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22 April 2024
US Congress & UN Foundation reps join Fiji Government to visit NDMO warehouse as part of Pacific Mission
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08 April 2024
4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in the Pacific.
Press Release
07 December 2023
The Spotlight Initiative concluded with sustainable impact to end violence against women and girls in Vanuatu
Port Vila, VANUATU- The message of the song has concluded a major event in Vanuatu, echoing appreciation of the efforts and the further commitment made by all partners under the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls in the country.
The celebratory event, held on 5 December in Port Vila, saw over 50 participants attend in-person and online, bringing together civil society, government partners, youth activists, technical experts, and representatives of the UN agencies, the European Union, and other development partners.
The event showcased significant transformation and impact achieved in the areas where the Spotlight Initiative has played a pivotal role. The Initiative focused on six mutually reinforcing programming pillars: Laws and Policies, Institutions, Prevention, Services, Data, and Civil Society/Women’s Movement Building.
The Spotlight Initiative commenced in Vanuatu in 2020 as part of the global initiative to eliminate violence against women and children. It is an initiative of the United Nations and the European Union, with over US$ 4 million contributed toward the project’s implementation.
Mrs. Cherol Ala, Director General of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Vanuatu appreciated the role the Spotlight Initiative played.
“Through the Spotlight Initiative’s coordination, the Vanuatu Government, civil society, communities, families and individuals together made significant strides to end violence.
“The Spotlight Initiative was instrumental to the progress we were able to make, providing technical assistance on key policies and guidelines, directly funding local and grassroots civil society organizations, and supporting our portfolio of prevention programmes,” Mrs Ala said.
Civil Society Reference Group Chair Ms Jennifer Kausei echoed the message of the Director General and said, “We are not working in isolation in this fight against gender-based violence. It is all about partnership which makes the breaking of silence possible, subsequently eliminating violence against women and girls at home and communities.”
“We need to continue to put our voices into action. We must succeed,” Ms Kausei said.
The event featured two engaging panel discussions that explored pivotal aspects essential for further progress towards eradicating gender-based violence. The discussions focused on strategies for redefining gender norms and preventing violence; and survivor-centred approaches to violence, recovery and justice.
Vatu Mauri Consortium Chief Executive Officer Ms Anne Pakoa shared that the Spotlight Initiative helped challenge and break gender norms in difficult areas such as traditional governance structures which are highly male dominated with traditional gender norms.
“We were able to work with male leaders and successfully gained their engagement and support to challenge harmful gender norms which perpetrate violence against women and girls,” said Ms Pakoa.
Vanuatu’s Public Prosecutor, Mr. Josaia Naigulevu, said the publication of the country’s first-ever Survivor-Victims Charter was a landmark achievement under the Spotlight Initiative, with the Charter setting out the rights of survivors of crime, and the services they may access within the criminal justice system and other service providers.
"We need to change the narrative on gender-based violence, and this charter is a beacon of hope. It's our collective resolve to stand with all survivors," he said.
The Spotlight Initiative, a flagship collaboration between the United Nations and the European Union, is the world's most extensive endeavour to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
Mr. Dirk Wagener, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, emphasized the importance of the systematic and holistic approach to tackle interlinked causes of violence against women and children.
“While this phase concludes, our commitment to building multi-sectoral approaches to prevention must persist. Let us not only celebrate the progress we've achieved but also embrace the responsibility to continue our efforts, building a legacy of enduring change,“ he said.
The Spotlight Initiative is a one-of-its-kind platform that holds the power to sustainably end violence against women and girls through a coordinated and holistic response that is greater than the sum of its parts.
In pursuit of a violence-free society that champions gender equality, the Government and citizens of Vanuatu have elevated the progress to new heights through their ongoing commitment and comprehensive approach to eliminate violence against women and girls.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE IMPACT
🔆 94 doctors, registered nurses, midwives and nurse aids in 68 health facilities were trained on the clinical management of rape and sexual violence using the sexual and gender 2 based violence (SGBV) standard operating procedure (SOP) developed under the Initiative. As a result of the training, 108 SGBV survivors accessed medical services.
🔆 The Victims Center under the Office of the Public Prosecutor underwent a significant refurbishment to ensure a safe and confidential space for adult and child victims to access forensic medical clinicians and counsellors on site. An estimated 25 persons a month have received the support during 2023.
🔆 As part of the post-cyclon services, three ‘Women and Girls Friendly Spaces’ were created in Tanna Island/Tafea province. Within 3 days of the operation, over 700 women and girls were registered and provided sexual and reproductive health counselling and services by the retired midwives at the Spaces.
🔆 Terms of Reference for Child Protection in Emergency and SOP to guide the child protection response were developed.
🔆 The gender based violence in emergencies SOP for evacuation centres was developed in coordination with the National Disaster Management Office, Department of Women’s Affairs and Vanuatu Women’s Centre. The SOP will be included in the National Evacuation Centre Management Guidelines.
🔆 A total of 375 labour mobility participants and their partners (170 women and 205 men) were trained through ‘Famili i Redi’, a five-day workshop developed in partnership with World Vision Vanuatu and the Department of Labour. 80% of participants have seen a significant positive change in their relationship with their partner; and 68% in their relationship with their children.
