advice to PRISM in-country support for selected websites; all • Number of NSOs using IT as their principal form webmasters; specialist database training in training programs and technical of external data transfer Nouméa for staff from NSOs; development of a assistances to incorporate an IT paper for Heads of NSOs on data management component

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Narrative Performance indicators Related activities, July-December 2003 Planned activities, January-June 2004

Extent of user satisfaction with regard to access Objective 2: Effective access to NSS outputs

Output 2.1: Use of a wider range • PRISM established and maintained by April 2004 PRISM project well underway; set of core Continued development of PRISM, with of media and wider indicators agreed to by NSOs; increase in number emphasis on development of the dissemination of key PICT • At least 15 NSOs with their own statistical of NSOs on-line; moves by a number of countries centralised aggregate database; range of information website operational and maintained by towards electronic publishing of key data; in country visits to strengthen PRISM September 2003 dissemination actively promoted to heads of NSOs outputs and local support; advanced at STATS13 training for PRISM webmasters

Output 2.2: Improved awareness • A 50% decrease in requests to SPC for PRISM being developed and being accessed at a Use of in-country visits to initiate and among key stakeholders of the published data rapidly increasing rate, likely to strengthen as data participate in stakeholder meetings, range of information available holdings increase; spin-offs from Vanuatu MDG including presentation of PRISM core • An upward trend in accesses of supplementary exercise; presentation to CRGA on MDGs indicators including the MDGIs; use of information stored in PRISM (by data type and highlighting the role of PRISM; support for PRISM electronic discussion groups to key stakeholders) from regional UN agencies at December disseminate information on database workshop; development

Output 2.3: Reduced delays in • Key indicators published on time NSOs beginning to store data on-line for electronic In-country visits to include discussions with publication and dissemination of access by users; increased range of key data heads of NSOs and webmasters about e- outputs available from electronic access publishing; advanced training for webmasters including Adobe Writer

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Narrative Performance indicators Related activities, July-December 2003 Planned activities, January-June 2004

• Level of satisfaction of regional Statisticians Objective 3: International awareness and recognition of PICT statistical needs and priorities

• 80% of NSSs with PICT-specific classification Links to international agency sites, including Continue to promote the importance of Output 3.1: Country-specific systems on PRISM by 2005 classifications, on PRISM and general statistics storing classification systems; assist NSOs classification systems with links websites; to store classification systems and related to international standard materials during in-country assistance with classifications adopted and PRISM development implemented

• At least eight joint statistical activities in PICTs Programme involved with ADB, SIAP, PFTAC, UN On-going discussions with key agencies, Output 3.2: Better co-ordination that involve SPC and International Agencies in agencies in Suva; FAO; JICA; work with UN including joint work with SIAP, PFTAC, between NSSs and international the period 2003-2005 agencies on MDG project in Vanuatu; continued ACIAR, ABS and SNZ on regional agencies/organisations involved work on ADB RETA; record number of agency assistance in statistical activities in PICTs representatives attending triennial meeting

• An increase in the number of SPC’s Papers prepared and presented to Triennial Present summary of activities and regional Output 3.3: Improved advocacy submissions and representations to regional meeting attended by record number of agency priorities to ESCAP meeting on poverty on behalf of NSSs in the region meetings and organisations on behalf of PICTs representatives; presentations to FAO workshop, statistics; maintain links with NSSs and key UN/CROP workshop and ESCAP regional agencies through email and discussion meeting groups; work on regional concept and measurement of poverty

• Significant progress by the MDG Taskforce in Objective 4: Contribute meeting its objectives effectively towards the achievement of the MDG Taskforce’s objectives

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Narrative Performance indicators Related activities, July-December 2003 Planned activities, January-June 2004

• Significant increase in the quality and range of Development and conduct of trial for improving Follow up to Vanuatu exercise; continued Output 4.1: Improved MDGIs being compiled and disseminated as MDG awareness and capacity for measurement in promotion and assistance with measuring identification, development and national outputs Vanuatu; MDG indicators revised, some measured MDGIs and dissemination via PRISM; dissemination at national level of for the first time, and disseminated as national MDG advocacy and assistance integrated MDG targets and indicators outputs via PRISM; increase in number of MDGIs into in-country Programme activities; work stored on PRISM done on the concept and measurement of a regional definition of “poverty”

• At least five major statistical activities in PICTs in Major input to MDG project in Vanuatu, working Using in-country training and T/A missions Output 4.2: Strengthened the period 2003-2005 that involve SPC and lead with UN agencies; working to include PICTs in the (including Solomons, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, capacity for PICTs to conduct to improved quality and range of MDGIs related poverty line aspects of the ICP project; active Cook Islands) to promote MDG awareness analysis of MDG indicators of to poverty/hardship, gender and health collaboration with SPC Health Programme on and assist NSOs and related agencies with poverty/hardship, gender and MDG issues; extensive promotion of MDGs and measurement and dissemination of MDGIs; health related issues to heads of NSOs and agency advanced follow-up to Vanuatu exercise; representatives at STATS13 provide assistance including data assistance to other agencies involved in MDG work in PICTs including UNDP-led missions to Fiji and Kiribati; work with ADB poverty fund on developing and promoting pro-poor strategies

• Key national plans and budgets adapted to better Major increase in awareness in Vanuatu of MDGIs Strengthening of the Vanuatu outcomes Output 4.3: Strengthened address MDG related issues and their potential for national benefits, particularly with an advanced follow up and circulation national strategies, policies and amongst key Finance Ministry personnel; wide of the report; PRISM launches and budgets for addressing MDGs circulation of findings of the Vanuatu exercise, and stakeholder meetings and other in-country support by UN and CROP agencies for those activities used as opportunities to promote findings; PRISM launches and stakeholder national benefits of MDGs; work with ADB meetings used to promote national benefits of poverty fund on developing and promoting MDGs pro-poor strategies

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Annex 1.3

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME

SUMMARY ACTIVITY REPORT

HEALTH PROTECTION CLUSTER

Public Health Surveillance and Communicable Disease Control (PHS&CDC) Section

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• Pacific Regional Workshop on HIV surveillance methods co-hosted by SPC and WHO, which brought together participants from 17 PICTs to learn about second generation HIV surveillance methods. • Training course in field epidemiology and outbreak investigation co-organised with the Fiji School of Medicine and WHO, for 28 participants from American Samoa, FSM, , Kiribati and Nauru. • Sub-regional workshop held for the “Building ICT capacities for Public Health Surveillance“ Project • PacNet, PacNet-restricted, PacNet-Lab and the EpiNet announcement email lists managed and strengthened. • Inform’ACTION, the PPHSN bulletin published by PHS&CDC section, and other publications were prepared and distributed. • Websites including the Distance Education in Health website, the PPHSN website and the PHS&CDC Section website were maintained and strengthened.

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• The ADB consultant to the PPHSN carried out country visits to Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa and Tonga, aiming at further improvements in the area of SARS preparedness, as well as influenza surveillance and pandemic preparedness. • The HIV/STI surveillance specialist visited Palau, Guam, CNMI and the Marshall Islands, to review the existing HIV/STI surveillance system and discuss and plan the implementation of second generation HIV/STI surveillance activities. Regarding the latter, support is also being provided in initial active data collection to Fiji and Samoa. • Country visits were also carried out to US-affiliated Pacific Islands within the framework of the “Building ICT capacities for Public Health Surveillance“ Project. • The “multi-centre survey on incidence and public health impact of leptospirosis in the Pacific” continued in Wallis and Futuna, and started in French and the Cook Islands as well as CNMI, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Palau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

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PICT contributions to the activities and services of the PHS&CDC section

The activities of the PHS&CDC aim at the development, maintenance and functioning of PPHSN services. PICT Ministries and Departments of Health are the core members of the network.

The contributions from the PICTs to PPHSN services were as follows:

• PacNet: messages posted on outbreaks of communicable diseases by PICT health professionals. • LabNet: four laboratories from the PICTs are level 2 laboratories in the LabNet network, and aim at providing public health laboratory services to other PICTs with regards to PPHSN target diseases. The one that provided the most services for the region in 2004 was New Caledonia’s Pasteur Institute. • EpiNet: by their nature, PICT EpiNet Teams are contributing to the development of public health surveillance and response to PPHSN target communicable diseases. A common Strategic Framework is used as a regional reference. For example, at the 2nd regional EpiNet workshop, planning was carried out to actively look at influenza pandemic preparedness from the point of view of PICTs and regional agencies. In the perspective of the creation of the PPHSN Regional EpiNet Team, New Caledonia offered to have health professionals available for support activities to other countries.

Health professionals from the PICTs also contributed with articles to Inform’ACTION, the bulletin of the PPHSN.

Additionally, PICTs represented in the PPHSN Coordinating Body contributed quite actively to PPHSN development, essentially during the 10th PPHSN Coordinating Body meeting. Regional Working Groups including PICT health professionals looked at specific issues of importance for the PPHSN (e.g. influenza pandemic preparedness).

During the workshop held in Pohnpei related to the project “Building ICT capacities for Public Health Surveillance”, the FSM Department of Health took care of part of the local organization and provided the venue with PCs.

Tuberculosis Control Section

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• 40 TB managers and laboratory managers met to review DOTS implementation progress in PICTS, identify gaps and to determine how to achieve regional targets on time. • 14 Laboratory technicians training in Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu and Nauru. • In country monitoring and evaluation of DOTS programme was conducted in Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Palau, Yap, and Vanuatu. • DOTS training workshop was conducted in Noumea, the South Province for 30 doctors and health workers. • 14 TB managers were trained on TB database and management course designed to standardize TB data collection and reporting systems so as to improve TB surveillance and quality of the TB data in the region. • Facilitated the provision of emergency TB for Tonga and Kiribati

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Contributions by country

PICTs provided in kind contribution towards regional and in- country TB control activities in laboratory and TB managers training, programme monitoring and evaluation and national workshops through participation of national health staff, provision of transportation, equipments and facilities. PICTS other contribution towards the TB control efforts is the adaptation of IECs and DOTs manuals into local languages.

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• A regional TB website and central database was developed by the TB section of SPC to harmonise management of the TB data in the PICTS through standardised and systematic approach within the regional TB control framework. The website will allow PICTs easy access to reliable regional TB data as well as international TB forum. • IEC materials were developed and produced to increase community awareness among different sectors of the community in PICTs • Participated in the development of a PATLAB initiative to establish and implement External Quality assessment system for PICT TB programmes to ensure quality and reliability of TB data reported from each PICTS • Developed a monitoring and evaluation system to closely monitor the implementation of the Global Fund project in the 10 PICTs • In collaboration with WHO, SPC TB section spearheaded the commencement of regional TB/HIV surveillance under the global fund to determine the prevalence of TB/HIV co infection rate in the Pacific region • Collaborated with WHO in the development of MDR-TB surveillance to determine the prevalence of MDR-TB as well as tuberculin survey to determine the prevalence of TB in the region

Contributions by country

PICTs provided in kind contributions towards regional and in- country TB control activities in laboratory and TB managers training, programme monitoring and evaluation and national workshops through participation of national health staff, and provision of transportation, equipment and facilities. PICTs’ other contribution towards the TB control efforts is the adaptation of IEC material and DOTS manuals into local languages.

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The Pacific Islands Regional Multi-Country Coordinated Project

Background

The Pacific Islands Regional Multi-Country Coordinated Project (PIRMCCM) is a five year US$14.1 million GFATM funded initiative that aims to contribute towards the reduction of morbidity and mortality due to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in 11, 10 and 2 Pacific Island countries respectively. The participating countries are Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Each of the three disease components is covered by a separate Grant Agreement. The Grants were approved under the Round Two Funding Round with a project commencement date of 1 July 2003.

The first two years of funding through until 30th June 2005 is secure, with a continuation of funding being subject to each project’s performance during Phase I, and the availability of funds.

Although the SPC in its role as Principal Recipient is ultimately responsible to the GFATM for the projects, individual countries, regional NGOs and international technical agencies have been sub- contracted to implement many of the project activities.

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• The Pacific Regional Workshop on HIV Surveillance Methods was largely funded by the PIRMCCP HIV component. 26 participants from 18 PICs attended the training workshop. 8 country operational plans were developed during the workshop, including the seven sentinel sites identified for second generation surveillance. • The GFATM funded workshop on HIV Treatment and Care was held in Nadi during August in collaboration with WHO (Manila) and attended by 20 HIV Managers / Coordinators from throughout the region. Initial training provided during the workshop will be supplemented through a one week training course planned for 12 participants from 4 PICTs during the first week of November, with a subsequent two week clinical attachment at the Albion Street Centre for four clinicians. Five countries will have clinicians with skills in managing patients on anti-retroviral treatment by the end of 2004. • Two workshops on quality control for 30 microscopists from two provinces in the Solomon Islands were held during March / April resulting in improved q.c. systems for the diagnosis of malaria. • 29 field staff have received training in vector control resulting in a significant reduction in over and under dosing pyrethroid insecticides. This will improve the cost-effectiveness of bednet retreatment programs. • Laboratory training focussing on QA for 9 laboratory technicians from Solomon Islands held 19-23 July assisted by IMVS. Training was designed to strengthen and enhance TB quality assurance activities in the Pacific. • Training curriculum developed in collaboration with WHO to establish regional quality assurance systems for tuberculosis testing for all Pacific Island countries. • Training of 20 blood officers in blood safety (voluntary donor) was carried out at the end of 2003, and is being repeated in three PICs (Samoa, Palau and Vanuatu) during 2004.

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• Various email lists were established and managed by the PIRMCCP. These included CCM-Forum, HIVAIDS-TWG,TB-TWG and Malaria-TWG. The CCM-Forum has been identified by the GFATM as a model of “best practices’ amongst Global Fund projects world-wide, and was recently the subject of a GFATM funded case study. • The PIRMCCP has established an interactive Project Information Management System (PIMS) which is a database that countries and other stakeholders can access via the web to obtain up to date information on workplans and procurement items funded by the project. • 26 computers have been procured for the malaria and tuberculosis components to improve data capture, data management and reporting in 10 PICTs. • The project has funded a four-country study by the Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies (part of the USP) to review human rights legislation with respect to people living with HIV/AIDS. Tuvalu, Palau, Niue and FSM.

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• The project has funded the procurement of 62 biological microscopes for the TB and Malaria components (1 Kiribati, 1 FSM, 1 Samoa, 45 Solomons & 14 for Vanuatu), necessary laboratory equipment, serodia test kits for all 11 PIC’s, plus vehicles, motor cycles and boats / outboard motors in order to improve service coverage and delivery. • Regional laboratory capacity assessments have been completed for Guam and Institute Pasteur New Caledonia, and national laboratory capacity assessments are being completed for Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Palau. Recommendations from the assessments will inform future GFATM funded investment in equipment and training in support of HIV/STI testing. • 25 STI clinics are being fully equipped in under-serviced communities in 10 PIC’s at a cost of $US125,000. This will significantly improve the ability of vulnerable and marginalized groups to access STI services. • US$70,000 has been made available to Mataika House (Fiji) to fund the procurement of necessary equipment and training in order to fulfil its role as a regional HIV referral laboratory. • Five PICs were covered during a research study into the current treatment and care framework for PLWHA was completed during April – June using specialists contracted by WHO. • Second generation HIV, STI and behavioural surveys are due to commence in six sentinel countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu) to establish baselines for regional prevalence rates and to determine future regional / country strategies. • In addition to the workshops highlighted earlier, the project has represented the Western Pacific Region constituents at the 7th and 8th meeting of the Global Fund Board in Geneva, and has made representation on behalf of the region at GTZ in Frankfurt. The Project Coordinator has also been nominated on ad-hoc committees or to make regional presentations by the Global Fund in Bangkok (Jan ’04), Siem Reap (May ’04) and on the Ad-Hoc Committee on Technical Assistance held in Geneva 22-24 September.

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Contributions by country

PICTs provided substantial in kind contributions towards the implementation of the project in- country, particularly in areas such as project management and reporting. PICT technical staff also made contributions in project planning and through providing responses to issues raised in the project Technical Working Groups.

