United Nations in Pacific

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.

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Press Release

09 December 2020

Pacific Island Countries Join UN In Commitment To "Recover with Integrity"

Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic successfully to-date stands as a testament to our Governments’ swift and effective handling of the unfolding crises. Through the enforcement of effective preventive measures our Pacific region has performed relatively well in the COVID-19 environment. Our countries have been spared from large-scale outbreaks and continue to manage and tailor its COVID-19 prevention and control measures for the health, safety and security of our people. Nevertheless, the pandemic’s downstream effects continue to be detrimental for our countries health systems and economies. Procuring medical equipment and supporting our health systems, as well as mobilising funds towards economic safety nets for industry and citizens is critical for a COVID-19 response that puts people at the centre of our efforts but also comes with a significant risk of corruption. Corruption is an inevitable factor of economic and political decision making, and during times of crisis it thrives. From the public health to the private sector, and from public procurement to economic and emergency responses, the COVID-19 pandemic has not made our institutions any less susceptible to corrupt practices. Rather, it has highlighted vulnerabilities to corrupt practices, especially with regards to the mobilisation of funds, which are aimed at supporting the health system and our economies at large. The necessitated swift nature of policy reactions and preventative measures enacted by our Governments makes corruption evermore opportune. Corruption disrupts our public health sectors, the private sectors and notably, the emergency and economic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and it cannot go unchecked. Therefore, we clearly emphasise our stance that; ‘COVID-19 recovery can and will only be achieved with integrity and accountability’. In commemoration of this year’s campaign for International Anti-Corruption Day, we commit to Recovering with Integrity. Guided by this year’s global theme, we – the leaders of our Pacific countries and the UN, are committed to eradicating corruption at every level during this crucial time of COVID-19 recovery. In addition, we must also ensure accountability and full transparency in COVID-19 related recovery budgeting. Whilst the pandemic exacerbates and highlights vulnerabilities of our systems of health and service delivery, we must also realise and make use of this occasion to consolidate our efforts to stop corruption. Recovering with Integrity also means that we, as Pacific islanders, have the opportunity to reset and support a grassroots economy. Public trust is not inherent, nor a given, especially in times of crisis. We acknowledge the urgent need to ensure access to information about public decision-making and our pandemic relief efforts. We now have the chance to increase community engagement efforts in the area of anti-corruption and are fully committed to achieving this. Through these efforts, we can circumvent the lure of corrupt practices, promote the rule of law and allow for full transparency and accountability from the institutions that serve our people. Through the avenue of public checks and balances, we aim to reinstall and maintain trust in our institutions, in order to Recover with Integrity. The UN Resident Coordinator of the Fiji Multi-Country Office is Mr. Sanaka Samarasinha. This Statement has been endorsed by: 1. The Republic of Palau 2. Federated States of Micronesia 3. Tuvalu 4. The Republic of Kiribati 5. The Republic of the Marshall Islands 6. The Republic of Fiji 7. The Republic of Nauru 8. The Kingdom of Tonga

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13 December 2021

Smart Islands Initiative: An affordable, accessible digital future for Pacific communities

The Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and countries within Micronesia pay the highest prices globally per gigabyte of internet. Often, the great cost is not met with its equal in access or speed – internet remains slow and capped at low monthly averages. On the surface, this might translate as interrupted access to Facebook and Twitter and perhaps an Instagram story that never uploads, but the impacts caused by sky-high internet costs in developing Pacific countries prone to natural hazards go much deeper. It can result in serious developmental challenges, especially exacerbated during disasters or, as we’ve now witnessed, a pandemic. In the Pacific’s case, it has been both, with disasters prefacing the second wave of COVID-19 in many Pacific countries and with the November-April cyclone season on the way. Socioeconomic challenges posed by COVID-19 have aggravated existing costs of connecting remote islands, lack of human and financial resources, inadequate digital skills and high costs to access these services. Affordable broadband access can help Pacific countries recover faster from COVID-19 and accelerate their achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This challenge presents an opportunity to bridge the communication divide through targeted support, cooperation, and partnership – a partnership which is spearheaded by thoughtful change and centered around people. In April 2020, category-5 Tropical Cyclone Harold hit several Pacific countries, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Harold claimed lives, crushed homes, and destroyed sources of income for thousands of Pacific peoples, particularly in Vanuatu and Fiji. In anticipation of one such disaster back in 2014, the United Nations, with the leadership of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), undertook a satellite connectivity project in nine Pacific countries, including Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu with over 90 satellite ground terminals were provided including C-Band, Ku Band, and Ka band terminals.[1] This project installed satellite ground stations to provide connectivity to communities within these Pacific countries and made disaster response operations possible in the aftermath of Harold. With affected countries having instituted COVID-induced national lockdowns, physical response to Harold was near impossible. However, the satellite capabilities established in some of the affected communities were able to connect communities to the outside world and aid disaster response efforts as they were the only means of communication. This also allowed communities to capitalize on the connectivity for non-emergency communication and socioeconomic activities, such as connecting schools, health clinics, and government offices. Our investment in infrastructure and the partnership we share with the Pacific people has changed the pace at which island communities can now recover from disasters and reduces the cost of building back better. Fast forward to now - people in these communities are learning how to access and use digital services and applications, such as mobile banking, e-commerce, e-agriculture, e-health, among others. This cost-cutting concept, which supports access to affordable connectivity in Pacific communities most in need of it, is known as the Smart Islands initiative – and it is designed to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in the Pacific, with under a decade left to go. The Smart Islands initiative enhances broadband availability and affordability across communities, providing opportunities for digital skills development and access to digital services, which are essential to SDG targets. By digitally empowering Pacific communities through the Smart Islands initiative, the development trajectory of Pacific Island Countries will no longer be defined by geographical barriers and isolation, but rather, by the plethora of opportunities for education, healthcare, business, livelihood, and employment, among others. This initiative, now starting in Vanuatu, has gained increasing traction among Pacific Island Countries and the UN is developing Smart Islands initiatives that will capitalize on various UN agencies’ expertise and support governments to fully roll out Smart Islands initiatives in the years to come. In order to make Smart Islands a reality throughout the Pacific, an evidence-based, whole-of-government, multi-stakeholder approach is essential. By collaborating and harmonizing the development and provision of digital services, Pacific ministries and government agencies can create economies of scale, and the private sector may expand its connectivity and upgrade network capacity. Civil society and community organizations are key interlocutors in articulating community needs. This has the potential to pave the way to accelerate the introduction of emerging technology, such as big data and artificial intelligence, once communities are connected and the multitudes of data are collected to enable data analysis. Investing in a digital future for our sisters and brothers in the Pacific is a no-brainer – but it will only happen if we continue to form these crucial partnerships, placing people and sustainable change at the centre and ensuring no one is left behind. - A joint op-ed by Sanaka Samarasinha & Atsuko Okuda [1] https://www.satelliteevolutiongroup.com/magazines/Americas-August2020/index-h5.html?page=20#page=21 https://news.itu.int/itu-and-kacific-join-forces-to-boost-emergency-telecoms-and-ict-development-in-vanuatu_/