🔆 In- and out-of-school Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)/ Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum and modules were developed. Year 11 and Year 12 students received FLE; and 69 youth advocates were trained to roll out the out-of-school FLE modules.
🔆 23 gender-based violence frontline professionals were trained on data systems to monitor response to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and measure the effectiveness of the referral system. Eight experts have been enrolled in the KnowVAWdata Initiative, a series of capacity-building workshops to support and strengthen national capacity to measure VAWG through prevalence studies.
🔆 14 civil society organizations were supported under regional and/or Vanuatu programme to increase their capacity to advocate and influence.
Contact: Jurgita Sereikaite, Programme Coordinator The Spotlight Initiative | jurgita.sereikaite@unwomen.org | Phone: +678 5506426
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Press Release
12 December 2023
UN Resident Coordinator receives booster shot from Ministry of Health, warns that COVID-19 is not over
This morning, UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Dirk Wagener, received his COVID-19 booster shot at the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services. He received the Pfizer Variant Containing Vaccine (VCV) which is a more advanced vaccine that provides protection against the omicron variant, which has posed new challenges.
While there remains a high population immunity from past COVID-19 infection and through vaccination, COVID-19 continues to spread and endanger people's lives. The most updated advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, get at least one dose. For people who are older, have chronic diseases, are immunocompromised or pregnant, re-vaccination may be needed 6-12 months after the person’s most recent dose.
Mr. Wagener expressed gratitude to Fiji’s health workers and the Ministry for their continued work against COVID-19.
“I’d like to thank the team from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services for their tireless efforts to continue providing booster shots and making vaccines available for the people of Fiji, because COVID-19 is not over, it is still circulating, and I hope people will continue to check their vaccination status,” said Mr. Wagener.
“COVID-19 continues to be a particular threat to people who are older, have chronic diseases, or are immunocompromised or pregnant. I encourage everyone who has not yet, to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to lower the risk of severe illness and death,” he added.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe disease and deaths. Over 13 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally since 2021, with careful monitoring of side effects. In 2021 alone, COVID-19 vaccines saved an estimated 14.4 million lives worldwide.
ENDS
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Press Release
16 November 2023
United Nations And Government Of Fiji Launch Ground-Breaking Anticipatory Action Framework For Tropical Cyclones
By taking early action with an anticipatory approach, humanitarian responders can reduce costs and suffering, protect hard-won development gains, and allow affected people to recover better and faster from disasters.
The framework launched today with support for the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provides a formal mechanism that enables humanitarian organizations to collectively plan for predictable shocks such as cyclones and mitigate their humanitarian impact. This innovative initiative marks a significant stride towards enhancing disaster preparedness and response strategies in the Pacific region.
"As we have seen with TC Lola, the urgency for investing in anticipatory action in the Pacific has never been more apparent. emphasized Dirk Wagener, UN Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. "With the increasingly complex landscape of hazards and the impacts of climate change, this framework provides a vital tool for timely and effective humanitarian response to communities affected by climate disasters."
Anticipatory Action for cyclones leverages meteorological forecast data to pre-emptively mitigate and respond to the most likely severe impacts on affected communities. The framework integrates anticipatory action with adaptive social safety nets, supplemented by in-kind assistance, providing essential support for families to cope with impending storms.
The framework in Fiji has been developed through a consultative process with communities and has been endorsed by key stakeholders through proactive collaboration between humanitarian partners, UN agencies, the Red Cross, and the Government of Fiji. Activities will be strategically streamlined through the national cluster system to ensure efficient execution and complementarity with national response efforts and priorities.
To learn and demonstrate how collective anticipatory action can work at scale, the Emergency Relief Coordinator Mr Martin Griffiths has committed up to US$140 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to pilot anticipatory action globally in a diverse range of contexts and for different types of shocks.
The Anticipatory Action Framework for Tropical Cyclones in Fiji was approved by the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator on 13 November 2023, with the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) covering a payout of up to US$2.4 million in case of a triggering event until May 2025.
Today’s innovation is the first coordinated anticipatory approach of its kind led by the UN in the region, paving the way for the adoption of similar anticipatory strategies across the Pacific to more effectively support people and communities affected by the Climate Crisis.
ENDS
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Press Release
06 November 2023
Pacific and UN partners will gather for a dialogue on National Human Rights Insitutions’ role in promoting people-centred development
Where: Punanga Nui Market RAROTONGA, Cook Islands
When: Tuesday 7 November, 2.30 - 4.00pm, Cook Islands time (Wednesday 8 November, 12.30 – 2pm Fiji time)
The media and members of the public are invited to commemorate the 75th Anniversary year of the of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the margins of the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leader’s Meeting in the Cook Islands.
Together with prominent speakers at the PIF Leader’s Meeting Pavilion, notably the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa and Cook Islands Member of Parliament, Hon. Akaiti O Te Rangi Puna, we explore the connection between human rights, Pacific values and how they are anchored together in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, with a focus on gender equality.
Representatives from established and emerging National Human Rights Institutions in the Pacific region, including Samoa, Cook Islands, New Zealand and Australia, will also take part in the dialogue, which aims to highlight the value and role that national accountability structures, and in particular National Human Rights Institutions, have and can play in promoting people-centred development, including in addressing violence against women and girls.