HIV/AIDS & STI Section

Introduction: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community has identified responding to the epidemic and threat of HIV/AIDS as a major strategic priority for the organisation, and sees itself as being centrally involved in the region’s response. The threat posed by HIV/AIDS is not only to health but also socio-economic development in the Pacific. Controlling HIV/AIDS is also seen as fundamental to achieving the goal of “Healthy Islands”, the principal that guides public health action in the Pacific.

The year 2004, saw the re-establishment of the HIV/AIDS and STI section with all staff members in office. This includes the HIV/AIDS & STI Adviser, Project Assistant, HIV & STI Surveillance Specialist (located in the PHSCDC Section), and Behaviour Change Communication Specialist (BCCS).

The purpose of SPC’s involvement is to work with PICTs, NGOs, other regional organisations and donors to substantially limit the future spread of the infection in the region. In doing so, SPC focuses its response in a number of areas as stipulated in the Public Health Strategic Plan. These are further highlighted below:

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• Review of 10 PICTs National Policies and Plans has been conducted under component 2 of the current regional project and gaps identified – since January 2004 • Training Needs Assessment for BCC conducted – March / September 2004

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• A 5-year Pacific Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2004-2008) has been developed and endorsed by the leaders in August 2004. • A Regional Strategic Reference Group on HIV/AIDS (RSRG-HIV/AIDS) was established and two meetings conducted – March 2004, and April 2004 • A regional situational and response analysis to HIV/AIDS in relation to the 1997/2000 Strategy on HIV/AIDS was conducted – January – March 2004. • Consultations on the implementation and M&E of the new Regional Strategy is ongoing • The HIV/AIDS and STIs surveillance has been integrated into the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) in June 2004 • A generic technical protocol and guideline for HIV/STI Surveillance and Behavioural Surveillance Survey in the Pacific has been developed – July 2004

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 Members of 19 PICTs-based epinet teams were trained on the survey protocols and supported to carry out surveys – March 2004  Ongoing country-based technical support provided to PICTs • Youth, gender and vulnerable group strategy developed and incorporated into the regional strategy on HIV/AIDS – 2004/2008  The participation in the Palau Arts Festival – providing information resources through the Safe Sex booth (July 22-31)

Contributions by country

Country Visited Country contribution

Samoa country assessment (DI) Transport / Facilitation of visits Solomon Islands country assessment (DI) Transport / Facilitation of visits Tonga country assessment (DI) Facilitation of visits Kiribati country assessment (DI) Transport / Facilitation of visits Vanuatu country assessment (DI) Facilitation of visits Guam – surveillance assessment & planning (TS) Transport, Facilitation/introductions, Office resources (eg phone, fax, email, copying, computing, printing), Food & drink Palau – surveillance assessment & planning, IEC Transport, Facilitation/introductions, Personnel evaluation (TS) (for Safe Festival Booth and evaluation), Storage, Office resources, Food & drink CNMI – surveillance assessment & planning (TS) Transport, Facilitation/introductions, Office resources, Food & drink Marshall Islands – surveillance assessment & Facilitation/Introductions, Office resources, Food planning (TS) & drink

HEALTH PROMOTION CLUSTER

Lifestyle Health Section

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• Two sub-regional training workshops on the use of the SPC Diabetes Training Manual for Community Health Workers were conducted. Eighteen member countries participated with a total of 28 key diabetes educators trained. • Follow-up of “training of trainers” and “snowball training” in country on the use of the regional food guides was ongoing. Follow-up workshops were conducted in Palau and CNMI. An additional 184 trainers were trained. The regional food guides have also been adopted by schools in most PICs for use.

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• The first ever workshop on ‘promoting physical activity for health’ was conducted as a sub-regional one with 8 PICs participating. 12 key trainers representing health, education and NGOs were trained. • The 2nd Pacific Workshop on ‘Development and Implementation of Intersectoral Food and Nutrition Plans and Policies’ was also conducted by LHS with funding assistance from WHO. Five PICs took part, and 20 participants representing several sectors were trained. • The Section also organised and conducted a “South Pacific Consumer Leadership Training Workshop” with funding assistance from Consumer International. Four countries participated with 12 representatives from mostly non-government organizations. • Five countries are being assisted technically by the Section to review and update their Nutrition Plan of Action and Policy (NPAN).

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• The ‘Diabetes is Everybody’s Business’: a Training Manual for Community Health Workers in Pacific Island Countries was completed. • Four issues each of PIN and NEO were produced, printed and distributed; weekly postings on PACNUT also continued. Our web page is updated regularly as new materials are produced and new information becomes available. • Two new regional resources were produced: ‘Fatty meat’ and ‘Hidden fats and sugars’.

Contribution by countries

Contributions provided by member countries to facilities implementation of LHS activities in 2004 include the following: • Feed backing relation to development and pilot of regional resources • Contributions to PIN newsletters • Identification of priority areas/topics for SPC LHS to address and how best to assist them • Arranging local/country workshops and providing administrative support • Translating resources into the vernacular language and photos needed for local version. • Some countries contribute to in-country workshops by covering other local costs such as refreshments.

Tobacco and Alcohol Section

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

. Training provided in advocacy and capacity building for participants from six countries in collaboration with the WHO. . Regular communication on tobacco control information and developments to Government and non- government health officers in nearly all PICTs. . Development of an alcohol information communication network for the Pacific.

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. Support to policy and legislative developments in at least five countries including the development of non-communicable disease plans (NCD) incorporating key tobacco control and alcohol components in Kiribati and Vanuatu. . Commencement of implementation of the Pacific Smoke Free Homes and Communities Project in six countries (Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu)

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

. Regional level research has been undertaken in a number of areas-  A study on the “burden of disease” from tobacco in Fiji based on the WHO global research design;  Collaboration with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat on the public health impacts of including tobacco and alcohol in the PICTA agreement and a review of this issue with recommendations for country and regional action;  Data collection from Bridging the Gap (BtG) questionnaire on the current policy and programmes for alcohol in the Pacific;  Development of a database of NGO agencies working in tobacco and alcohol in the Pacific.

. Collaboration with WHO in Regional, sub-regional and country offices to ensure the following:  Conducting a Public Awareness Raising Workshop for 11 countries in Fiji in May 2004 for key government officials;  Signature of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which was achieved in all 14 Pacific Member States and advocacy for the further ratification of this convention by these signatories;  Development of the 2005-2009 Regional Plan of Action for the Tobacco Free Initiative;  Conducting the SPC/WHO Regional Meeting on Alcohol and Health in the Pacific with recommendations for future steps.

Overview of activities in Small Island States

Country Visits: During 2004 visits to Ministries of Health and review of alcohol and tobacco plans and policies have been made to the following: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, , Palau and Vanuatu, and it is anticipated that French Polynesia and Samoa will be included by the time of the CRGA meeting.

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Contributions by country Largely in kind support in the form of professional/technical staff making themselves available for discussions, and agreeing to attend workshops. The only funding received towards the TAS program has been a F$5,000 contribution from the Fiji Medical Research Council to the ‘burden of disease’ research.

Pacific Action for Health Section

Background

The Pacific Action for Health Program (PAHP) is an AusAID funded initiative aiming to contribute to the reduction of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Pacific Islands. In the initial phase, the participating countries are Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The specific purpose of the program is to work in conjunction with the respective Ministries of Health and relevant NGOs, to enhance the in-country capacity to address priority NCD risk factors and develop health promoting environments for young people aged 10-19 years. For each participating member country, consultation with the respective MoH has led to the identification of one specific risk factor to serve as an entry point on which to base the NCD program. In Kiribati and Vanuatu, this risk factor is alcohol consumption, while for Tonga, tobacco use has been selected.

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• Tonga has become the first Pacific country to launch a detailed NCD Strategic Plan drawing on the WHO STEPwise approach. This places Tonga at the forefront of NCD prevention in the Pacific and meets a requirement of the Pacific Health Ministers Meeting (2003) to establish such plans. • Additionally, both Kiribati and Vanuatu are shortly to finalise their NCD Strategies. Importantly, the development and implementation of the NCD Strategies in all three countries, will allow them to present preliminary progress results at the Samoan meeting of Pacific Health Ministers next March. • At a policy level, progress has been made at varying rates in each of the countries. In Kiribati, a review of the existing Liquor Licensing Act is underway, while preliminary steps have also been taken in Tonga and Vanuatu on this issue. Updated Tobacco Control Acts have been drafted and are due to progress through the relevant government processes shortly in Tonga and Kiribati. PAHP has worked in a synergistic manner to support and broaden the implementation of the new Act in Tonga by funding training of enforcement officers to enact the new legislation. Additionally, the PAHP has funded a review of the Intoxicating Liquor Act and in conjunction with WHO, is supporting the development of legislation within the Road Traffic Act to enable random breath testing. • In addition to this crucial work, a large number of innovative and successful community based activities to enhance awareness and develop relevant skills, continue to be undertaken in all countries.

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• Although a longer-term target, the establishment of Health Foundations has been supported by each of the three countries during the development of the NCD Strategies. In May, Dr Viliami Tangi the Minister for Health in Tonga and accompanied by Dr Mark Jacobs representing SPC, undertook a formal visit to VicHealth in an effort to scope the potential for establishing a similar venture in Tonga. Further follow-ups with key stakeholders in Tonga have been undertaken. It is hoped that depending on the availability of key government officers in Kiribati and Vanuatu, that delegations from these countries may also be able to attend VicHealth for similar briefings in the coming months. This aspect of the project holds considerable long-term prospects for the sustainability of health promotion action in PICTs. • Attendance of the country coordinators at the IUHPE World Health Promotion & Education Conference in Melbourne was funded. • Training was provided for enforcement officers on the new Tobacco Control Act in Tonga • Training of trainers in delivery of youth leadership skill courses was provided in Kiribati and Vanuatu • Training for 12 cessation advisers and 4 train-the-trainers was provided in Tonga • Assessment on alcohol and tobacco retail outlets using the Geographic Information System in the urban areas of Tarawa, Port Vila and Nuku’alofa was undertaken. • Assessment of the role of alcohol in trauma cases presenting to hospital Emergency Departments was undertaken in all countries • Compliance assessments for underage purchase of alcohol and tobacco were been completed in Kiribati and Tonga.

Small Island States – Kiribati

Develop the NCD Strategy Commence modification of Liquor Act Completion of GIS assessment on retail outlets Small Grants program Youth Credit Scheme facility Major community programs

Contribution by countries

Significant in-kind contributions in terms of the participation of professional/technical staff, but no financial contributions.

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Adolescent Reproductive Health Project

OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN PICTS

• Continued to develop and train ARH Coordinators in 8 participating countries with regular mentoring, sharing experiences and providing support. • Training of Teachers in integrating ARH education in schools. . Two ARH Coordinators attended overseas meetings in Bangkok through the Adolescent Health project. • Undertook two program reviews: a Review of ARH project in Fiji and a Review of Family Life Education. • Conducted the Teenage Study in Tonga. • Continued a range of ARH education activities both formal and informal • Supported ARH centres and youth clinics in PICTs

OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

• Collaborated with UNICEF in the Life-Skills Project

Contribution by countries

Largely in-kind contributions from professional/technical staff

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Annex 1.4

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME (SUVA)

ACTIVITY REPORT

1-6 REGIONAL ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROJECT and POPULATION ADVOCACY PROJECT

Introduction

The Suva SPC Regional Office executes two UNFPA-funded regional projects: a) a Regional Adolescent Reproductive Health Project whose goal is to promote healthy populations through improvement of reproductive health status targeting adolescents; b) a Regional Population Advocacy Project which aims to work with Pacific Parliamentarians to mobilize resources to support population and development programmes. The combined programme supports the SPC corporate goals of enhanced technical capability in population advocacy and adolescent reproductive health. It builds on previous SPC-executed population projects funded by UNFPA.

In 2004 two projects were implemented under the Population & Reproductive Health Programme. Both projects contribute towards supporting the achievement of global goals - the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the millennium development (MDGs). i) Regional Adolescent Reproductive Health Project

The goal of the project is to support the welfare of adolescents through provision of information and services to help make responsible decision-making and informed choices in matters relating to reproductive health. The project addresses the prevention of common adolescent reproductive health problems, particularly unplanned teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS and other related social problems such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation and suicide. It is envisaged that governments and NGOs in the eight target project countries will establish an integrated package of relevant ARH information and services into existing programmes. ii) Population Advocacy Project

This project aims to mobilize Pacific Parliamentarians and leaders to support population and development programs both at regional and national levels.

Objectives of the Programme

Under the Public Health Programme (PHP) strategic plan 2003 - 2005, the two projects collectively contribute towards the achievement of the two PHP programme outputs namely:

• Strengthened public health capacity in PICTs • Enhanced public health action at regional and national level

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Achievements against Objectives

Strategic Plan Objective 1 Strengthened public health capacity in PICTs Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved against Beneficiaries & Impact 2004 Indicators 1. Provision of technical 1.1 Capacity building among Country ARH coordinators and assistance and support through Coordinators, with a special focus ARH teams including service missions to project countries. on Adolescent Reproductive providers in all 9 participating Health. PICTs. 1.2 Project management skills to implement project activities in nine project countries by country Helps create an enabling coordinators increased. environment for the 1.3 Monitoring & Evaluation skills implementation of the project 1.4 Financial management in 9 PICTs.

2. Training to target different 2.1 ARH Coordinators Creates a better supportive and groups. 2.2 Service Providers enabling environment in 9 2.3 Teachers Training in ARH PICTs. Counseling 2.2 Community Capacity building for enhanced services in ARH in 9 PICTs 3. Working with key stakeholders 3.1 ARH advocacy and information Media

relayed through multi-media Church groups • Media Groups approach. Public & communities

3.2 Support for ARH from church and Parliamentarians in 9 PICTs • Church Groups religious groups greatly increased. 3.3 National leaders and Better informed populations • Communities Parliamentarians are better with reproductive health and informed about population and population issues. • Parliamentarians development issues 3.4 A number of schools have Creates a better supportive and • Schools established in-school /clinic enabling environment. counseling services

IEC resources to support population and reproductive health – materials include video, radio CDs, ARH training manual, booklet and flipcharts developed and distributed. 4. Networking among Information exchange in ARH achieved Country Coordinators Population and RH through a weekly ARH info-share Health professionals stakeholders: network via email - linking countries & ARH Stakeholders facilitating inter-country sharing of Communities experiences.

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Strategic Plan Objective 2 Enhanced public health action at regional and national level.

Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved against Beneficiaries & Impact 2004 Indicators 2.1 IEC Approaches: ARH training workshops for Health providers, Programme Development and Delivery of teachers to enable them delivery Managers, Teachers, peer Information & Educational ARH educational activities in educators and adolescent approaches to support ARH school-setting. students. Parliamentarians more aware of 2.2 Advocacy: population and development issues Parliamentarians from all SPC Conduct of Parliamentary and allocating political member PICTs Meetings in: commitments. • Population and Dev Review of Family Life Education Teachers • HIV/AIDS programme identifies areas that need to be strengthened. A move towards institutionalizing ARH teaching in schools. 2.2 Development and delivery of 2.1 ARH & Youth Centres established Available and Accessible ARH ARH Services and now providing ARH services in information and Services at • Youth Drop in Centres eight countries both in school and out of • ARH Clinics – community 2.2 Out of school youth have better school settings. based and school based. access to information and services • Review of ARH Centres 2.3 Community-based youth groups and Introduction of school-based (Fiji) NGOs supporting adolescent counseling has commenced in reproductive health initiatives selected schools. 2.4 Strengthening Referral System.

Conclusion

During 2004, the Population and Reproductive Health Programme continued to work towards supporting adolescent reproductive health and population and development issues. Involvement of Parliamentarians in population and development issues has helped in putting population, development and reproductive health issues to the higher policy level and the political agenda. The dissemination of information to create better awareness and knowledge about key ARH issues including HIV/AIDS is designed to work in parallel with the provision of ARH services.

Activities in 2004 built on the achievements of 2003. Addressing responsible reproductive and sexual behaviour among young people will contribute, in the long run, towards supporting and maintaining healthy populations in PICTs.