The dialogue, which is organized in collaboration between the United Nations in the Pacific and its Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman of Cook Islands, the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Asia Pacific Forum, is an opportunity for Pacific Island States to pledge commitment to take concrete action on human rights, including on establishing and strengthening National Human Rights Institutions.
About the Human Rights 75 Initiative
Human Rights 75 is a global, regional, and national year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which falls on the 10th of December, International Human Rights Day. The anniversary year is an opportunity to learn from Pacific governments, civil society, and development partners about how we together can best address current and future human rights challenges - to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equality and ensure human rights for all. Read more about the global initiative here.
For more information and interviews, please contact the UN Human Rights Pacific Regional Office In Rarotonga, Cook Islands: Ms Elizabeth Rova: elizabeth.rova@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 718 3557 and Ms Momoko Nomura: momoko.nomura@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 297 4632 2974632 In Suva, Fiji: Ms Ingvild Vetrhus: Ingvild.vetrhus@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 976 4901
For more information and interviews, please contact the UN Human Rights Pacific Regional Office In Rarotonga, Cook Islands: Ms Elizabeth Rova: elizabeth.rova@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 718 3557 and Ms Momoko Nomura: momoko.nomura@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 297 4632 2974632 In Suva, Fiji: Ms Ingvild Vetrhus: Ingvild.vetrhus@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 976 4901
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Video
12 December 2023
UNRC on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Nov 25)
UNRC for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu & Vanuatu delivers a message on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
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Story
07 March 2024
Invest in Women: A Call to Action on International Women's Day
As the Pacific joins global International Women's Day celebrations, it is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls in the region. The United Nations (UN) remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting gender equality and women's rights, acknowledging that these are indispensable pillars for sustainable development and that without their full realization, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets is impossible. In the Pacific, it is commendable to see Pacific governments, civil society, and increasingly, the private sector and faith-based communities, ramping up efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. There is greater engagement on global platforms related to gender equality and women’s empowerment,such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the BeijingDeclaration and Platform for Action, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the International Conferenceon Population andDevelopment (ICPD), and the UN’s 2030 Agenda. There have also been regional and national commitments made to gender equality and women’s empowerment through the revised Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED), the Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’sHuman Rights (2018-2030) and 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the ratification of human rights conventions, and the endorsement of stronger national gender policies and legislation. While we celebrate all women today, especially women across the Pacific and their achievements, much work remains to be done to end discrimination against women and gender inequality. This year’s IWD theme focuses on women’s economic empowerment – a reminder that globally, financial investment into women remains alarmingly low and current economic structures push more women into poverty. Today, 1 in every 10 women lives in extreme poverty, and projections indicate 342.4 million women and girls will not have moved out of extreme poverty by 2030 unless trends change. Where prevalence studies have been carried out regionally, findings reveal that up to 68 percent of Pacific women have disclosed enduring physical or sexual violence from a partner during their lifetime. Additionally, gender inequality persists, evidenced by disparities in access to opportunities, employment, and political participation, underscoring the ongoing struggle for women's rights in the region. Solomon Islands continues to strive for greater women's political participation and increased representation in parliament - in 2022, Solomon Islands recorded their highest rate of female participation in elected legislature, with four out of 50 MPs being women. While there is a lack of data on the current rate of female participation in tertiary level education and technical vocational education and training.Regarding technical vocational education and training, young men predominate in regional training centers and TVET, accounting for 73% of students, compared to just 27% of young women.There are multiple barriers to girls’ and women’s education in Solomon Islands, such as a lack of basic sanitary facilities in schools, a lack of dormitories for girls in rural areas, and the long distances that some girls must walk in order to attend school and the subsequent increased risk of violence they face during this journey.There are a number of indirect costs associated with sending a child to school, including transport, books, and stationary, and parents with limited means may give priority to boys’ education over the education of girls. High rates of adolescent pregnancies are believed to cause a number of girls to drop-out of school, although exact data on this is not publicly available. The draft 2014 Education Act states that no one may be refused admission or treated less favourably in schools and
tertiary education institutes on the basis of their gender or pregnancy status.
tertiary education institutes on the basis of their gender or pregnancy status.