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Annex 1.5

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - PACIFIC YOUTH BUREAU

SUMMARY ACTIVITY REPORT

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to inform CRGA members of the activities of the Pacific Youth Bureau (PYB) for the year 2004.

Summary of Activities

Youth Policy Development

Objective 1: Holistic, gender-inclusive and responsive national youth policies developed by PICTs.

Key Output 1.1 PICT Youth Ministries and NGOs trained and assisted in policy development

The Bureau supported the development of the national youth policy for the Federated States of Micronesia. The final draft of the policy was submitted by the Department of HESA1 to the FSM National Economic Summit which took place from 29 March to 2 April. The draft policy was then circulated to youth organisations nation-wide for further review before being presented to the President’s Office for endorsement.

Marshall Islands and American Samoa moved ahead with their youth policy development projects. The Bureau assisted with development of the new draft for the Marshall Islands policy while at the same time providing technical advice and resource materials to American Samoa to guide their efforts.

Dialogue was commenced with the Mairie of the Commune of Touho in New Caledonia regarding the development of the Youth Development Strategy for Touho.

Key Output 1.2 More resources available to PICTs for policy development

The Bureau provided the sum of US$6000 (courtesy of the Government of Taiwan/ROC) to the Youth Division of the Department of Community Affairs in Palau to support the development of the Palau national youth policy. Further allocations of US$6000 each were provided to Marshall Islands and American Samoa to support their policy development work.

1 Department of Health Education and Social Affairs.

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Capacity Building

Objective 2: Strengthened youth organisations.

Key Output 2.1 Effective facilitation of PYC2 Secretariat and General Assembly

With the departure of the Volunteer Executive Secretary for the PYC in January, the Bureau took on a communications role on behalf of the PYC during the preparation of Pacific youth delegations to the World Youth Festival to be held in Barcelona, in August 2004. Discussions were also held with the PYC Executives on the long-term future of the PYC. Issues of concern include the implementation and evaluation of the PYC Strategic Plan, fundraising strategies for securing resources to support PYC activities, and the upcoming 3rd PYC General Assembly to be held in 2005.

Key Output 2.2 National Youth Council personnel trained by PYB in relevant skills

Youth Council Executives in the Federated States of Micronesia received training in Policy Development and Strategic Planning in March. (Please refer to Output 3.1 for more details).

Practical testing for eligibility for the award of Trainers Certificates for Vanuatu National Youth Council representatives and other youth leaders in Vanuatu were completed.

Skills Development

Objective 3: A greater number of skilled young people.

Key Output 3.1 Young people trained in leadership skills.

Youth Policy Development and Implementation training was conducted in March for 31 (19 male/12 female) youth leaders in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The Bureau contributed a total of US$1,200 towards the cost of the workshop.

Cultural Identity and Self-esteem Development Training was conducted in August for 30 (11 male/20 female) students at Lycee Do-Kamo in New Caledonia. Life Planning and Goal Setting Training was conducted in September for 15 (10 male/5 female) youth leaders at Quarantaine Settlement in Koutio, New Caledonia.

A Train-the-Trainers Course (focusing on Leadership) was scheduled for 25 youth leaders in Kiribati in October.

2 Pacific Youth Council

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Key Output 3.2 Young people more experienced in project development and management

Preparations got underway for Project Planning training for youth leaders in Tuvalu to be conducted at the end of November. The UNDP Samoa Office have requested collaboration with them on the TALAVOU Youth Development Project for Samoa. The PYB will be assisting UNDP conduct training in this project for youth leaders in Samoa when the project is up and running.

Key Output 3.3 Young people aged 15 to 24 years in small island states trained in lifestyle skills

The Small Island States Fund activities continued in all participating countries except Kiribati and Pitcairn. The SISF report for the 2003 fiscal year was produced. Highlights of the SISF activities in 2003 are 6 training projects completed in Wallis and Futuna; 5 individuals supported in computer training and 725 youth leaders received various training organised by 8 youth organisations including the National Youth Council in Tuvalu; 25 young people assisted with Workforce Investment Act employment placements in Palau; 2 individuals assisted with training extension studies and 4 youth organisations assisted in conducting youth training programmes in the Cook Islands; 3 individuals and 2 organisations received support for employment related training and materials in Niue; 41 individuals received training in various vocational areas through the University of the South Pacific Centre in Nauru; 114 young people supported in their skills development in the Northern Marianas.

Key Output 3.4 More resources available to replenish the Small Island States Fund funding pool

A project proposal for US$379,850 was developed with assistance from the Planning Unit. The proposal sought additional funds to extend the SISF project to the year 2007.

Information Service

Objective 4: Young people better informed about regional trends and best practice in youth development.

Key Output 4.1 PYB a valued clearing-house for relevant information on youth activities

The PYB Website http://www.spc.int/youth was updated regularly during this period with more articles and resources being added to enhance the website. In addition, the website was also deep-linked to several more related organisations websites.

The Bureau collaborated with the Communications Officer in developing an article on youth development with a focus on the Federated States of Micronesia that was published in the Islands Business Magazine (both the web and print versions) in April.

The Bureau collaborated with the Planning Unit, the Deputy Director-General, and Senior Director General on the development of the Youth Sector analysis for the Pacific Cooperation Plan Study.

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Key Output 4.2 PYB publications are a key resource for Pacific youth workers and organisations

Youthlink Newsletter # 62 was produced and distributed. The Bureau also despatched relevant PYB documents and training materials in response to specific requests from youth workers around the region and in New Caledonia.

The Bureau also hosted an Intern - Ms Isabelle Le Moign of France for the period 6 September to 1 October. Ms Le Moign produced articles on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Young people and HIV/AIDS, and other areas for publication in the Youthlink Newsletter and the PYB Website.

Overview of the activities carried out by the PYB in Small Island States

. Financial and technical assistance to support the development of National Youth Policies in Palau (US$6,000), Marshall Islands (US$6,000) and American Samoa (US$6,000). . Technical services for Training of Trainers Course in Kiribati. . Financial assistance to Project Planing and Management Training in Tuvalu. . Financial support for Small Island States Fund activities in Kiribati, American Samoa, CNMI, Marshall Islands, Palau, Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Nauru, Tuvalu, Niue, , Pitcairn.

Contributions made by PICTs to the in-country implementation of PYB activities

. FSM contributed funds, staff time, and materials towards the Policy Development Workshop. . Palau contributed funds towards the costs of hiring a local Consultant for the development of the national youth policy.

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Annex 1.6

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRAINING CENTRE

ACTIVITY REPORT

1. Introduction

The Community Education Training Centre (CETC), located in Fiji, has been training Pacific women for just over four decades. Including the class of 2004, CETC has graduated around 1200 women from SPC’s Pacific member countries. The CETC contributes to the SPC Social Resources Division mission, which is "to maximise the development potential of Pacific island people in health, culture and information and enhance the empowerment of women and young people". It supports the corporate divisional goal of "empowered Pacific island women and young people and strong cultural identities".

2. Objective of the Programme

The one main objective of the CETC stipulated in its 2003-2005 Strategic Plan is "increased effectiveness of women in community development work".

3. Achievements Against Objectives

Strategic Plan Objective: Increased effectiveness of women in community development work.

Output 1: Increased capacity among women in key community development skills. Activities undertaken Outcomes achieved Beneficiaries 1. Recruitment and training 1.1 Pool of trained women community Pacific women at CETC; of thirty trainees from at workers increased (30 students from 11 communities of 11 countries in least fifty percent of the SPC member countries graduated in 2004). 2004. PICTs. 2. Implementing the 2004 2.1 Seven-month community development CETC graduates; CETC annual seven-month course successfully completed with high course planning. community development satisfaction and completion rating of trainees training. at CETC (100% of intake completed course). 2. Implementing the 2004 2.2 Community development skills of 30 CETC graduates; Pacific annual seven-month graduate women improved through training communities community development in six major courses, four short/non-core training (continued) courses and a range of technical electives courses including radio, fisheries, carpentry, English.

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2.3 Three new databases developed, which CETC administration; users of will improve management, administration CETC information. and storage of information on students, training material/equipment and resource persons. 2.4 Five (5) new technical skills courses CETC women; communities incorporated into the curriculum (tailoring, basic catering and hospitality, boating skills, carpentry and plant tissue culture) 3. Implementing a 3.1 Training workshops in livelihood skills CETC graduates; Employers; comprehensive community development successfully conducted in five Sending communities & outreach programme in Fiji (5) Fijian villages organisations of CETC graduates 3. Implementing a 3.2 High degree of satisfaction expressed by Community members, 30 comprehensive community around 150 community members following a CETC graduates outreach programme in Fiji village attachment by CETC community workers in September 2004 (attachments focused on developing village skills in livestock management, and constructing tools and templates for fabric arts printing with the aim of setting up a fabric arts business for tourist markets) 3.3 30 trainees provided with practical Community members, 30 training experience using participatory CETC graduates techniques; planning, implementing and evaluating community training/development programmes for five (5) Fijian villages. 3.4 30 community workers successfully 30 CETC graduates and their conducted community surveys, interviews respective communities; radio and radio recordings in three Fiji listeners in Suva/Nausori area communities and developed on-air radio programmes 3 nights a week. 4. Development of resource 4. Environment training manual and student Facilitators & trainers: CETC books and non-book training workbook in print, on CD and on CETC/SPC staff and resource persons; materials Website. The Centre’s CTU Newsletter was National training institutions, also produced in French for the first time. individual trainers, organisations; Stakeholders of community development and training.

5. Upgrading of residential 5.I Standby generator to counter disruptions CETC trainees; Staff and and training facilities at the by electric power failures installed. participants of other SPC Centre. programmes; Other agency programmes that use CETC facilities

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5.2 Leased dialup line connecting CETC to other SPC sites and outside locations installed

6. Establishment of 6.1 Awareness of country focal points and CETC graduates; Women guidelines for use of the trust all graduates about the CETC trust fund focal points in-country; fund for CETC graduates. increased. Graduates’ own communities 6.2 Guidance provided to at least 90% of PICTs focal points and all graduates on the conditions for use of the CETC trust fund. 7. Planning and 7.1 Fifteen (15) participants provided with CETC graduates; other women implementing advanced advanced entrepreneurial knowledge and (leaders) training and targeting a more skills from 3-week Enterprise Development advanced level of pacific summer course in Nov/Dec 2004. women participants. 8. Consolidated and 8.1 Tracer study of former CETC graduates CETC graduates; future systematic analysis of the successfully completed to assess the impact trainees; Pacific communities impact of CETC training on of CETC training on community workers reached by graduates. graduates’ work and training and the communities served in seventeen needs assessment using a (17) pacific countries and territories. Survey tracer study in seventeen had an excellent response rate, indicated by (17) PICTs. more than 50% (170 respondents) of graduates from period 1992-2002. 8.2 Inventory developed of courses/areas CETC graduates; other identified by CETC graduates for future interested candidates summer courses in refresher training and upskilling 9. Validating the future role 9.1 Informed and directed focus and future Pacific families and and function of CETC, using directions for CETC for the next three years communities. a peer review team of Pacific provided. community/education /non- formal education experts. Output 2: Network of CETC with graduates, training institutions and employers strengthened. Activities Outcomes achieved Beneficiaries 1. Networks with national 1.2 Collaboration promoted in training and Pacific women community and regional training course development (through networks with workers; Prospective CETC providers/institutions the Training and Productivity Authority of candidates; Other national and developed. Fiji (TPAF), Fiji Institute of Technology regional training providers (FIT), USP, Private sector (Indoor Cuisine Co. Ltd, and Femmus Hospitality of Fiji). Also collaboration with the Arawa Training Centre in Bougainville and the CATD in Fiji. 2. Networking with potential 2.1 Increased awareness by relevant CETC and graduates; employers of graduates. employers of the CETC course and skills of communities CETC graduates.

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3. Employment of graduates 3.1 Increased recognition of women's Community workers; CETC after training in community conceptual/technical skills by employers trainees and graduates; Other work and related indicated by increase in number employed community women either paid or unpaid in community work, education or other sector in government. 3.2 Better than expected employment rate for 2003 graduates per country (more than 50% reported in paid or self employment). E.g. Tokelau (1 of 2); PNG (1 of 1); Solomon Is (1 of 1) 4. Networking with CETC 4.1 Advice and support provided to 4. CETC; alumni associations; graduates and alumni. individual graduates, alumni associations women focal points/leaders, and women focal points from Tonga, Nauru, other training providers and Kiribati, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, stakeholders Solomon Islands, PNG and Fiji, to name a few this year.

ACTIVITIES IN 2004 additional to the CETC MANDATE

CETC Review Validation Activities

In 2004, CETC’s main focus and mandate from its Strategic Plan 2003-2005, was to deliver the seven- months community development course, which it has successfully completed. In addition to this mandate, there were a number of follow up actions that needed to be implemented in order to validate and implement the findings and recommendations of 2002 CETC External Independent Review.

Key activities included:

• the tendering and selection of a provider for the Enterprise Development Course, which will be offered to 15 women leaders in November 2004 • a tracer study of graduates for the ten years from 1992-2002, which aims to assess the impact of CETC training on graduates and inform future curriculum development. • a peer review, which commissioned six experts to give their independent view on the findings and recommendations of the 2002 review report. The review team also analysed the national policies and strategic plans of their own country to identify stated training needs and gaps for women and community development.

The Review team’s final consolidated report is a separate document.

CETC was assisted in undertaking these validation activities and the Enterprise Development summer course by the SPC Planning Unit in Suva who took a lead advisory role in developing tools and facilitating dialogue towards implementation of these activities. The Demography Section in Noumea assisted with questionnaire design and analysis of the tracer study data and information.

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Tracer Study

The tracer study was to follow-up on the impact of the CETC training on work and communities of the graduates in the ten years 1992–2002, and to assess training needs for refresher/upskilling courses. With the assistance of the SPC Planning Unit and the Demography section, a questionnaire was designed for the tracer in 19 countries of SPC. Seventeen countries implemented the study and provided feedback and the rate of return for survey responses was very good with over 50 percent (170 responses) received. Below are a few key points summarized from the survey:

• Ninety two percent (92%) of graduates were in employment paid and unpaid. Of those in paid employment, the survey indicates that graduates enjoy a higher level of paid employment after their CETC training (68% representing a 23% increase after training). Sixty two percent of graduates after training (an increase from 50% before training) were spending more time on community work compared to prior. Around 38.8% were working full time on community work after CETC training (an increase from 22.9% before training). In summary, figures imply that the CETC programme equipped many graduates to increase their involvement in community work.

• In terms of follow up support provided by CETC, just over two thirds (68%) viewed the support provided as “good” while 13 percent indicated that improvements are needed.

• Fifty percent of respondents indicated that the current seven months duration is “about right” with the remaining expressing differing views with “too short” as the most common view.

• Over 65 percent of graduates in the study indicated their use of the CETC acquired skills/knowledge at their work places. This reflects the usefulness and relevance of the current CETC training programme, especially the target recipients and expected application at the work places.

• The overwhelming majority of respondents agree that the training and the delivery methods acquired at CETC were useful and had assisted them in transfer of knowledge to others, teaching skills, developing new work programmes as well as identifying community needs. Further the overwhelming majority (88%) of the graduates surveyed indicate that they use the materials provided to them (eg. posters etc) to some extent.

• The survey found that 38 percent of graduates perceived that confidence in community or leadership was the most important achievement, while 17 percent indicated “personal confidence to speak up or become involved” as the most important acquired skill. The most commonly used skills from CETC rated community leadership highest (61%) cooking local foods (63.8%), sewing (45.3%) and basic health and nutrition (45.9%) whilst the least used skills included population issues, water supply and sanitation, and environment.

• Forty percent of graduates suggested additional subjects relevant to their communities that may be considered for inclusion in the training programme. Over ninety percent (93%) agreed that additional refresher training would be useful identifying catering, tailoring, fabric arts and design, income generation/micro credit and management as clear favourites.

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• The survey found that CETC could improve dissemination of information about the CETC training programme in country.

• Nearly all respondents (94%) indicate that they would definitely recommend the CETC training to others, while another 5 percent indicated a “maybe”.