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Story
02 March 2024
Zero Discrimination Day: Upholding Rights to Protect Health in Fiji
March 1st marks a significant milestone as we observe the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Zero Discrimination Day, initiated by UNAIDS to safeguard the rights of all individuals and nurture healthier communities worldwide. In Fiji, this commemoration highlights the vital truth that protecting everyone's rights is crucial for preserving public health and while Fiji has made notable progress, it still faces significant challenges. Fiji's healthcare sector, particularly its response to HIV/AIDS, has shown pioneering spirit. Free Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), comprehensive medical services for people living with HIV (PLHIV), and robust protections against discrimination through the 2011 HIV/AIDS Act are commendable achievements. These efforts ensure PLHIV in Fiji live with dignity and without stigma. However, despite these achievements, Fiji has seen a 260% increase in new HIV infections over the last decade. This trend underscores the urgent need for continued and enhanced efforts to protect the rights and health of those most at risk. While global efforts to decriminalize LGBTQ+ individuals and end HIV-related stigma offer hope, Fiji must recommit to expanding efforts to ensure every person, regardless of HIV status or any other factor, has access to necessary care and support. This year's Zero Discrimination Day theme, "To protect everyone's health is to protect everyone's rights," resonates deeply with Fiji's challenges and achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It emphasizes the importance of legal and social frameworks supporting health equity and access for all, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals such as Goal 3 (Good Health & Well-Being) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Community-led initiatives play a vital role in this fight. Organizations such as Rainbow Pride Foundation, FJN+, SAN Fiji, Strumphet Fiji, and FYSA advocate for their communities' rights, tirelessly pushing for legal reforms and reducing stigma and discrimination. Leadership in advocacy, like that of Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, the UNAIDS Pacific Goodwill Ambassador, is crucial. His commitment has raised awareness and mobilized action against HIV/AIDS, highlighting the profound challenge to human rights and dignity. Reflecting on the importance of inclusivity and rights in the fight against HIV, Ratu Epeli once stated, "We must recognize that addressing HIV/AIDS is not just a health issue but a profound challenge to human rights and dignity." This statement encapsulates the essence of our collective mission to protect health by safeguarding rights. Despite progress, challenges persist. The rise in HIV infections in Fiji and increasing discrimination against marginalized communities globally demand action. Yet, the resilience and advocacy of affected communities demonstrate the effectiveness of community-led initiatives in promoting social change and health equity. As we commemorate Zero Discrimination Day, let's recommit to supporting these communities. Protecting health through the protection of rights is not only morally imperative but also a practical necessity for ending AIDS and fostering a healthier, more inclusive society. Together, we can confront discrimination, advocate for the rights and health of all Fijians, and work towards ending AIDS by 2030. It's a collective endeavor that requires empathy, support, and action from every segment of our society.
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Story
15 November 2023
Coal, oil, and gas are fueling the cost-of-living crisis. The COP28 Climate Conference can see a climate action surge.
Over the last couple of years inflation has caused a cost-of-living crisis across large parts of the world. Some fearmongeres have used the hardship this has caused billions of people to propagate rhetoric that climate change action is unaffordable and running against the interests of ordinary people. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Propagating a Green vs. Poor narrative is divisive, and it is often used to mask short-term, profit-driven self-interest. The only stable, economically sustainable future is one of energy security, resilience to disasters, well-funded coordinated recovery from them, and ultimately a cap on temperature rise at 1.5 degrees centigrade.
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas are a major driver of the cost-of-living crisis, which is stretching billions of household budgets to breaking point. Prices have swung wildly, as they frequently do, driven higher by uncertainty and conflict. In turn, this pushes up the costs of transport, food, electricity, and basic household necessities. In some heavily fossil fuel-dependent countries, household bills rose as much as US$1000 in 2022 due to fossil fuel energy costs.
Consumer costs will rise even further and economic growth will slow as climate impacts become more intense, according to economic authorities, such as the United States Treasury, the Reserve Bank of India and the European Central Bank. High energy prices also shrink profit margins for businesses and hurt economic growth. High energy prices also shrink profit margins for businesses, hurt economic growth, and impede the right to energy access across the world. Inflation hurts the poorest households the most.
This comes as climate disasters are also getting worse in every country. This year will likely be the hottest for 125,000 years. More destructive storms, unpredictable rains and floods, heatwaves, and droughts are already causing massive economic damage and affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world, costing them their lives and livelihoods.
The fossil fuel taps can’t be turned off overnight but there are a lot of opportunities for action not currently being taken. For example, in 2022, governments spent over $7 trillion in taxpayers’ money or borrowings on fossil fuel subsidies. Subsidies fail to protect the real incomes of the poorest households and divert money that are increasing developing country debt burdens, or could have been used to improve health care, build infrastructure – including renewable energy and grids – and expand social programs to alleviate poverty. Done responsibly, a phase-out of such subsidies would actually help the poorest and improve the economies of the countries now dependent on them.
This year, at UN Climate Change, we conducted a Global Stocktake on climate action up to now. It has indicated clearly that progress is too slow. But it also revealed that there are many tools we have to speed up climate action now, which will simultaneously build stronger economies. We have the knowledge and tools to accelerate this transition while ensuring it is fair and just, leaves no one behind.
Billions of people need their governments to pick up this toolbox and put it to work. That includes switching billions of dollars from investments in new fossil fuel production to renewable energy that will provide stable, reliable and lower-priced energy to propel economic growth. This is about both demand and supply. Those of us that demand energy to turn our lights on need to be provided with clean options to do it, and the fiscal space to invest in our communities and their ability to adapt to the changing world. There is cause for optimism, if governments come to this year’s climate change conference – COP28 – in Dubai with a spirit of cooperation and a laser-focus on solutions. At COP28 we can agree on tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity. We can double energy efficiency. We can show we are doubling finance to help countries adapt to climate impacts and center it in national planning. We can make the climate loss and damage fund a reality that helps deliver climate justice. And we can deliver old promises on financing the transition, and outline how we are going to fund the next steps. One moment, one meeting, won’t change everything. But we can capture the future in the directions that we set this year, and provide the plan for how national commitments can deliver in 2025. I refuse to let fearmongering pull a hood over my eyes, and you shouldn’t either.