The main findings of the tracer study and survey are in a separate report.

Peer Review Team

The peer review exercise, which comprised six experts reviewed independently and a team leader and Chairperson, was completed in late September. The PRG were tasked with assessing the recommendations and findings of the 2002 independent review of CETC. In brief, the review team concluded that:

1. The seven month community development course should be retained. The review team recommended that more advanced and refresher/summer courses should also be provided in the summer months (outside of the community development course).

2. The target group should remain community workers and leaders who are change agents in their communities (including young women), rather than women leaders in national machineries (as had been recommended by the 2002 review).

3. The current curriculum on practical skills and knowledge should remain but with greater emphasis on income generation and topics such as business skills, micro-enterprise development, carpentry, tailoring, human rights, gender balance, empowerment, environment and other advanced skills.

4. That there should be regular reviews of the curriculum to ensure it remains relevant to the changing needs of member countries.

Detailed findings of the Peer Review team are in a separate report.

Modular Summer Courses

The one training activity proposed by the Review, which is being implemented this year, is a summer course in the period outside of the seven-month community development course. The Enterprise Development course is being run at CETC for three weeks from 15 November to 3 December 2004 and will be facilitated by the Fiji National Centre for Small Business & Micro-enterprise Development. Fifteen participants from seven countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu) will participate. There has been a high demand from candidates in all seven countries, in particular Fiji. The course will be evaluated and a follow-up programme is planned for 2005. Based on the outcomes of this pilot course, CETC plans to offer a range of other summer courses in future, subject to availability of resources.

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Conclusion

Year 2004 has been a very busy year with the review activities and preparations for the summer course. The Review validation activities have now been completed, which will help inform education planners and strategic planning architects of CETC to produce the next Strategic Plan and map the future direction of the Centre into the next three years beyond 2005.

This report acknowledges the work of the women focal points and coordinators in country for facilitating the tracer study, for nominations for the Community Development course and Enterprise Development summer course, and the peer review team for providing clear views on future directions for the centre.

CETC is grateful to its donors and development partners for sponsoring participants and institutional strengthening in 2004.

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Annex 1.7

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - CULTURAL AFFAIRS PROGRAMME

SUMMARY ACTIVITY REPORT

1. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the work carried out by the Cultural Affairs Programme since the 33rd meeting of CRGA and those planned for the near future. The past months for the programme have been busy and productive. During the last twelve months, the programme has focussed most of its time to assisting the Palau Festival Organising Committee with preparations and hosting of the 9th Festival of Pacific Arts.

The 9th Festival of Pacific Arts

2. The 19th Meeting of the Council of Pacific Arts was held in Palau from 2-4 March 2004. Preparations for the Festival constituted the major item on the agenda. Site visits to a number of performing and accommodation areas were conducted. The meeting adopted a flag and logo for the Council of Pacific Arts with a request that it be flown at each Festival of Pacific Arts and whenever the Council of Pacific Arts or its Executive Board is meeting.

3. An "Organisers Guide to the Pacific Arts" has been published. This was undertaken because, aside from a few historical guidelines, little information has been documented on the organisation, roles and responsibilities of a Festival of Pacific Arts. The Guide was reviewed by the 4th meeting of the Executive Board of the Council of Pacific Arts (Noumea, October 2003) and is to be considered a living document, to be reviewed at the end of every Festival. (From six monthly report July to December 2003)

• Funding the Festival

4. Funds were received from the European Commission (€450,000) for the Festival of Pacific Arts. These funds comprised €200,000 under the 9th Regional Development Fund for ACP countries for stage, sound and lighting equipment. The second amount of €250 000 under the PTOM funds are to assist Festival organisers with transportation, catering and accommodation needs for the French pacific countries and territories.

5. The programme was successful in soliciting funds from France (€59,500)on behalf of the Organising Committee of Palau, for the establishment of the Festival Media Centre and the translating and publishing of Festival publications.

6. Funds were received from Taiwan/ROC (US$100,000) to undertake media training and an AV production project. Seven teams consisting of three people, from each of the counties of Micronesia became part of the official film crew for the Festival. In addition to the production of the Official Festival film, each media team will produce one half-hour AV production featuring their national participation at the Festival.

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7. The Cultural Affairs Programme, with the support of the SPC HIV Aids section received (US$20,000) funding from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and UNAIDS for the production of materials promoting HIV Aids and sexually transmitted infections (STI) awareness during the Festival. A representative of the Palauan health authorities was attached to the Cultural Affairs Programme to assist in the development of materials, which were distributed during the Festival from the “Safe Festival Booth”. A survey was conducted on the effectiveness of these materials for future productions.

8. The Cultural Affairs Programme assisted Palau with the submission of a regional project proposal (US$46,000) for funding of a “Symposium on Traditional Healing Practices” under the UNESCO Participation Programme. The Cultural Affairs Programme solicited and received the required support from three UNESCO member states including FSM, Fiji Islands and Solomon Islands.

• Assistance to the Organising Committee

9. The Programme assisted the Organising Committee by facilitating translation into French of a number of materials including the Festival website, the Festival Magazine and Guide, the Media Accreditation Manual, the Application to Participate and a numerous other documents essential to the Festival.

• For the delegations

10. The Cultural Affairs Programme, in collaboration with the Air Charter Network Company organised two charter flights for delegations from Nadi direct to Koror, Palau. This charter transported eleven countries and over four hundred passengers to the Festival. This is the first time that charter flights have been coordinated among so many countries and constitutes a major achievement for the programme. Countries travelling via this service were Wallis and Futuna (120), Tonga (45), Samoa (50), Vanuatu (10), (35), Niue (15), Kiribati (28), Fiji Islands (80) Tuvalu (34), Solomon Islands (1), Pitcairn Island (1).

11. The programme also assisted those countries travelling via Continental Airlines and having trouble securing and confirming flights to Palau through other ports. This assistance was achieved through facilitating contact between delegations and a specially appointed Continental festival representative based in Guam.

12. The programme solicited support from the Australian government to assist those countries with financial difficulties to attend the Festival. Information relating to the Australian Government’s Cultural Relations Discretionary Grants program run by the Images of Australia branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was forwarded to all members of the Council of Pacific Arts which have relations with the Australian government. It is not known how many of these countries applied for these funds.

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• During the Festival

13. In addition to managing the media project, the charter aircraft arrivals and departures, the stage, sound and lighting contractors, and providing support to the Safe Festival Booth, the Cultural Affairs Adviser also managed other activities.

14. The Programme contracted a consultant journalist to provide daily media releases throughout the duration of the Festival. Fifteen releases over ten days were circulated to regional media and featured via the SPC web site. These releases were designed to demonstrate the diversity and cross-sectoral importance of a Festival of Pacific Arts as well as promote the technical programmes of SPC. These releases are still accessible via the SPC web site.

15. The Programme contracted a consultant photographer to visually document the Festival. Over the ten day period more than 10,000 photos were taken. As with the media releases, these photographs were taken to demonstrate the diversity of a Festival of Pacific Arts as well as record images relevant to the technical programmes of SPC.

16. Given the number of requests for additional information by regional and international media and the increased requests for follow-up interviews, it is believed that the publicity approach was very successful. Both the images and the releases will be used as the foundation of a high quality coffee table book highlighting the evolution and history of the Festivals of Pacific Arts to be published in 2005, providing sufficient funds can be raised to finish the project.

17. Following tradition, the 20th meeting of the Council of Pacific Arts was convened at the end of the Festival to review the 9th Festival. Additionally, Council members reported on progress and new developments relating to cultural heritage protection and promotion within their own countries. The 3rd Executive Board of the Council of Pacific Arts was elected and Solomon Islands was nominated to host the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts in 2012.

18. Interpretation services were provided by SPC to all symposiums and each Head of Delegation meeting during the Festival. Interpretations services were also provided during the Opening and Closing ceremonies and other special events.

19. Work is continuing with Palau, to finalise the projects and prepare final financial and activities reports to donors and Council members.

20. In December 2003, at the request of the PIMA Board, the Cultural Affairs Adviser, together with Mr. Ian Galloway, Director of the Queensland Museum/President of ICOM Australia conducted an independent review of the Organisation. The report of the Review has been finalised and has been circulated to Board members.

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21. The Cultural Affairs Programme is currently developing a method to value the informal cultural sector of the Pacific Islands. The Cultural Affairs Programme has engaged a New Zealand based company Cultural Marc International to draft a Regional Framework for the Economic Valuation of Culture. A representative of the consulting group, together with the Cultural Affairs Adviser presented the project to the Pacific Island Country (PIC) Development Partners meeting that was held in Rotorua, New Zealand (June 7-11, 2004) in conjunction with the Forum Economic Ministers meeting.

22. The programme has finalised the “Guide to Etiquette in the Pacific Islands”, which will assist staff with cultural etiquette in each Pacific Island member country and territory of SPC.

Finances

23. The transfer of the Cultural Affairs Programme to core funding in 2004 demonstrates the value of the Programme within the SPC Work Programme. In addition to the core support, the programme has continued to benefit from the support of its traditional programme donors, France and New Caledonia as well as its traditional project donors, France, Taiwan/ROC and New Zealand.

24. With the Festival of Arts being held in 2004, the Programme is managing an accumulated budget of over 1,000,000.00 units for this event. While this figure demonstrates the importance of the event to the region, it is not wholly indicative of the support that the programme receives in the years between Festivals for alternative activities. Therefore, the Programme will continue to implement high visibility projects that promote the relevancy and high value of culture to Pacific Island society.

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FSM has provided an in-kind contribution of USD12,000 to the Festival media project. These funds will be used to purchase editing equipment for FSM. During installation, an Editing Workshop will be conducted by the SPC Media Centre. Outputs of this contribution will be an equipped editing suite, trained operators of the editing equipment and a media production of FSM’s participation at the 9th Festival of Arts.

In addition to the assistance given to Palau during the Festival, other Small Island States have been involved in the work of the Cultural Affairs Programme.

Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Nauru were all members of the Festival Media Project Team. Each of these Small Island States will be assisted to produce a half-hour documentary on their national participation at the 9th Festival of Pacific Arts.

Funds were obtained (US$1,700) to assist the single Pitcairn Island delegate attend the 9th Festival of Pacific Arts. Without these funds, Pitcairn Island would have been the only country not to have delegates attend the Festival.

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In August 2004, the Cultural Affairs Adviser attended a “Training Workshop in Cultural Heritage Management in the Pacific Island Nations” in Niue. The workshop was organised by the Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific at Deakin University on behalf of Australia ICOMOS and the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Division. The objective was to draft a conservation management plan for the Huvalu Conservation Zone and the Huanaki Historical site, (formerly the HuanakI Cultural Centre which, as a result of Cyclone Heta, is now only a concrete foundation.

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Annex 1.8

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - NOUMEA LIBRARY

ACTIVITY REPORT 2004

1. Introduction

The SPC Noumea library strives to support and enhance the technical work of SPC professional staff and, to serve PICTs by working with other international and regional organisations.

2. 2004 in Review

In 2004 SPC Library implemented a series of library management Best Practices to bring SPC Library to international standards. The Library reorganization included journal circulation, book inventory, spatial redistribution, technical services, Library staff and administration changes, SPC staff and public patron education and collection development.

We contribute to the production of information as well as the collection, management and distribution of information. We provide CIP (Cataloguing in Publication) for SPC publications and give other publication input as required. We monitor new publications, acquire materials and maintain the collection. We provide research to SPC staff, answering daily requests for complex information requirements in all formats, thus giving underlying support to SPC’s implementation of the MDGs. During 2004, SPC Library Noumea, either in response to direct requests or indirectly through our participation in PIMRIS (Pacific Islands Marine Research Information Systems), PIALA (Pacific Islands Association of Libraries and Archives) and the Pacific Regional Group of IAMSLIC (International Association of Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers), filled more than 250 requests from regional and international queries and over 1365 local requests. For example, we are helping the Department of Environment Niue, replace library materials lost in Cyclone Herta. Another example is the USP legal digitization project, to which we have provided a bibliography and copies of our treaties and conventions. As part of SPC Open Day, SPC Library is hosting an exhibition on pirogues in history and modernity, and also is charged with the Concours de la Case.

3. Activities in Small Island States i) Information Support: Library is involved in the production of SPC publications that serve the Small Island States. This includes research on Fisheries & Marine Sciences, Health, Women’s Issues, and culture as well as creation of CIP(Cataloguing-in-Publication)and editorial contribution to the Jecko Pacific Tales Series.

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ii) Document Delivery: We provided information in various formats to institutions and individuals in Fiji, FSM, Niue, Guam, Samoa, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, CNMI, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, . iii) Depository library system: This system improves and extends access to SPC publications in the region. The depository library system means that SPC sends all our publications free of charge to participating institutions. Those institutions in return agree to catalogue, store and then make them freely available to local institutions and individuals seeking technical or particular information.

SPC Library Noumea will continue to provide information to support the programmes and projects that are working toward the development of Pacific Island countries and territories.

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Annex 1.9

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - LIBRARY/INFORMATION CENTRE SERVICES (SUVA)

ACTIVITY REPORT

1. INTRODUCTION

The Library currently shares the Information and Communication Services goal: improved information and communication capacity (in the Region).

The Library meets the goal by maintaining high quality information resources and providing information services to SPC programmes, their stakeholders and the region to facilitate the timely access to relevant and appropriate information.

Overall the region’s information sector is poorly funded with very few trained staff. The Library, also independently initiates, provides and contributes advice and services, including training in basic information skills to support the development of select national sector libraries to improve Pacific Island access to information.

The Library in Suva has an additional role as Publications Section Focal Point in which services are provided to SPC programmes to improve support for all publications activities. Services in this capacity extend to regional collaborators when a publication is funded by SPC.

2. Objectives of the Programme

Library currently has three objectives for the period 2003 to 2005:

Objective 1: Appropriate, high level information environment available to SPC Objective 2: SPC a major Pacific development clearing house within regional and global information networks. Objective 3: Technical advice and support provided to select national sectoral libraries to help improve their capacity to service their information requirements.

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3. Achievements against Objectives

Strategic Plan Objective 1 Appropriate, high level information environment available to SPC

Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries/Impact

Organising information 6 libraries fully operational and serviced SPC and Region resources 4 electronic collections produced – SPC and Region improved CETC, processing agricultural products, access to information images, trip reports Management training 2 new staff, 3 programme staff, 3 CETC Faster retrieval of materials trainees, 3 volunteers

Strategic Plan Objective 2 SPC a major Pacific development clearing house within regional and global information networks

Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries/Impact

8 significant displays Major display for Agriculture & Forestry SPC, Region, PNG, Fiji, Ministers and CEO Meeting, strong farmers, NGO’s, libraries, regional participation. schools

Improved awareness of region’s; Regional mandate for information activities and their role in agriculture & forestry: development processes clearing house development and negotiation for regional access to materials Electronic information Information network strengthened Fiji forum Access improved to unpublished materials Funding for specific Proposals for follow-up training including Region, Samoa, Tonga, projects Greenstone and other free software Vanuatu, Solomon Islands Capacity building improved Practical Library tools 30,000 catalogue records distributed for Samoa, Tonga, PNG, copy cataloguing Solomon Islands

Agriculture Dewey classification Region schedule; Reduced time and skills Forestry classification & Greenstone needed to organise meta-data guidelines drafted information materials

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Strategic Plan Objective 3 Technical advice and support provided to select national sectoral libraries to help improve their capacity to service their information requirements

Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries/Impact

Practical library skills 4 national agriculture libraries sorted, 1 Fiji, Tonga, Samoa 4 training partly sorted operational libraries 3 weeks Tonga staff, 1 week Samoa Information services re- activated, networks established and refreshed

Training Workshop on 21 people (information officers, computer Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Production & Management specialist, secretaries, library staff, Islands, Fiji, , SPC, of Electronic Documents government, NGO’s, regional Vanuatu, PNG 26 August – 7 September organisations) trained in various electronic skills; 30 people trained in free Greenstone digital library software

all participants returned home with working digital library, training materials and software

Improved understanding & collaboration Regional E-inpac support between producers, organisers and network established managers of information

Publications Focal Point Activities Undertaken Outputs/Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries/Impact

Organising publication Archiving publications SPC and region electronic files & images Organising images Reduced costs, improved distribution & redistribution

4. Conclusion / Summary

The routine work of the Library is not recounted in this summary it includes managing the materials; acting as a distribution centre for SPC publications, providing public reference services and a regional question and answer service.