Billions of people need their governments to pick up this toolbox and put it to work. That includes switching billions of dollars from investments in new fossil fuel production to renewable energy that will provide stable, reliable and lower-priced energy to propel economic growth. This is about both demand and supply. Those of us that demand energy to turn our lights on need to be provided with clean options to do it, and the fiscal space to invest in our communities and their ability to adapt to the changing world. There is cause for optimism, if governments come to this year’s climate change conference – COP28 – in Dubai with a spirit of cooperation and a laser-focus on solutions. At COP28 we can agree on tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity. We can double energy efficiency. We can show we are doubling finance to help countries adapt to climate impacts and center it in national planning. We can make the climate loss and damage fund a reality that helps deliver climate justice. And we can deliver old promises on financing the transition, and outline how we are going to fund the next steps. One moment, one meeting, won’t change everything. But we can capture the future in the directions that we set this year, and provide the plan for how national commitments can deliver in 2025. I refuse to let fearmongering pull a hood over my eyes, and you shouldn’t either.
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Story
11 July 2023
UNFPA: Why fertility policies must focus on individuals, not numbers
On World Population Day, UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Bjorn Andersson, stresses on why it is important for governments to ensure population and development policies are centered on gender equality and human rights, thereby enabling and empowering women to make independent decisions about their reproductive health.
Does the world have too many or too few people? The answer is that there is no perfect population number, and that policies that focus on fertility rates, undermine the reproductive rights and choices of women and girls. This message was reinforced in UNFPA’s recently published State of World Population Report, which shed light on the diverse perspectives across the globe around population dynamics and the potential impact it can have on society.
With more than half of the world’s 8 billion people living in Asia and the Pacific, of whom over 50 per cent are women and girls, the discourse on population dynamics is a major opportunity to change how governments and societies think and talk about demographic trends, including fertility rates.
In the past, many countries strove to attain what they considered a perfect population number. Today, countries have come to realize through difficult experiences that setting population targets do not provide solutions to issues such as struggling economies and the climate crisis. In fact, it frequently results in the infringement of human rights and individual freedoms, especially when women face pressures to procreate or encounter barriers preventing them from doing so. In instances where population growth is slowing down, this can lead to the implementation of severe measures like imposing restrictions on contraception. Similarly, countries grappling with increasing birth rates implemented policies that limited the number of children a couple could have and in darker times, sought oppressive and irreversible practices such as involuntary sterilization.
In 1994, the historic International Conference on Population and Development brought countries together in agreement that the reproductive rights and choices of women and girls must be placed at the heart of population and development policies. Almost thirty years on, while much progress has been made, thousands of women and girls across Asia and the Pacific still have limited or no access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and information, and those from marginalized communities continue to live in poverty, excluded from education and employment.
Why are women not able to make independent decisions to build the life, family, and career that they desire? Gender inequality is at the root of the issue. For instance, a woman may have to choose between having a baby or choosing her career because of the lack of sharing of responsibilities at home or the lack of flexible working arrangements in her workplace. She may also grow up unaware of her reproductive choices and the power she holds in shaping her own future. Even if she were aware, she may not be able to access contraceptives because of policies hindering family planning or simply, due to lack of quality services.
Widespread injustice and inequalities hamper the access of women and girls to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and leadership roles. It curtails their autonomy and capacity to make informed choices concerning their own sexuality, and reproductive health, and amplifies their susceptibility to avoidable maternal mortality, gender-based violence, and harmful social norms.
When women are empowered, they can shape societies and countries at large.
For example, let’s look at the life of Rasini. Today, she is a 35-year-old mother of a newborn baby girl, and is a senior manager of a leading telecommunications company. As a young girl, she had access to sexuality education, and as a young adult she completed a degree and pursued a demanding career, deciding when she would be ready to build a family of her own.
While Rasini had an enabling home environment with her parents and her husband supporting her decisions, she also had access to enabling systems and services. Family friendly policies, social protection schemes and employment practices that encourage work-life balance and alleviate the care burden are crucial in providing women the independence to make an informed decision about their reproductive choices. Policies that support women who choose to delay or not have children are equally important, increasing access to family planning services, including contraception, allowing for pregnancies to be planned. Such policies that are rooted in gender equality enable and empower women to exercise their reproductive rights, and in turn helps to build individuals, families, communities, and nations that are based on the principles of human rights.
While Rasini’s story is the perfect example, it is not the everyday story.
As fertility rates increase or decline, women must not be pressured by governments or society to have children - or not have children. Ensuring gender equality means ensuring investments are made in every stage of a woman’s life - from childbirth to adolescence to adulthood. Every girl should have access to comprehensive sexuality education, so that she can navigate her adolescent years and make informed choices about life-changing matters. Every woman should have access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and services, including maternal healthcare for safe birth, as well as contraception, if she wants to avoid pregnancy. And every woman should be able to make her career and life choices so that she can plan for her elder years and age with dignity.
It is with this holistic approach, embedded in human rights that focuses on every stage of a woman’s life that resilient societies, communities, and countries can thrive, whatever their fertility rate may be. It is only when population and development policies focus on the rights of an individual that we can create infinite possibilities for all.
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07 March 2023
IWD 2023: Working Together as a Region to Bridge the Digital Divide
Happy International Women’s Day (IWD) from the United Nations teams across the Pacific!
IWD puts a spotlight on the achievements of women and girls everywhere. It is the day of recognition and celebration of the strides which have been made to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.
It also provides an opportunity for self-reflection on our actions (or lack thereof) as leaders, institutions, and governments, to enhance the lives of women through opportunity, inclusion and equality.
- In the Pacific, 2 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly by an intimate partner, more than the global average of 1 in 3
- Globally less than 40% of survivors of gender-based violence seek any help and it is likely that the number is greater in the Pacific due to stigma, difficulty accessing services and fear of retaliation
- We can't achieve all the sustainable development goals (SDGs) if we don't end violence against women and girls
- The Pacific region retains the world’s lowest levels of women in parliament
- In most Pacific Island countries and territories, women usually perform a greater share of unpaid care and domestic work, and are overrepresented in the informal economy
The digital revolution brings immense potential to improve social and economic outcomes in and for our societies. The power of the digital transformation at all levels can be harnessed for good to create social change, but not unless all are engaged and empowered to participate, and there are laws and regulations put in place to prevent and respond to online and technology facilitated violence against women and girls.
Digital technologies provide new means to advocate for, defend, and exercise human rights and affect all women’s rights - civil and political, as well as cultural, economic and social rights.
Recently, the UN launched a first-of-its-kind “Digital Economy Report: Pacific Edition 2022”. The findings revealed that “Digital technologies can reduce gender gaps in labour force participation by making work arrangements more flexible, connecting women to work, and generating new opportunities in online work, e-commerce and the sharing economy.”
The call to action born of this is clear - we must act quickly to ensure the digital divide does not deepen, and we must work together to close it entirely.
SDG 5 – Gender Equality is regressing, but there is hope
Ensuring the inclusion of women and others at risk of discrimination into the technology fold results in more creative solutions and has greater potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality. And what we know, through monitoring the implementation of SDG5 is that gender equality has not only stalled in our region, but it has regressed.
While we see hope, there is a need for all stakeholders, including the UN, governments, and development partners to expedite joint efforts.
Excluding women incurs massive costs: the UN’s Gender Snapshot 2022 Report shows women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved US$1 trillion from the GDP of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade—a loss that will grow to US$1.5 trillion by 2025 without action.
In Papua New Guinea, inclusive, equal participation of women in the political and economic arena is a major challenge. Gender-based violence remains at endemic levels and sorcery accusation-related violence killings continue.
Women in PNG are 10% less likely than men to own a mobile phone and 23% less likely to use mobile internet, limiting their participation in the digital economy, access to information and services, and exercising of human rights.
More proactive policies are needed to ensure laws, regulations and employment mechanisms are in place and being practiced. Awareness programmes are also needed to combat deep-seated attitudes which discriminate against women of all ages.
In Micronesia, leaders of Palau, FSM, RMI, Nauru, and Kiribati, during the 25th Micronesian Islands Forum, agreed to develop the first Micronesian Gender Equality Framework by 2025. The Framework will ensure equal and cross-sectoral representation of diverse needs and priorities to address inequalities and barriers to empowering women and girls in Micronesia and with impacts across the Pacific.
The UN has been supporting governments in Micronesia with gender-mainstreaming policies and actions to address gender-based violence, and discrimination through initiatives such as safe spaces, support for menstrual health management, reproductive health, and policy reforms.
In Fiji, the Pacific Conference of Churches endorsed the Gender Status Card for Churches in the Pacific: Building safe, dignified, and empowered communities in the Pacific.
A first of its kind globally, it was presented to the World Council of Churches Summit in September 2022 as a model for increasing advocacy and accountability for churches to prevent and respond to violence. Five churches from Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have begun their assessments.
We have the solutions - it is now a matter of better implementation which is supported by regular monitoring and where needed, recalibration.
Ending violence against women and girls
To quote Samoa’s first female Prime Minister, Hon. Fiame Mata’afa, “A world without violence is possible, and this moment demands unparalleled courage and joint action to make this vision a reality”.
Ending all forms of violence against women and girls is fundamental to the empowerment of women.
In Samoa, our campaigns to end violence against women and girls - either jointly with governments or through existing projects - have taken national ownership. Traditional leaders and women in church and village communities are leading dialogues and actions to create violence-free homes and villages.
Policies for improved responsive services to domestic violence cases are integrated into the Law and Justice Sector 2023 – 2027, the Education Sector is developing policies to manage triggers of violence in schools and homes, and the Health Sector has received better facilities and medical services for victims of violence.
A first of its kind Talanoa Toolkit for village-based advocates against family violence was launched in Samoa in August 2022 by the Office of the Ombudsman/National Human Rights Institutions. Written in both Samoan and English, the Talanoa Toolkit is an essential resource for advocates against family violence in communities and is being adapted and used in community awareness on family violence prevention in districts, villages, churches, schools and families.
Samoan civil society and government ministries are strategising on how to utilise digital mobile and web applications in order to collect and analyze gender-based violence (GBV) administrative data to monitor effective and quality referrals for survivors.