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The paper information resources are mostly organised. There is still significant work to be done in the Regional Media video collection.

All new information work in the region is now electronic and this opens up many new opportunities for accessing information. Work has begun on organising the SPC electronic materials and trialling methods in our efforts to reduce the amount of time needed to process the materials. Essentially we are trialling methods using both free software and proprietary software , for full text searching, whilst securing (or restricting access) to sensitive documents in databases and examining distribution processes. Our hope is that people will be able to use the software themselves, to both add to databases and to redistribute materials. The training activities this year was restricted to the agriculture, land and forestry sectors. If the methods work we will continue the training in the other sectors.

There is plenty of relevant information in the region. There are very few trained information people. The Library regularly receives requests for assistance to train, help sort out libraries or information centres and establish services. Training in information skills has occurred over the years, but it is intermittent and irregular. Our experience has shown that people want and need practical training preferably at regular intervals and people like to be trained in groups on real tasks. Funding for this iterative work is scarce. The Library believes this work is could be part of many of some of the capacity building exercises currently underway and collaborates with programmes to provide training where-ever possible and appropriate to the trainees. Library will continue to identify funding to expand work in this area.

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Annex 1.10

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) SECTION

ACTIVITY REPORT

The priorities for the budget and work program in 2004 have consolidated the SPC ICT Strategic Plan 2003-2005 in support of these two objectives: (i) Sustained, high-quality ICT services in support of SPC programmes; and (ii) Enhanced information and communication services in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs).

The main outputs being pursued were:

1) Improved ICT skills of users; 2) Appropriate hardware, software, applications and communications infrastructure and standards that satisfy users’ current and emerging needs; 3) High system availability, performance, integrity and security; 4) Strengthened national capacity in network systems administration and management; 5) National ICT policies and strategic plans; and 6) Improved ICT skills and access to information for PICT communities.

In 2003, SPC participated actively in support of the WSIS agenda, both at the national and regional level. The signing of the PITA/SPC MOU in August 2003 was in direct response to the key outputs 5 and 6 above. For 2004, these new development partnerships reflect the growing importance of ICT in the medium to long-term development of public services, social and natural resources in the Pacific Islands. SPC has also taken into account the shifting dynamics of the main players in the Pacific ICT sector whose positive contribution and influence can be critical success factors. It was therefore important to revitalise traditional partnerships such as with sister CROP agencies, implement meaningful collaboration with new partners such as PITA and PICISOC and explore the relevant balances of input from the private sector and NGOs to pursuing government priorities, both at the national, and especially the regional level for organisations like SPC. In 2004, the focus from SPC has been predominantly aimed at the technical population of the Pacific ICT sector. The cooperation and information shared with PITA is of high importance, and the understanding and trust between the two organisations has never been better. PICISOC also has tremendous support from SPC, especially at the senior Executive level. As a result, the grassroots approach from SPC to advance Outputs 4, 5 and 6 above is very well publicised in the island countries, and fully appreciated by all levels of SPC Management and staff.

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SPC has increased its direct involvement in national ICT projects this year. This strategic operational shift is either in direct support of technical programme activities in the SPC island membership or through partnerships with organisations like PICISOC. For example, during PacINET 2004 hosted by Vanuatu in August 2004, SPC and Open Systems of Australia jointly sponsored an Internet filtering requirement (using the Contentkeeper solution) for the free Internet access to national primary schools as provided by Vanuatu’s telecommunication and Internet service provider. With the involvement of all these organisations under the umbrella of the annual PacINET flagship event of PICISOC, governments, NGOs, private sector and regional organisations have pooled resources together for a worthwhile purpose.

Some of the island countries that have received some form of support from SPC’s ICT strategies in 2004 include: (a) American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Guam, Marshall Islands and Palau through the Public Health Surveillance (PHS) project; (b) 50 hours ICT training to community education training students from April-June every year; (c) In-country technical assistance to Ministry of Agriculture in Solomon Islands (10 days), at the Maritime College in Santo, Vanuatu (6 days), at the Micronesian Maritime Authority (MMA) and the Statistics Department, Pohnpei, FSM and (d) Vanuatu, home for both the current and most recent incumbents for the Pacific Islands Network Associate (PINA). Nettie Collins from Telecom Vanuatu Limited (TVL) of Vanuatu has returned to a senior role with her previous employer after spending 13 months with SPC. Esther Alick from the Vanuatu Ministry of Finance is with SPC for 4 months until the end of this year.

At the regional level, SPC continues to support a large number of websites and electronic lists for the regional ICT sector, including the website and PIGNET mail list for PICISOC; the regional Pacific Regional Information Systems (PRISM) project and associated National Statistics Offices; and all the sectoral areas in the main SPC Programme Divisional Areas of Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Social Resources.

The key outputs 1-6 as listed earlier have been pursued within the available financial and staffing resources. Although the improvements to internal SPC ICT services and support are not highlighted in this report, more than 80% of the 2004 budget and activities was spent there, in pursuit of key outputs 1- 4. The medium and long term benefits from the corresponding strategies and objectives flow out to the countries, donors and other major stakeholders.

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Annex 1.11

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION - TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SECTION

ACTIVITY REPORT

HIGHLIGHTS

At this stage, the objectives/outputs set for 2004 have all been reached and all key performance indicators but one have been met.

1. Translation

There is no significant translation backlog. The Section went through a difficult period in May/June due in part to a week of training for all its staff on Multitrans and in part to the lateness of some translation requests regarding long documents.

2. Interpretation

All meetings planned in and out of headquarters have been properly covered.

3. Multitrans

The software is basically in place. The training week was a success and the staff is progressively getting use to the software. It’s introduction is not creating any loss in productivity.

The software was installed on the translators’ portable computer and will be taken for the first time at a meeting away from headquarters (Nadi, 9th Women).

The excellent service – reaching beyond duty – provided to the Section by the IT staff must be acknowledged.

4. Attachments

After initial contacts with the Vanuatu official translation and interpretation services and several follow-up, nothing so far came out of it, probably from lack of funding.

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5. Other

The Section absorbed without major disruptions – in that the quantity and the quality of its services were not impaired in the least – the replacement of two of its interpreters whose contracts were up under the six-years rule. The two new recruits will take up their posts in mid-September and early October, respectively. After a complete recruitment process, the contract of a translator up under the six years Rule was renewed.

NARRATIVE

The nature of translation and interpretation work being what it is, there is not much to add than to say that the work was properly done at the high quality level expected to the satisfaction of the clients.

However, two related points deserve mention. i) First and foremost, the success of the Section being able to fullfill its objectives was mainly due to proper staffing, most critically in the translation unit, which allowed the Section to take up the extra duty generated by the recurrent and inevitable negative impact on the translation workload of the interpreters missions. However, we do operate at the margin and the loss of one translator (one third of the translators’ staff) will have a serious negative impact on the unit output at a time when we can expect some extra workload.

We will certainly endeavour to compensate for that loss as much as possible by a redistribution of tasks and priorities and, more importantly, by turning to the local freelance market, which brings us to our second point. ii) Only 25 per cent of the funding (Ten thousand CFP units out of 40 000) under “General and operating expenses” can truly be dedicated to outside freelance work. This amount is clearly insufficient. The “rallonge” obtained during the mid-year budget review is indeed welcome and should allow the Section to properly full fill its tasks. However, for planning purposes, it would be better to know at the beginning of the budget year the amount of funding that can be expected, specially considering the extra heavy workload that we can anticipate due to the loss of a translator.

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Objectives/outputs Indicators 2004 Progress Indicators 2005

Objectives 1. Translate a maximum Fully met 1. Translate a maximum To enable SPC number of documents number of documents within member countries within deadlines; deadlines; eliminate or and territories to eliminate or radically radically reduce the access SPC reduce the translation translation backlog. Flexible information and backlog and sustainable use of all services in both of Fully met alternative sources and the working modes of translation based languages of the on available human and Organisation financial resources.

Outputs 2. Provide maximum Training session late 2. Provide maximum translation and April; in use in and out translation and interpretation 1. Provision of interpretation services to of headquarters services to SPC meetings. quality translations SPC meetings Flexible and sustainable into English or No results as yet. No management of translation French of documents follow-up from Vanuatu flow in relation to meetings produced for or by after several contacts based on available human SPC 3. Multitrans software and financial resources. fully functional and staff trained in its use

2. Provision of 4. Systematically seek 3. Multitrans software: set quality interpretation out training attachments up, fully functional. In use at services in English for Pacific Islanders, headquarters and at and French at SPC with a view to conference via laptops. meetings supporting the formation of a regional 4. Systematically seek out network of translators training attachments for and interpreters in the Pacific Islanders, with a view two official languages to supporting the formation of SPC. of a regional network of translators and interpreters in the two official languages of SPC.

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Annex 1.12

SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION (SUVA) - REGIONAL MEDIA CENTRE (RMC)

ACTIVITY REPORT

1. Introduction

Established in 1974, the RMC is an integrated media training and production centre. The primary role of the RMC has been to provide training and production opportunities not only for the media industry, but also for government ministries and departments, as well as regional and non-government organisations. Through its programme within SPC’s Community Education Training Centre, the RMC develops the media skills of community workers from the region, enabling the voices of individuals and organisations at the grassroots of Pacific societies to be heard. Based in Suva, the RMC also acts in conjunction with SPC’s Publications Section, providing support to SPC’s Suva-based programmes in such areas as training and advice on media production and uses; production of information/education campaign materials, posters and videos; dissemination of community awareness messages through a variety of media services on television and electronically.

2. Strategic Objectives

- Putting people first – human resource development - Communicating and collaborating effectively with stakeholders

3. Achievements against Objectives

Strategic Objective 1 Putting people first – human resource development

Activities Undertaken Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries

1 month Multi Media 30 women from 11 PICTS can now 30 PICT community Training for Community produce electronic newsletters and workers and their Education Training Centre contribute to the production of Radio and respective communities (TV, Radio and Graphics) TV broadcast material in their communities. 5 months training for radio 16 women from 9 PICTs can now plan and Students taking the Radio elective class for CETC produce programmes as well as presenting elective are: trainees them on air. 1 Tuvalu, 1 from Tonga, 1 Tokelau, 1 from Solomon Is., 3 from Samoa, 2 from New Caledonia, 3 from Kiribati, 1 from Cook Is.

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Festival of Pacific Arts in Skills in television and video production Guam, Palau, CNMI, Palau - 2 weeks intensive techniques were strengthened for 25 Nauru, Marshall Is., training course; television and participants from 7 Micronesian countries Federated States of video production techniques and territories. Micronesia and Kiribati and 2 weeks of hands on practical work. Technical Advice: Advice provided on video production Ministry of Home infrastructure and equipment Affairs, Kiribati Solomon Islands TV/Video training Two week training course on video and TV Solomon Islands production techniques conducted for 8 participants TV/Video Production Two week training course in video and Tonga television production for 8 participants 1 week training course 25 participants from 11 PICTS can now Participants from Fiji, conducted on Screenwriting. write up stories and produce film for Samoa, Tonga, Niue, television. Tuvalu, PNG, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Nauru. One twelve month and one Attachments are now skilled in design Fiji six week training attachment production for print and video, including to learn video production production of Pacific Way techniques

One month attachment in Graphics skills developed through the Fiji graphics from Fiji Institute of production of CETC newsletters, posters Technology and use of software for Graphics design. Radio Broadcast Training for 25 men and women from the region can 25 PICT community community workers from the now produce and broadcast radio workers and their region on Women’s Issues in programmes (with a focus on women) respective communities collaboration with the Fiji in the region Women’s Crisis Centre in Suva.

PNG – Madang 15 participants from NGOs and 10 Media Communities in PNG. In-country Radio Production personnel from different provinces in PNG training. were trained with the Aims: (1) to help marine and environment specialists to write and produce programs for radio in their provinces. (2) How media can help to get the message across through Radio/print and TV.

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Training of Radio announcers Skills of radio announcers were upgraded 10 Radio trainees from in Tokelau – 3 atolls of for FM Radio broadcast in areas of radio the 3 Atolls of Tokelau. Fakaofo, Nukunonu and presentation, programme planning, Atafu interviewing, recording and use of radio production equipment.

Women focal points were trained on using radio to broadcast their materials; 3 FM Radio stations operate independently of each other.

Technical Advice: Feasibility of AM Broadcast services that could serve the 3 atolls at the same time explored with villages Radio Broadcast Corporation Radio Production workshop for FBCL 12 staff of FBCL. Limited (FBCL) Workshop: English, Fijian, Hindi announcers Fiji Broadcasting Corporation conducted for 21 participants. Skills upgraded in writing radio spots/advertising, presentation, recording, editing and mixing for radio.

Strategic Objective 2 Communicating and collaborating effectively with stakeholders Activities Undertaken Outcomes Achieved Beneficiaries TV Production, The Pacific Copies of the Pacific Way are now PNG, Sol., Niue, Samoa, Way distributed to twenty-two television Vanuatu, Palau, Fiji, stations in the region (expanded to include FSM-Pohnpei, Nauru, Solomon Islands this year) and high Tuvalu, Guam, FSM- commissions, embassies, libraries, Yap, French Polynesia, UNESCO and other regional organisations. Tonga, American Samoa, CNMI, Cook Is, high commissions, embassies, SPC, library, UNESCO and other regional orgs. Join the Band Competition SPC supported Join The Band (JTB) Regional TV stations and competition, which showcases talented their viewers young musicians, to be aired on Pacific Way Live broadcast of Ratu Ratu Mara’s funeral telecast throughout Viewers throughout Fiji Mara’s Funeral in region and other Pacific Island collaboration with Fiji TV countries.

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Development of Media Around 4,500 images (approx. 500 new All end users in 22 Library facilities images added this year) now available PICTS through the RMC image bank

RMC Website Media Web site now includes interactive All end users in 22 Catalogue catalogue of regional media library which PICTS will enable end users to search the RMC media library Video production for Pacific A total of 7 documentaries produced for All Pacific Island peoples Arts Festival in Palau the Pacific Arts Festival in Palau (English with interest in Pacific and French translations) Island culture. Paravet Multi-Media CD Filming completed for Paravet multi-media Students and trainees in CD, which will be used to train regional Animal Health related para-veterinarians in basic animal health activities throughout the and production skills region. 3 ARH videos disseminated 400 copies of the ARH videos were made Communities in the “Children having children” available for distribution to most of the PICTs with interests in (Teenage pregnancy) Pacific Is. Countries. Population issues, ARH, “One night stand” (STDs) prevention of STIs and “Florence and George” (Sol teenage pregnancy. Is. Video)

CETC Community radio Live broadcasts of Community FM 95.2 at 15 trainees get hands on least 3 nights per week 6-10pm radio broadcast training 3 Programme includes: news, weather, from Samoa, 3 Fiji, 3 interviews, Pacific recipes, church service, Kiribati, 1 Tonga, 1 birthday calls, community announcements, Tokelau, 1 New radio spots, station identification and Caledonia, 1 Cook Is. jingle, 100% Pacific Island music.

Conclusion

The Regional Media Centre is one of the few fully operational media production units amongst the CROP agencies. It fulfils the role of a multi-media production service whereby videos, print and radio programmes are produced for SPC member PICTs and SPC programmes that require these services within available resources. RMC also offers technical advisory in media production to CROP agencies. The RMC’s Pacific Way Television magazine provides a medium for CROP agencies to disseminate information through its 22 TV stations distribution channels around the Pacific.

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The Regional Media Centre has played an active role in developing and meeting the needs of TV, radio and print media in the Pacific. In 2004, the Centre has responded to over 50 requests (of which almost half came from external clients) for the editing and production of video materials. The Centre also responded to close to 30 requests for assistance with the production of graphics materials (predominantly internal SPC clients). The Centre has produced numerous video and print materials dealing with diverse development issues such as the sustainable management of marine and forestry resources, reproductive health, HIV/AIDs and gender.