Our collective responsibility to current and future generations is to limit the harms that digital technologies can bring, and to harness their enormous potential for good – with dignity, safety and the firm protection of human rights.
When it comes bridging the digital gender divide, we must also consider online and technology facilitated violence experienced by women and girls. Online violence against women and girls occurs as part of a continuum that is connected to offline violence and can take many forms. These include sexual harassment, stalking, zoom bombing, intimate image abuse, and misogynistic hate speech, among many others. The impact of this type of violence to women and girls is wide, including health, wellbeing, safety, political, societal, and economic. Key global promising practices to prevent and respond to online and technology facilitated violence against women and girls include development and implementation of national laws and regulations, prevention strategies and response services, and data collection.
Capitalizing on the digitalization wave
It is not enough to ensure that standards are technologically sound and economically viable - that lens is not effective enough to deliver a normative framework that fully respects and enhances fundamental human rights.
The involvement of women and girls, in particular, is critical. First and foremost, they must have access to digital skills and to advanced education to master technology and use it for public good. They must also be designed with an end goal of improving lives, communities, and societies, through the rights and freedoms binding them together.
For many groups of women and girls who live in isolated nations or islands, digital platforms create the opportunity to access local, regional, and international markets and knowledge networks.
We congratulate Pacific governments on the revitalization of the ‘Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration 2012’ and stand with Pacific leaders to support its implementation and to accelerate the achievement of gender equality commitments.
This digital revolution can vastly change the lives of the Pacific peoples, especially its women and girls, and we must get ahead of the wave before it’s too late.
ENDS
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Press Release
23 April 2024
US Congress & UN Foundation reps join Fiji Government to visit NDMO warehouse as part of Pacific Mission
SUVA, FIJI | A visiting delegation of representatives from the US Congress and the UN Foundation (UNF) joined Fiji’s Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka, and Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Director, Vasiti Soko, to tour the NDMO’s humanitarian and disaster preparedness warehouse in Suva yesterday. While in the Pacific, the US delegation will visit Fiji, Tonga and Tuvalu as part of its mission to learn more about how the UN is supporting Pacific Small Island Developing States to navigate the interconnected challenges of food security, health and nutrition and managing the increasingly frequent and intense climate shocks in the context of the climate crisis. During the NDMO warehouse visit, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations, as well as with high-level officials from the Ministry for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management. “In recent months, our region has confronted formidable challenges. Fiji has grappled with devastating floods, while the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands have endured severe droughts. PNG has faced the onslaught of flooding, landslides, and earthquakes, and Vanuatu continues its arduous recovery from the dual cyclones Judy and Kevin last year. At the heart of our efforts lies the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Among these goals, SDG 17 stands out as a beacon of hope, emphasising the importance of partnerships for the achievement of all other goals,” Hon. Ditoka said. UN Resident Coordinator, Dirk Wagener, added that “the UN values its partnership with the Government of Fiji and the NDMO through the work of various UN agencies through capacity and systems strengthening in supply chain, logistics and emergency telecommunications, enabling people to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and shocks”. An illustrative example of this partnership was the UN’s sustained technical assistance in training the NDMO's National Emergency Response Team in July 2023, ensuring they are equipped to effectively coordinate and execute emergency responses. The delegation travels to Tuvalu today, followed by a mission to Tonga, then back to Fiji before returning to the US.ENDS
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Press Release
16 April 2024
UN Under Secretary-General and High Representative arrives in Fiji ahead of CROP-UNCT Signing
The UN’s Under Secretary-General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Ms Rabab Fatima, landed in Suva this morning ahead of her first official mission to Fiji. To begin her mission, this morning, Ms Fatima will meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister, Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka.Following key meetings, Ms Fatima will join Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Secretary-General, Henry Puna, this week to sign the CROP – UNCT Principles for Dialogue and Engagement for greater collaboration between Member States and strengthened overall partnership. “It is my honour to visit Fiji and be here in the Blue Pacific. The purpose of my visit is twofold - to strengthen global UN action on the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and to champion Pacific priorities for the 4th International Conference for Small Island Developing States (SIDS4). These two purposes are inherently connected. While the 2050 Strategy charts the course for the Pacific region’s sustainable development, based on the region’s unique strengths and challenges, the SIDS4 Conference aims to drive a new decade of partnerships and solutions to supercharge SIDS’ path to resilient prosperity,” Ms Fatima said. Appointed as the High Representative in 2022, Ms Fatima is responsible for supporting LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and their respective programmes of action adopted by global consensus. Together, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS constitute the 92 most vulnerable countries in the world. To conclude her mission, Ms Fatima will facilitate dialogues with Pacific representatives, CROPs, CSOs and the diplomatic corps around the upcoming SIDS4 Summit next month. ENDS
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Press Release
08 April 2024
4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)
Financing the Front Lines: Effective Climate Finance for the Blue Pacific Tuesday 28 May, 12.00pm – 1.30pm Room 8, SIDS4 Conference Venue The UN in the Pacific is partnering with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to host a side event on making climate finance work for the Blue Pacific. The Pacific Island region is on the frontlines of the climate change emergency, accounting for six of the top 20 disaster-prone countries in the world. The Pacific Community (SPC) estimates that the Pacific region will need US$2 billion a year to address resilience and adaptation to climate change and a renewable energy transition. Currently, the Pacific region is only accessing around US$220 million a year – less than 0.22 per cent of global climate finance. Given the size of the climate change challenge at hand, there is an urgent need to scale up the quantity and accessibility of climate finance to PICTs. This event will bring together Pacific Leaders, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, the UN Resident Coordinator in Samoa and partners to explore practical and innovative solutions to meet the Pacific’s climate financing needs. It will focus on Pacific-led initiatives that further Pacific Leaders’ vision under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, deliver on the SDGs and SIDS4 Programme of Action, work through existing regional and national systems, and bring all stakeholders to the table. The event will profile existing and upcoming Pacific-led climate finance initiatives including the Pacific Islands Forum’s development of a Pacific climate finance roadmap and the capitalisation of the Pacific Resilience Facility. It will also profile the work of development partners to support access to climate finance, and how development partners can support Pacific SIDS in increasing access to these global financial mechanisms.We hope you can join us for this side event! For further information, please contact: rco.fiji@un.org
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Press Release
07 March 2024
On International Women's Day, UNFPA is supporting climate-affected women in Fiji for resilience building
NORTHERN DIVISION, Fiji – As the world comes together to celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pacific is assisting Fiji Northern Division Commissioner's Office and communities in supporting rural women and girls on the island of Vanua Levu, including those affected by climate crises, to reach their full economic potential and build back better. In line with the global theme for this year’s IWD, ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’, UNFPA Pacific is supporting the local government and the rural communities in Vanua Levu, by providing sewing machines, brush cutters, gum boots, refrigerators and other items to women and young people for their economic empowerment, strengthening their capacity to learn, earn, and lead. This initiative, under UNFPA’s Multi-Country Programme (2023-2027) for 14 Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) including Fiji, employs an integrated approach to ‘community resilience’ building by incorporating women’s economic empowerment as part of enhancing climate crisis-prone communities’ preparedness and response capacity. Ever since the island of Vanua Levu was hit hard by the consecutive large-scale Tropical Cyclones Yasa and Ana in 2020-2021, UNFPA Pacific has been collaborating closely with the Northern Division Commissioner's Office, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management and other partners to support vulnerable villages, especially women and youth. These women are utilizing the sewing machines, tables, chairs, and other materials provided through UNFPA Pacific’s integrated community resilience building programme, for instance, to produce reusable menstrual hygiene kits for nearby schools and communities. These women’s groups received training on how to produce reusable menstrual pads by a trainer from the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection. These women joined forces and undertook the repair work of their community bakeries, and initiated workshops for the other fellow women in the community about sewing and baking. “The sewing machines with tables, the dyer, sewing cloth and sewing kits that UNFPA provided have benefited our women’s group a lot. We were able to sew window and door curtains, tablecloths, Bula wears, and patch torn clothes,” said Salome Dicova, a woman leader and the Head of the Korotubu Village in Macuata. The income generated from the sales of these products has not only helped the women individually and their families, but they also pooled their savings and made a collective contribution to support an existing Korotubu Village development programme by the Government and for their community obligations. “On this International Women’s Day, the women’s group in Korotubu is determined to continue working together among us and ensuring that we and our families are supported well,” added Dicova. UNFPA Pacific is deploying its core resources to carry out this integrated community resilience building initiative. Support for Fiji's Vanua Levu has been made possible also by the funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and the European Union-UN Spotlight Initiative. By the end of February, a total of 2,279 people from 423 households in the selected 15 villages in Vanua Levu Island have already benefited from this UNFPA support. “Investments, such as UNFPA’s, can enhance rural communities’ livelihoods, create a more diverse and sustainable workforce, and reduce negative economic and social consequences of disasters. Their savings can help ensure their access to health and other services, when hit by an emergency such as a cyclone,” affirmed Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb, UNFPA Pacific Chief of Gender and Human Rights.
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Press Release
07 March 2024
SG MESSAGE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Women and girls have made great gains – demolishing barriers, dismantling stereotypes and driving progress towards a more just and equal world. Yet they face immense obstacles. Billions of women and girls face marginalization, injustice and discrimination, while the persistent epidemic of violence against women disgraces humanity. Our world still reflects millennia of male-dominated power relations. And progress is under attack, with a fierce backlash against women’s rights. At our current rate, legal equality is some three hundred years away. We must move much faster. On International Women’s Day, we stand with women and girls fighting for their rights, and we commit to accelerating progress. This year’s theme – invest in women – reminds us that ending the patriarchy requires money on the table. We must support women’s organisations on the front line. And we must invest in programmes to end violence against women, and to drive women’s inclusion and leadership in economies, digital technologies, peacebuilding and climate action. This all depends on unlocking finance for sustainable development so that countries have funds available to invest in women and girls. We also need to increase the number of women leaders in business, finance, central banks and finance ministries. This can help drive investments in policies and programmes that respond to women and girls’ needs.Women’s rights are a proven path to fair, peaceful, prosperous societies. It is good for us all. Together, let’s take urgent action to make it a reality. Thank you.
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