In response to the review conducted in 2002, the Regional Media Centre has recently been restructured with the aim of streamlining and better integrating RMC’s training and production services. Under the new structure, there will be two sections; a training section and a production section. The training section will focus primarily on addressing training gaps and needs of member PICTs in all types of media, whereas, the production section will provide production support in TV/Video, radio and desktop publishing to both SPC programmes and member PICTs. Both sections will be responsible to an RMC Coordinator who will have the overall responsibility for planning and coordinating the RMC’s work programme in training and production. The new structure will be implemented in January 2005.

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Annex 2

THE REVISED PACIFIC PLATFORM FOR ACTION ON ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY 2005 TO 2015

A REGIONAL CHARTER (extracts)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

II. EVALUATING PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING OF PPA

III. REVISED PPA - THE WAY FORWARD

• Mechanisms to Promote the Advancement of Women • Women’s Legal and Human Rights • Women’s Access to Services • Economic Empowerment Of Women

MINISTERIAL COMMUNIQUE

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ACRONYMS

ADB - ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK CEDAW - COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN CNMI - COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS CROP - COUNCIL OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS OF THE PACIFIC COMSEC - COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT DAWN - DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES WITH WOMEN FOR A NEW ERA FSM - FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA GAD - GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT HIV/AIDS - HUMAN IMMUNE VIRUS/ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME HLM - HIGH LEVEL MEETING IJAL - INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE & APPLIED LEGAL STUDIES NC - NEW CALEDONIA NGO - NON GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION PACFAW - PACIFIC FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN PICTA - PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES TRADE AGREEMENT PIFS - PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT PNG - PAPUA NEW GUINEA PPA - PACIFIC PLATFORM FOR ACTION RRRT - REGIONAL RIGHTS RESOURCES TEAM SPC - SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITIES UNDP - UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND UNESCAP - UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA & PACIFIC UNIFEM - UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN VAW - VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WID - WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT

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I INTRODUCTION

1. The 9th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women provides the Pacific region with its first in-depth regional analysis of the status of women in the region. The Conference reviewed the achievements made, the challenges and obstacles encountered in the region on the implementation of the Pacific Platform for Action and the Beijing Platform for Action and the extent to which gender equality still remains an elusive goal.

2. The Conference brings together senior officials and Heads of National Women’s Machineries from Pacific Island governments, non-government organisations, development partners, researchers and academics to:

a) Discuss the role and place of gender in the development processes of the Pacific Island countries and territories; b) Identify and make practical recommendations and strategies to address gender inequality.

3. In preparation for the 9th Triennial Pacific Women’s Conference seven research papers were commissioned to provide in-depth analysis of some of the significant issues arising out of the principles and goals of the action platforms. A major output is the review of the thirteen critical areas of action under the PPA. This component includes the development of gender indicators3 to be used, in future, as the basis of evaluating and monitoring progress under the platform. Both quantitative and qualitative research where available were obtained. It suggests revisions to the Platform to define more achievable set of goals with indicators to measure progress towards these goals.

4. The research papers provided the basis for discussions at the 9th Triennial Conference. They highlight accomplishments, and identify the immediate challenges at the national and regional levels.

5. The research papers addressed the following topics:

i) Pacific Platform for Action on Women: An Evaluation of the Thirteen Critical Issues and the status of Pacific Women 1994 - 20044 ii) Review of Institutional Mechanisms, Policies, Legislation and Programmes in Support and Promotion of Gender Equality in the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa and Fiji5 iii) Globalisation and Trade and the Impact on Pacific Women6 iv) HIV/AIDS and Women in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories7 v) Government Budgets and Gender Equality in the Pacific Islands8

• 3 Indicators proposed are contained in Part VI of the report. • 4 Penelope Schoeffel, Consultant, 20 July 2004 • 5 Elise Huffer, Department of History/Politics, University of the South Pacific • 6 Margaret Malua, KVA, Samoa • 7 Chaitanya Lakshman, Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, Suva • 8 Rhonda Sharp, Hawke Research Institute, University of South Australia

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vi) Migrant Women Workers9 vii) The Impact of Tradition and Religion on Women's lives in the South Pacific10

6. Collectively, the research papers commissioned for the 2004 Triennial Conference identified common obstacles to the advancement of women’s equality and provided recommendations to overcome these obstacles.

7. The findings and recommendations were presented to the Second Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Women held on August 19th and 20th, 2004. These outcomes, in turn, will provide the basis for Pacific region's participation and submission to the ESCAP Asia/Pacific High Level Meeting to be held in Bangkok from September 7th to the 10th and for subsequent inclusion in a conference on the Global Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Platform for Action to be hosted by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at its 49th Session in March 2005 in New York.

8. The Outcomes Document from the 9th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women held in Nadi, Fiji Islands (16 to 18 August 2004) and subsequently endorsed at the Second Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Women (19 to 20 August 2004) contains key findings of the review exercise on the implementation of the thirteen critical issues in the Pacific Platform for Action on Women and Sustainable Development, adopted in 1994 by Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

II. EVALUATING PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING OF PPA

9. Since the adoption of the Pacific Platform for Action (1994) and the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) the Pacific Island countries and territories have used the platforms for actions to guide national, regional actions and international cooperation's for empowerment of women in the areas of political, legal, social and cultural rights.

10. The theme of the Conference “Gender Equality: Commitment or Tokenism" invites critical reflection on the degree to which gender equality have advanced in the Pacific Islands in the last 10 years. Measured against the benchmarks embodied in the action platforms some progresses have been made in certain critical areas. The Conference however acknowledged that achievements have only been minimal and in other areas no concerted efforts have been made to progress gender equality. There are a number of contributing factors to this including structural, political and cultural impediments.

11. It was acknowledged that despite years of policy development and commitment to gender equality and to mainstreaming of gender and development, the experience of multilateral and bilateral agencies, commercial firms and non-government organisations indicates that the translation of policy into outcomes remains challenging. Particular reference was made to the very limited opportunities for regular cross stakeholder dialogue on gender issues within the current structures.

• 9 Avelina Rokoduru, Department of History/Politics, University of the South Pacific • 10 Akuila Yabaki and Eta Varani Norton

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12. The challenge is in the act of balancing or making prominent the concepts of WID and GAD within the framework of sustainable development and good governance. Communications and advocacy to promote the principles, programmes and activities, including progress and challenges faced, within the gender sector will continue to be an important tool.

13. In 1994 the Pacific Women’s Bureau successfully coordinated the Pacific Platform for Action. Delegates from all 22 SPC member countries and territories met in Noumea and endorsed a set of principles and a plan of action to advance the equality of women in the region. The Pacific Platform for Action is a charter for national and regional action on women and sustainable development. The Pacific Platform for Action was further taken to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, which culminated in the Beijing Declaration and the accompanying Beijing Platform for Action.

14. The 13 critical areas of concern and objectives of the PPA cover most of the 12 critical areas contained in the Beijing Platform for Women. There are only a few areas of departure: the Beijing Platform does not include agriculture and fisheries, culture and family, or indigenous people's rights. The Pacific Platform does not include critical areas of concern in the Beijing Platform with respect to stereotyping of women, and inequality in women’s access to all communication systems; and discrimination against and violation of the rights of the girl child.

15. The 9th Triennial Conference acknowledges the Commonwealth Plan of Action (CPoA) 2005 - 2015 and the Denarau Declaration. The Commonwealth Ministers of Gender Affairs held in Nadi, Fiji in June 2004 and attended by twelve Pacific Island Countries and territories endorsed the CPoA. The CPoA focuses on four (4) critical areas that the Commonwealth Secretariat will address from 2005 - 2015. These are gender, democracy, peace and conflict; gender, human rights and law; gender and economic development; and gender and HIV/Aids.

16. The objectives of the action platforms are reflected in the “Millennium Development Goals”. One hundred and forty seven (147) Heads of States and governments in September 2000 adopted these goals. The eight goals in this document complement the critical areas of concern in the action platforms. At present the SPC is collecting information to establish MDG baseline data for the Pacific Region. UNDP is also working to ensure that all MDG targets and indicators are gender sensitive. The Conference emphasises that unless all goals are analysed from a gender perspective the achievements of these goals will not be fully realised. The Conference urges all stakeholders, both in government and in civil societies, to ensure gender sensitive analysis of the MDG as a whole.

17. Pacific Island countries have made many commitments to advance the status of women in the last 10 years. In addition to adopting the principles embodied in the platforms for action many countries have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, and these ratifications may be considered substantial achievements in and of themselves. Nevertheless, as the research studies make clear, some of the legislation of Pacific Island countries has shown only minimal compliance with the values embodied in the platforms for action. So how is progress to be measured? How do we distinguish between commitment and tokenism in an objective sense?

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18. Major constraints encountered in the assessment of the PPA includes:

• it lacks indicators by which progress can be measured; • lack of baseline data in most countries or absence of time-frames to monitor progress; • its strategic focus is weak; and • it does not clearly distinguish between regional and national objectives.

19. For example the difficulty with providing a regional assessment of the PPA is that there are limits to statistical comparisons showing differences between males and females in different country populations, and these comparisons are not always fair indicators of progress. The Pacific region is the most culturally and geographically diverse region of the world. In undertaking a regional overview of the PPA, it is important to be sensitive to great differences in wealth, stages of economic development, population size and historical and cultural factors between Pacific Island countries.

20. One of the critical areas of the PPA is “Peace and Justice”. The action plan under this heading is “to find a blend of tradition and democracy and manage the conflict and change in our societies”. Although there are a variety of initiatives at the national and regional levels that could advance this goal, without refining its strategic focus, and providing a target and a time frame for its achievement, it is not possible to objectively measure progress in this area.

21. The Pacific Governments have further agreed that it will assist our understanding and analysis of the 13 critical areas of the PPA to organize them into four broad headings or themes for gender equity and sustainable development. These are:

• Mechanisms to promote advancement of women • Women’s legal and human rights • Women’s access to services • Economic empowerment of Women

22. The 13 critical issues were not prioritised in the PPA, and the order in which they were listed in the Noumea Declaration does not imply that one concern was regarded as more critical than another. The degree of concern attached to the critical issues will vary between countries according to their circumstances. Accordingly, Pacific Island countries will continue to choose their priorities from the PPA as reflected in National Plans of Action.

23. Whereas it is important to retain the vision embodied in the Pacific Platform for Action it is necessary to define a more practical, and achievable set of goals which are accompanied by a specific set of implementation strategies, and indicators for monitoring progress. The Beijing Platform for Action has recently adopted such indicators. The Conference had agreed to the revision of the Pacific Platform of Action with indicators as outlined in Part VI.

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24. Unlike the Beijing Platform for Women, the PPA tends to reflect more of a “Women in Development” (WID) approach than the newer “Gender in Development” (GAD) approaches. The WID approach is designed to support practical initiatives to assist women but does not address the inherent inequities of traditional roles. The GAD approach aims for equity by identifying systemic inequalities, and setting goals with objectives and strategies to address them. The meeting noted that there is obvious merit to each approach and their relevance to the diverse needs of rural and urban women in Pacific island communities.

25. A recurring theme in the recommendations of the research studies is a recognition of the need for more research and more information particularly information that is disaggregated by sex. The understanding underlying these recommendations is that objectively based gender studies and gender sensitive indicators are important instruments for change. They increase awareness of inequalities, provide a basis for proposals for change and provide the information policy makers and planners require.

III. REVISED PPA - THE WAY FORWARD

A. Mechanisms to Promote the Advancement of Women

26. The PPA strategic objective under this heading is to develop and strengthen appropriate mechanisms that will enhance the advancement of women at all levels. Similarly, the Beijing Platform for Action calls for the creation or strengthening of national machineries for women.

27. The Conference noted that in 1994 every PICT government had established National Machineries for Women (NMW). In a WID approach specifically aimed at meeting strategic interests of benefit to women and where the orientation of NMW is to focus on gender and development, the NWM is the designated central policy-coordinating unit within government for the advancement of women and government-wide mainstreaming of gender issues and concerns in policy areas.

28. The Conference recognizes that the most pressing issue in a consideration of the implementation of the platforms for action is that governments have not provided adequate resources to national machineries. The successful implementation of the action platforms will largely depend on the institutional strength of these organizations. However, it is widely noted that governments do not provide or otherwise ensure adequate funding for their National Machineries for Women. Governments further appear to expect their national women’s machineries for women to implement the PPA, BPoA, MDG 3, the Commonwealth Plan of Action and CEDAW. Many Pacific Island countries reported specifically targeted expenditures to women and girls in the form of funding of women’s affairs. However, the national budget allocations ranged from 0.002% to 1%.

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29. The Conference acknowledges that the government budget is the single most important policy tool of government. It mirrors in financial terms, what is important to a government and to a society, showing what, who and whose work and contribution is valued. Either deliberately, or more often unintentionally, government budgets also tell us what is less valued, who is less valued and whose contribution is not actively supported. Government budgets however continue to be formulated, presented, implemented and audited as if they were neutral in their impacts on the lives and empowerment of women and men and different groups of women and men.

30. Gender Responsive Budget Initiatives (GRBIs) provide a mechanism to mainstream a gender perspective into economic policies with the government budget serving as an entry point. These kinds of initiatives will help governments to understand the impacts of their actions on the welfare of particular groups of people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, and through that understanding, take responsibility for those outcomes.

31. Most Pacific Island countries have had at least one donor assisted technical assistance project for institutional strengthening of women’s machinery and those implemented in the last 10 years have had gender mainstreaming components. In 2002 and 2003, three Pacific Island countries participated in pilot projects that initiated gender/youth perspectives into the budget processes. The main achievement of these pilots was to raise awareness of gender/youth issues within the participating governments. However, mainstreaming gender perspectives into budgetary policy is a long-term process and this Conference recognizes the importance of local conditions in shaping and sustaining this process. At present there is little evidence that Pacific Island governments are formulating budgets that are gender responsive.

The Pacific Women’s Bureau

32. The first Pacific Women’s Conference was held in Tahiti in 1981. One of the recommendations of that conference was to establish a Women’s Bureau. The SPC Pacific Women’s Bureau was created in 1982 as a regional coordinating agency with a mandate to promote women’s issues in the region. It is the only regional intergovernmental body recognized by Pacific women’s national machineries and women’s non-governmental organizations to take a lead role in dealing with women’s issues in the Pacific region.

33. Currently the top priority of the Pacific Women’s Bureau is to assist PICTs and regional organizations to improve the status of women through the implementation of the PPA, the BPoA and the Women’s Convention (United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)

34. States parties to CEDAW undertake to submit periodic reports on the measures they have taken to give effect to the Women’s Convention. Reporting to the United Nation’s CEDAW provides Pacific countries with an opportunity to measure achievements and identify difficulties they have experienced in implementing the provisions of this Convention. The Pacific Women’s Bureau has been active in assisting Pacific countries with their reporting obligations.

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35. Joint collaboration with regional and international development partners will continue to feature prominently in the work of the Bureau to promote women's rights as human rights, the role of women in peace and security using the media, gender training, legislative review and institutional strengthening for national women's machinery. The maintaining of a regional database to monitor the progress of the advancement of women in all PICTs along the proposed gender indicators in the thirteen critical areas of the Pacific Platform of Action, BPoA and the UN Millenium Development Goals in relation to Goal 3 will also be an integral component of the Bureau’s work in the future.

Recommended Actions

36. The meeting affirms that informed and influential national machineries are necessary to advance a gender perspective particularly in situations where there is a lack of gender awareness.

37. Accordingly, the Conference urged Governments to support the following initiatives:

• National machineries for women to be sufficiently financed and resourced with increased number of professional and technical staff necessary for gender mainstreaming efforts in policy and legislative processes and capacity-building support for other government ministries and departments.

• Where the ministry for women does not exist that the NWM is placed within central policy coordinating ministries such as Finance or National Planning.

• Establishment of gender policy and planning units in the offices of the prime minister or president, finance and planning departments or equivalent policy-making departments.

• Integrate and institutionalise gender mainstreaming efforts throughout government.

• Raise awareness of gender issues in policies and budgets, promote political will amongst relevant senior officials and politicians to integrate a gender perspective into policies and budgets and establish effective monitoring and enforcement system of incentives and/or penalties

• Support and recognise non-governmental women’s organizations, and high level processes by which representatives of stakeholders concerned with women’s interests and gender equality are consulted and have input into government policy and programmes that impact on the lives of women.

• Ensure at national and regional levels that the necessary disaggregated data is readily available to monitor the progress in the future implementation of the platforms for action. The monitoring to be conducted by NWMs’ senior officials in their Triennial meetings followed by a regional Ministers’ meeting to review progress in the implementation of the PPA.

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• Request national statistics offices to collect data based on the revised PPA gender indicators.

• Support Pacific Women’s Bureau’s mandate in employing a social and gender statistician to assist the work of member countries; establish a database for PPA indicators; in conjunction with other agencies, work to improve the collection and analysis of gender data and statistical gender sensitivity; and contribute to other monitoring initiatives.

• Ensure that in addition to the current staffing complement, more policy and technical staff are recruited by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to meet the new roles envisaged for the Pacific Women’s Bureau in the future.

• PWB to consider sub-regional mechanisms including sub-regional desks.

B. Women’s Legal and Human Rights

Legal and Human Rights

38. At present 13 PICTs have ratified CEDAW. The Women’s Convention requires state parties to bring legislation, as well as judicial and administrative policies, programmes and practices in line with the human rights goals. State parties further provide periodic progress reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the United Nations. CEDAW addresses many issues relevant to the platforms for action including the subject areas covered by the research articles prepared for this conference. To date, Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa, have submitted to CEDAW its initial, first and second periodic reports and several others have begun compiling their reports. Regional agencies and development partners have prepared a Pacific regional report on the status of CEDAW implementation, as well as country reports for some countries.

39. The Pacific Platform for Action noted that although human rights are enshrined in the constitutions and legislation of PICTs, institutional, attitudinal and social barriers often prevent women from gaining full protection of their legal systems or exercising their legal rights. Cultural beliefs, religious practices and social bias, and a lack of awareness of legal rights hinder the exercise of rights.

40. Considerable progress has been noted throughout the Pacific region in recognizing gender issues in relation to legal and human rights. Multilateral, bilateral, regional and civil society organizations have played a leading role. The Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) has provided programming for legal literacy and human rights institutional strengthening activities in many countries; and in conjunction with the UNDP has produced a guide to assist Pacific countries with reporting obligations under CEDAW.

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Recommended Actions

41. The Conference urges Governments to:

• Continue to play a greater role in the promotion of women’s legal and human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

• Ratify CEDAW if they have not done so already.

• Undertake the process of reviewing legislation, policies, programmes, administrative procedures and regulations to ensure compliance with CEDAW provisions and submit timely reports to the United Nations on the progress of implementation.

• Establish national human rights institutions in Pacific Island countries, where none presently exist.

• Establish legal aid assistance programmes to ensure that women have access to the judicial process.

Participation of women in political and public decision-making

42. Gender inequalities that impede women from playing an equal role with men operate in many organisations and at different levels of society. In order to achieve greater representation of women in political and public bodies it is necessary to sensitively consider attitudinal, cultural and religious factors to the political advancement of women, supporting practices that enhance the status of women and seeking to address more urgently those that continue to disadvantage women.

43. The Pacific Platform declares that women’s input into decision-making is imperative for appropriate, sustainable development for families, communities and Pacific Island countries and territories. It notes that women are vastly underrepresented in government, although there are few exceptions including other decision-making bodies, and that only Guam had achieved the target set by the UN Economic and Social Council of 30% women at decision-making levels of government.

44. A successful initiative toward the goal of shared decision-making was noted in Samoa, which is the first Pacific country to establish a parallel system of local government representation for women. Although the Government decision is not without difficulties, it has the potential for strengthening the role of women in local government and will enable government to communicate more effectively with women and include them directly in national programs. In addition, the positive initiatives undertaken by the Women in Politics programme in some of the Pacific Island countries were acknowledged. Other countries have achieved a degree of gender equity in appointments to boards of statutory bodies.

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45. Increases in the number of women to positions of leadership at council or national assemblies have been erratic or stagnant. Further, the Parity Law passed in France came into operation since 2001 in the French Pacific Territories, which required political parties to put forward equal numbers of male and female candidates for legislative office. This initiative may provide an important model for Pacific Island countries to address gender imbalance in national assemblies.

46. Although the election of a single woman to local or national government may represent considerable achievement in some Pacific Island countries, glaring inequalities in the relative number of men and women serving in elected office remains the status quo. Some Pacific Island countries have no women currently sitting as members of their national assemblies; and in assemblies that do have women, the male/ female ratio indicate more needs to be done to address the imbalance.

47. The Conference recognizes the importance of increasing women’s political representation in parliament and cabinet. Not surprisingly, the countries with high levels of political representation of women have the most gender balanced policies and laws. Strengthening women’s representation in parliament and indeed at all levels of decision making in a country are determinates of a supportive gender equality enabling environment allowing further initiatives such as gender responsive budget initiatives.

Recommended Actions

48. The Conference encouraged governments to:

• Create an environment that is conducive for women to stand for elections.

• Take affirmative action by promoting and putting in place policies and practices that enhance gender parity in political representation.

• Promote and strengthen the practice of shared decision-making within the family and within their communities.

• Take an affirmative approach by encouraging capable women of our society to participate in politics at all levels of decision-making in various institutions.

• Provide security mechanisms for women candidates in the national general elections

• Encourage equal participation of men and women in public life, in political parties, statutory bodies and Boards and management roles in governments, the private sector and civil society organisations.

• Undertake multi-sectoral approach to investment in the national machinery of women, involving key government ministries including MOW, MOF, MNP working together to mainstream gender issues and concerns throughout the government processes.

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Violence Against Women

49. The Conference recognizes the devastating effects of violence and sexual violence against women, including an increase in school dropouts, an increase in teenage , and increases in alcohol and substance abuse. In short, violence against women is costly in financial and human terms to society, to culture, to public health and to productivity.

50. The Beijing Platform for Women states that violence against women is a manifestation of the entrenched unequal power relations between men and women. In this sense, violence is an area that cross cuts every other critical area of concern in the action platforms. The Pacific Platform for Action called for the elimination of domestic violence to be made a national priority.

51. A number of successes have been noted. Since 1993 there has been increased donor support for counselling and civil action centres in several Pacific countries based on a model developed by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. Further, a new model for addressing family and sexual violence in PNG adopts a comprehensive and long-term strategy involving government and non-government cooperation. In this model centres established at city hospitals provide victims with medical, counselling, police and legal support. Many Pacific countries have established one or more centres since 1993 to assist women with problems of family violence, rape and other crises. Public awareness programs have been initiated in many countries to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence. As well, it has been noted that there has been considerable improvement in some countries in police attitudes toward domestic violence. At the regional level a number of initiatives to address gender based violence including the regional workshop jointly organized by SPC, COMSEC, UNIFEM and PIFS in 2003.

52. Notwithstanding these positive initiatives, the Conference recognizes that violence against women is a significant ongoing issue for Pacific countries. Violence and sexual violence are common occurrences in Pacific Island countries and go largely unopposed because of entrenched cultural or legal norms. Married women in many Pacific Island communities are powerless to negotiate sex, let alone safe sex, thereby increasing their vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases. As well, it has been noted that migrant women workers, particularly, illegal migrant women have increased vulnerability to violence and exploitation.

53. Women are disadvantaged by ideologies derived from many social structures including churches that relegate women to subordinate status. In many communities, it has been noted that violence against women is tolerated if not sanctioned by culture. 54. It is noted as well, that culture has often been invoked to justify discrimination against women

55. At present, it is noted that the problem of violence against women is being addressed to a greater extent by CSOs than by government.

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Recommended Actions

56. The Conference urges Governments to:

• Play a greater role in eliminating violence against women through policy, legislation and programmes.

• Formulate policies and supportive legislation to criminalise any form of violence.

• To recognize that family violence is not a private issue but a serious public problem and request that Governments address this problem.

• Call upon religious and traditional leaders to take positive steps to challenge established assumptions that may contribute to the problem of violence against women.

• Reaffirm the need to have policies and programmes to collect and publicise data on violence against women and its economic costs and curb the prevalence of sexual and family violence collecting disaggregated data to quantify economic costs of violence against women.

• Adopt a multi-sectoral approach and to recognise the important role of men, women, boys and girls in addressing the problem of violence against women.

Culture and the Family

57. The preservation of culture and tradition may at times be in conflict with an equally strong desire for development and “the good life” in the western sense. Urbanization, monetised economies and changing values have contributed to a trend toward nuclear families with a proportional weakening of kin relations. Approximately 30 % of the population in Pacific Island countries now live in towns, whereas only twenty years ago the number was less than 10% in most countries.

To take appropriate affirmative action in adopting dualism approach in the PICTs. This is to allow and accept desires for modern development to integrate with the relevant elements of our traditions and culture to enhance “the good life” and retain a proportioned population in the rural areas.

58. The Conference recognizes that the family is the most important unit in Pacific Island society, and notes the growing concern about the breakdown of family support structures. This trend points to the need to put new emphasis on preserving some traditions especially the obligation to care for elderly kin and the disadvantaged.

59. Several Pacific countries have initiatives for preserving and recording cultural values, traditions and practices. Furthermore, some countries have initiated action on the preservation of cultural heritage sites. In many countries, however, governments cannot afford to acquire the land for these sites, which are under customary ownership, to protect and restore them according to the terms of World Heritage

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60. Another area of progress relates to the protection of “traditional knowledge and expressions of culture” of Pacific Island communities. In the past, there have been situations where traditional knowledge, stories or art forms have been appropriated for economic gain without access to benefit sharing or legal recourse by the traditional owners. This is now being addressed by an initiative to protect and promote traditional knowledge and expressions of culture under modified intellectual property laws. This has been an important aspect of the work of the Culture Department at the SPC with assistance from UNESCO and the Pacific Forum Secretariat.

Recommended Actions

61. The Conference urges Governments to:

• Endorse that any future studies in the region on gender issues be conducted by appropriately qualified consultants with preference for regional experts from PICTs .

• Formulate policy and programmes to record traditional knowledge and preserve positive customary cultural values, traditions and practices and

• Promote and strengthen family life education where men and women are encouraged to share the commitment, responsibilities, decision-making and duties of raising a family and caring for the elderly, persons with disabilities and with other special needs.

. Endorse a multi-sectoral and coordinated approach from Government, private sector, NGOs, development partners, donors for collection and analysis of relevant qualitative and quantitative disaggregated data

. Recognize the need for in-depth studies into issues raised concerning the role of tradition and religion on women’s lives in the Pacific.11

Environment

62. Pacific Governments have not been very responsive to the PPA goal: To recognise and utilise the critical role and knowledge of women in environmental management and development, and to recognise and address the long term environmental effects and threats of military and mining- related activities.

• 11 The 9th Triennial Meeting noted with reservations the recommendations contained in the report titled “The Impact of Tradition and Religion on Women’s Lives in the South Pacific” prepared by Akuila Yabaki and Eta Varani Norton.

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63. Most Pacific Island countries have departments responsible for the environment, which implement or coordinate national environmental policies in a gender-neutral manner. In Cook Islands, Palau and Kiribati, fifty per cent of the jobs at management level in environmental departments are held by women. For most of Pacific countries, only one third or more of people employed at decision- making levels in environmental offices are women. It is evident also that in the past decade there has not been much research on women’s indigenous knowledge, resource management and environmental preservation. As well many countries have conducted environmental research that included the study of impacts on women.

64. Further it is noted that women are actively involved in many national, regional and international environmental civil society organizations in the Pacific. The South Pacific Environmental Programme (SPREP) works at the regional level. SPREP has a policy to mainstream gender in its operations, and to target women if the environmental issue is associated with women’s occupational specializations.

65. The PPA identifies the potentially destructive effects of mining and logging operations on the community and the environment. A decade later however, it is noted that deforestation is continuing in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands at a rate that suggested serious consequences for the loss of biodiversity. Phosphate mining has severely affected the environment of Nauru. (MDG in the Pacific: Relevance and Progress, ADB 2003)

66. The Conference recognizes that although the consequences of global warming were not fully appreciated a decade ago climate change and rising sea levels have serious environmental implications for some Pacific Island Countries.

Recommended Actions

67. The Conference encourages governments to intensify efforts to support the Barbados Plan of Action for Small Island Developing States.

Indigenous Rights

68. One of the recommendations under this critical area is to promote cultural exchanges. Membership in the Council of Pacific Arts includes SPC’s 22 member countries as well as , Hawaii, and Norfolk. This year’s Pacific Arts Festival was held in Palau. Twenty-seven Pacific Island nations took part. The theme of the festival was “Oltobed a malt: Nurture, Regenerate, Celebrate”.

69. The Pacific Platform for women recognized that there exists a denial of rights to some indigenous peoples within the Pacific region. All Pacific Island governments, including US and French territories, have empowered indigenous majorities except for New Caledonia, which has an indigenous majority government in two of three provinces.

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70. The Conference recognizes the right of all indigenous peoples to self-determination.

Recommended Actions

71. The Conference call on governments to uphold the identity and rights of indigenous peoples, especially the rights of women, in the development process, and particularly intellectual properties and copyright protection of their creative arts.

72. The Conference encourages the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to continue its consultative work with the countries and territories from around the region (in order) to develop a model law on the protection of intellectual property and traditional knowledge that then can be adapted at national level.

C. Women’s Access to Services

Health

72. Health services in Pacific Island countries tend to be provided by hospitals that are generally located in urban areas. Accordingly, those living in rural areas that are unable to travel to where health services are provided may effectively be denied health services. All Pacific Island countries provide family planning services although, once again, access to services varies. Abortion is prohibited in all Pacific Island countries. Not surprisingly, maternal mortality is lowest in those countries where a high percentage of births are medically supervised.

73. The Conference recognizes that health education and health promotion is essential to combat the increase in non-communicable diseases in Pacific Island countries. Most Pacific Island countries have seen a significant increase in the incidence of non-communicable diseases or so called “life style diseases” including hypertension and diabetes. A number of agencies including SPC, the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and FAO have worked actively with governments of Pacific Island countries in areas of public health, health education and health promotion addressing these and other health issues.

74. Other diseases related to tobacco consumption including heart disease, cancer, and certain respiratory diseases may be significantly decreased by instituting legislative controls. The Tobacco and Alcohol section of the SPC has been active in assisting countries implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. To date fourteen Pacific Island countries have signed or ratified the Convention. The hope is that by instituting legislative controls relating to, among other things, tobacco imports, sales, and advertising there will be a decrease in tobacco related disease.

75. As the cost of treating non-communicable diseases is beyond the reach of most Pacific island countries, promoting healthy life styles through public awareness programs and health education can provide excellent returns for dollars spent.

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76. The Global Fund Project to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria operates in eleven PICTs with disease specific goals. HIV/AIDS is an illness having direct implications for the provision of health care. But it is not just a health issue. The spread of the virus and its impact raise basic gender issues and illustrate the need for PICT governments, international organizations and civil society to work with religious and traditional leaders to identify cultural and religious practices which impact on gender relations thereby increasing vulnerability of women and children to HIV/AIDS.

77. While the number of officially reported cases of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific is low relative to other regions of the world, HIV/AIDS is well established in Guam, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Moreover, it is difficult to know the full extent of the pandemic due to inadequacies of HIV/AIDS data available in many countries.

Recommended Actions

78. The Conference urges Governments to:

• Develop a gender policy and plan of action that meet the different needs of women and men and promotes gender equity in access to services, training and employment.

• Improve the quality of and access to affordable medical services and reproductive health services.

• Improve access to health education and provision of programmes for disease prevention.

• Promote the establishment of free screening facilities on cancer cases and monitor the rising incidences of cancer.

• Closely monitor health reforms and the social impacts on women and their families by National Women’s Machineries.

• Provide additional resources in combating increased incidences in non-communicable diseases.

• Provide a full range of reproductive health information and services to both men and women, including young and adolescent men and women.

• Review all aspects of legislation relevant to reproductive health.

• Recognise that women with disabilities are doubly discriminated to overall access to health services against and ensure that issues affecting them are incorporated into national policies and programmes.

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Education and Training

79. There is a direct relationship between education levels and employment. Where women’s education levels are equal to men, women are rapidly increasing their share of labour markets and business ventures in the formal economy. Conversely, in countries where women have relatively low education levels women are making very slow progress in the formal economy.

80. Education and training of women is a critical area of concern in the both platforms for action. Achieving universal primary education is the second goal of the Millennium Development Goals. Article 10 of CEDAW requires state parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in order to ensure that women have equal rights with men in the field of education.

81. The first PPA goal for education is to ensure gender equality at all levels, including selection for training programmes and the allocation of scholarship awards. In the past decade steady progress has been made in most Pacific countries toward this goal.

82. It is noted that although females, particularly in the younger age groups, are slightly more likely to have secondary education than males, they are less likely than males to have tertiary education in most countries.

83. In general, the countries with the lowest literacy rates have not been successful in providing mass programs of non-formal and literacy education targeting women.

Recommended Actions

• The Conference reiterates the importance of equality in education training for girls and boys, women and men at all levels, including selection for training programmes and scholarship awards. In this regard, governments are called to develop a gender policy and plan of action for their Departments of Education12.

• The Conference further calls upon all governments to review school curricula and textbooks to ensure they are free of negative gender stereotyping.

• The Conference calls for the participatory consultation with all stakeholders during the design and implementation phases of any education reform process.

• The Conference acknowledged the important role of technical and vocational education, life skills training programmes and entrepreneurial programmes in promoting sustainable livelihood and the reduction of poverty. In this regard the Conference calls for the further strengthening of this mode of education and training in all PICTS to complement the formal education system.

• 12 PNG and Tonga have made advances in this area

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D. Economic Empowerment Of Women

84. Although labour force data is available for all countries it is difficult to make regional overviews and comparisons because of different ways information is collected and analysed. For example, the significance of women’s contributions to the informal sector may not always be recognized. Even simple differences in the way “work” is defined or the way census questions are asked impact on the results. More attention to gender sensitivity is needed both in the collection of data on labour force and economic information and in its statistical analysis to allow monitoring of the PPA.

Recommended Actions

85. The Conference urges Governments to:

. Ensure that the law upholds women’s rights to equal opportunity in all fields of employment.

. Support women’s participation in income generating activities in rural areas and in disadvantaged households as well as in women-headed households.

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SECOND PACIFIC MINISTERIAL MEETING ON WOMEN (Nadi, Fiji Island, 19 – 20 August 2004)

MINISTERIAL COMMUNIQUE

The second Pacific Ministers meeting on Women was held on 19 – 20 August 2004, at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji Islands. Ministers and Officials responsible for Women ministries and departments from twenty Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) attended the meeting.

The Ministers expressed their deep appreciation to the Government and the people of the Republic of the Fiji Islands for hosting the 2004 meeting, for the warm hospitality and generous manner in which all delegations to the Officials and Ministers meeting have been welcomed and the arrangements made for the meetings.

The Ministers meeting was preceeded by a meeting of senior officials and women leaders from Pacific Island governments, non-government organisations, development partners, researchers and academics to review the achievements made, the challenges and obstacles encountered by PICTs on their efforts to implement the Pacific Platform for Action (PPA) and the Beijing Platform for Action and the extent to which advancement of women and gender equality has been attained.

The theme of the conference “ Gender Equality: Commitment or Tokenism” invited critical reflection on the degree to which gender equality has been advanced in the Pacific Islands in the last ten years. Ministers acknowledged that achievements have been variable between and within countries and territories in some areas. Ministers would like to see more concerted efforts and increased levels of resources allocated to progress gender equality.

THE PACIFIC PLATFORM FOR ACTION (PPA)

The Ministers noted that since the adoption of the Pacific Platform for Action (1994) and its thirteen critical areas of concern and the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), the Pacific Island countries and territories have used these two platforms to guide actions for national, regional and international cooperation’s for empowerment of women in the areas of political, legal, social and cultural rights.

(i) Evaluation of Progress on the Implementation of Pacific Platform of Action

Ministers commended the results of the studies on “national women’s machinery and the progress on the implementation of the PPA” commissioned by the SPC to provide more in-depth analysis of some of the significant issues arising out of the principles and goals of the Platforms for Action. These studies included:

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• Pacific Platform for Action on Women: An Evaluation of the Thirteen Critical Issues and the status of Pacific Women 1994 – 2004 • Review of Institutional Mechanisms, Policies, Legislation and Programmes in Support and Promotion of Gender Equality in the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa and Fiji • Globalisation and Trade and the Impact on Pacific Women • HIV/AIDS and Women in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories • Government Budgets and Gender Equality in the Pacific Islands • Migrant Women Workers • The Impact of Tradition and Religion on Women's lives in the South Pacific

(ii) The Revised Pacific Platform for Action – The way Forward

The Ministers noted that the thirteen critical areas of concern in the PPA are not prioritised, nor do they have quantifiable goals. They agreed to the inclusion of gender indicators to be used, in the future, as the basis of evaluating and monitoring progress under the platform. They re-clustered the thirteen critical areas of concern under four strategic themes across which poverty eradication will be a focus; \ • Mechanisms to promote advancement of women, • Women’s legal and human rights, • Women’s access to services, • Economic empowerment of Women

These themes would retain the vision of the PPA, defines more realistic and achievable goals, with indicators to measure progress towards these goals and with a stronger Gender and Development (GAD) approach complementing the Women in Development (WID) approach.

CRITICAL EMERGING ISSUES.

The past decade has witnessed a period of rapid change for the region. Some critical issues have emerged over this period that would have significant impacts on the livelihood of Pacific peoples, including:

(i) POVERTY ERADICATION

The Ministers expressed concern at the growing (though not usually acknowledged) rate of poverty in the region. They noted that poverty has worsened in some PICTs over the past decade especially amongst some disadvantaged groups including single mothers and youth. They further noted that poverty has direct implications on many areas, including education, health and migration of labour. Further, poverty is extricably linked to other social ills of society, including lawlessness and crimes. A major shortcoming relate to the current lack of timely and quality information and the need to develop indicators to measure the state of poverty in PICTs. The Ministers agreed on the need for sex disagregated data to clearly show the gender impact of poverty.

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(ii) GLOBALISATION AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION

The Ministers noted that whilst globalisation and liberalization of trade provide new opportunities for women, it could also further marginalise and increase the vulnerabilities of women particularly in the small island economies of the Pacific. The Ministers considered a number of measures, aimed at maximizing benefits and minimizing the risks.

(iii) HIV/AIDS

The Ministers expressed great concern about the increasing vulnerability of women to HIV/AIDS. They acknowledged that much remains to be done to address the gender inequalities. This is compounded by the different social roles, and expectations for women and men, some of which are deeply embedded in culture, tradition and religion, which put women at greater risk. The Ministers also welcomed the approval of the Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS by the Leaders at the recent Forum Leaders Meeting in Apia, Samoa.

(iv) LABOUR MIGRATION

The Ministers acknowledged the positive contribution by women migrant workers to the socio-economic development of their countries through improved living standards, skill acquisition, and remittances. They raised concern regarding the human rights of migrant women workers. The Ministers also acknowledged that more effective and closer regional and international co-operation between law enforcement agencies is needed to prevent and suppress the trafficking in women. Ministers further acknowledged the need for national and regional data banks to collect and store statistical information about labour mobility within the region.

(v) PEACE AND SECURITY

The Ministers noted with concern that women and children suffer the most in any situation of conflict, such as those that recently affected some of the countries of the region. The Ministers commended the outstanding role played by women as peacemakers in areas with armed conflict. They were however concerned at the lack of recognition usually accorded to women during post conflict situations, despite their critical role in bringing about peace.

(vi) TRADITION AND RELIGION

The Ministers acknowledged the important role of tradition and religion and recommended that religious organisations recognise the equal roles of men and women.

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(vii) MEDIA, INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

The Ministers highlighted the important role of the media in advocating for the advancement of women and gender equality. Media is a powerful tool that can either promote or exclude women issues from public discourse. There is a need to work with the media towards changing the stereotyping portrayal of women in their reporting.

(viii) MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS – MAKING THEM MORE APPLICABLE FOR THE PACIFIC

The Ministers agreed on the need to make the MDGs more applicable for the Pacific together with appropriate targets and indicators with which to measure success. They further agreed that MDGs need to be mainstreamed into the national planning processes of PICTs, and baseline reporting be developed with assistance from international and regional organisations.

RESOURCES AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

The Ministers commended development partners and other stakeholders and encouraged them to commit additional resources to support the implementation of the Revised Pacific Platform for Action at the community, national and regional levels.

PREPARATIONS FOR REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM OF ACTION

Ministers noted that the outcomes of this meeting will in turn provide the basis for the Pacific region’s participation and response to the ESCAP Asia/Pacific High Level Meeting to be held in Bangkok from September 7th to the 10th and for subsequent inclusion in a conference on the Global Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Platform for Action to be hosted by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at its 49th Session in March 2005 in New York.

APPRECIATION

Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the chair, Hon. Adi Asenaca Caucau, Minister for Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation for her leadership of the meeting, and the government of the Republic of Fiji Islands for hosting the meeting.

The Ministers adopted the communiqué as a ‘living document’ this 20th day of August 2004. In adopting the communiqué, Ministers agreed that members requiring to consult further at their home countries and territories would be able to do so.

20th August, 2004

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Annex 3

STAFF OF THE SOCIAL RESOURCES DIVISION (NOUMEA)

Titles Names Home country Grade Fun ding Deputy Director-General (Nouméa) Corbel Yves France L5 C Communications Officer Hoffman Rosita French I5 C Polynesia PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME Manager Jacobs Mark Australia K5 C Epidemiologist Kiedrzynski Tom Belgium J9 NC HIV/AIDS specialist Sladden Tim Australia J3 NC Communicable Dis. Surveillance Specialist Singh Narendra Fiji J2 NC Coordinator (Global Fund) Parr Bill New Zealand J9 NC Tuberculosis Specialist O’Connor Janet Kiribati J9 NC Tuberculosis Technical Officer Lambert Mark Australia I4 NC Lifestyle Health Adviser Tunidau-Schultz Fiji J5 NC Jimaima Environmental Health Adviser Dodds Jim Australia J4 NC Team Leader (Pacific Action for Health) Lower Tony Australia J4 NC NCD Health Promotion Adviser (Tobacco & Stanton Harley Australia J4 NC Alcohol) HIV/AIDS/IST Adviser Dennie Iniakwala Solomon Islds J4 C Behaviour Change Communication Spec. Robyn Drysdale Australian I6 NC Health Prom. Officer (Pacific Action for Nauan Booti Mickael Kiribati I6 NC Health) Tawati Uati Coord. PAHP – Kiribati NC Graham Tabi Coord PAHP – Vanuatu NC Siu Fangupo Coord PAHP – Vanuatu NC Surveillance Information Officer Lepers Christelle France I6 NC Nutrition Education & Training Officer Snowdon Wendy Great Britain I7 NC CULTURAL AFFAIRS Cultural Affairs Adviser Griffiths Rhonda New Zealand J5 C PACIFIC WOMEN’S BUREAU Women’s Development Adviser Qoro Sivia Fiji J4 C Women’s Development Officer Trolue Rolande France (N.-C.) I9 NC Communications Officer (PWRB/Youth) Williams Lisa N Z. (Cook Is.) I6 NC PACIFIC YOUTH BUREAU Youth Development Adviser Vainerere Tangata N.Z (Cook Isl.) J6 C STATISTICS Statistician Parry Garth Australia J9 C Statistics Adviser-Trainer Ryan Chris Australia J3 NC Statistics Adviser-Trainer Keeble Gregory New Zealand J2 NC PRISM Manager William Vuti Raymond Vanuatu J1 NC

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Poverty specialist David F. Abbott DEMOGRAPHY – POPULATION Demographer Haberkorn Gerard Australia J8 C Population Specialist Jorari Arthur Papua New J4 NC Guinea Programmer (Geographic Information Pontifex Scott New Zealand I5 NC Systems) Programmer (Geographic Information Bright Phil Australia I5 NC Systems) TRANSLA./INTERPRETATION Manager Guibert Pierre France J9 C Interpreter/translator Bayle Marie-Odile France J5 C Interpreter/translator Benyon Roy Great Britain J6 C Interpreter/translator Blandine Jeanne France C Interpreter/translator Montpetit Odile France J4 C Translator Gagné Jean-Paul J4 C Translator Bourgoin Marie-Franç France I9 C Translator (part-time) Mellor Sheryl I9 C Translator/Revisor Bihan-Faou Françoise France I9 C Translator Bécour Catherine France I9 C LIBRARY Librarian Oriente Rachele Canada J2 C PUBLICATIONS Manager Capiez André France (N.-C.) J4 C Graphic Artist Le-Bars Jean-Pierre France I9 C Editor (English) Des Rochers Kim United States I7 C Editor (English) Wright Maureen Australia I5 C Printer Rogge John Belgium I3 C INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS Manager Taufao Samuelu Samoa J4 C Senior Support Engineer Hardstaff Phillip Australia J7 C Support Engineer Le Pommelec Yannick France I7 C Support Engineer Rehmann Patrick United States I5 C Pacific Islander Computer Network Alick Esther Vanuatu I1 C Associate

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SUPPORT STAFF

PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME Project Administrator (Pacific Action for Health) Bao-Roberts Marie- France (N.- C) H2 NC Ange Secretary to the PHP Manager & to the Health Rolland Odile France G1 NC Management Adviser Project Assistant (HIV/AIDS) Man.de Condinguy G France (N.C) G5 NC Data Processing Officer Kamisan-Benyon El. France (N.C.) G2 NC Project assistant (Lifestyle Health) – ½ time Jennifer Carigliano France (N.C) G1 NC Reporting Officer (Global Fund) Bill Parr France (N.C) H6 NC Project assistant (Global Fund) Sharon Kiedrzynski Solomon I. G1 NC CULTURAL AFFAIRS Project Assistant Stepanoff Tatiana France G4 NC PACIFIC WOMEN’S BUREAU Project Assistant (PWB/PYB) Kaspan Evelyne France (N.-C.) G2 NC STATISTICS Project Assistant – 1/2 time Gianini Delfolie France G1 NC Sandra DEMOGRAPHY/POPULATION Project Assistant Beccalossi Gladys France (N.-C.) G1 NC Project Assistant – 1/2 time Gianini Delfolie France G1 NC Sandra TRANSLATION/INTERPRETATION Clerical Officer Dubois Anne France (N.-C.) G8 C Secretary Besnier Caroline France F7 C PUBLICATIONS Assistant Printer Pellerin Fabrice France (N.-C.) H2 C Project/Layout Assistant Borderie Muriel France G3 C Senior Printery Assistant Kari Gabrielle France (N.-C.) F7 C Printery Hand Tuuhia Manuella French E9 C Polynesia INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & COM. Clerical Assistant (ICT) Lamouric Delene Guam G1 C LIBRARY Library Assistant Gibert Anne France F1 C

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DONOR CORE AND VOLUNTARY FUNDING BUDGET BY PROGRAMME AND SECTION (NOUMEA)

2003 2004 2005 Public Health Programme 4,672,600 6,485,200 4 778 200 Statistics Section 910,480 605,300 884,780 Demography/Population Section 791,000 706,200 664,600 Cultural Affairs Section 190,000 379,800 189,600 Pacific Women’s Bureau 559,900 465,000 448,100 Pacific Youth Bureau 278,300 278,500 235,200

Translation/Interpretation Section 1,078,200, 1,091,700 967,600 Publications Section 745,800 766,100 792,100 Library 166,300 147,500 158,800 Information Technology & 536,200 512,700 542,700 Communications Section

Divisional Management (+ Com.) 308,500 319,400 292, 200 TOTAL 10,237,280 11,757,400 9,953,880

(1 UCOM = 100 CFP)

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