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13 December 2021

No one is Safe unless Everyone is Safe: Making Emergency Response Safe for Women and Girls

During natural disasters and emergencies, women and girls are more at risk of experiencing violence, exploitation and abuse. Simultaneously, emergencies weaken national systems, including health and legal systems, and community and social support networks. This breakdown of systems can reduce access to health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, and legal services, leading to an environment of impunity in which perpetrators are not held to account. Research shows that in Fiji, in the aftermath of the 2012 floods, some women and girls who lacked access to food, were offering sex in exchange for food as a coping mechanism. After the repatriation following the eruption in 2017 in South Ambae, reports indicated an increase in domestic violence and child abuse. Increased rates of sexual and gender-based violence, including rape, were also reported in the Solomon Islands after the Gizo tsunami in 2007. The Pacific region is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, including cyclones, tsunamis, and earthquakes. Tropical Cyclone Winston left 44 dead and 40,000 people requiring immediate assistance in Fiji alone. More recently, in Vanuatu, TC Harold affected over half the population, while the total damage in Tonga was estimated to be in excess of US$111 million. The Pacific region also holds some of the highest records of gender-based violence in the world. Unless we take adequate measures now, our region can easily become the epicentre of a systematic human catastrophe. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a reminder that we can never lower our guard. Gender-based violence is present in all human activity, including emergency response. At COP 26, all Pacific leaders raised a red flag to press for action against the climate crisis, which disproportionately affects small island developing states, their communities, and their women and girls. Gender-responsive disaster risk reduction is no longer an option - it is a quintessential approach to dealing with our everyday realities. GBV has significant and long-lasting impacts on health, and the psychosocial and economic well-being of women and girls, their families and communities. States hold the primary responsibility, and must take action, to protect their citizens. In emergencies, mandated UN agencies act to support national authorities to meet their responsibilities to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to affected populations. Strengthening national systems through engaging national partners and local organizations is an integral part of UN work to sustain an effective GBV response, particularly during emergencies. As recognised in international response protocols, GBV programming, especially during emergencies, is not a “nice-to-have” , it is life-saving. It can make the difference between life and death for survivors of sexual violence and physical assaults. We are at a crossroads - with natural disasters on the rise, we simply cannot afford to have violence against women rise at the same pace. The Pacific community has the means, knowledge, commitment and international support to reverse this trend. The onus is on us, now is the time to unite and act to end GBV. Remarkable progress has been made in recent years. For example, the Pacific Humanitarian GBV Sub Cluster Working Group is building a community of practice convening NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and experts, to share experience in GBV in emergencies and to strengthen governance and coordination to support disaster preparedness and response. Disaster preparedness made headway at the national level with the development and update of national service delivery protocols in Samoa, Tonga, and The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, or the development and update of clinical management of GBV protocols during emergencies in Fiji, Solomons Island, of RMI, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Federated States of Micronesia, with Pohnpei State and Yap State currently being finalised. Any meaningful national and international effort aiming to address climate change and emergency response must recognise the critical role of integrating gender considerations and analysis, and advocate for equitable participation of men and women in planning and implementation of resilience-building activities. The time to act is now. To respond to emergencies and address the climate crisis, we need strong and healthy women and men, girls and boys in all their diversities to unite and work together to find solutions. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind. -

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20 July 2021

Fiji Food Systems Summit Dialogue - Statement by UN Resident Coordinator Sanaka Samarasinha

“The twin crises of Covid 19 and Climate Change mean that Food Systems are on the global agenda like never before,” UN Resident Coordinator Sanaka Samarinha told today’s Fiji Food Systems Summit National Dialogue. “We have an unprecedented opportunity for positive transformative change! But this will take commitment on the part of all of us to listen to each other and learn from each other as we pursue sustainable solutions,” Samarasinha said. Samarasinha outlined four key recommendations on strengthening food systems in Fiji and the Pacific. Full statement below: UN Multi-Country Resident Coordinator Office (Suva) UN Resident Coordinator FIJI FOOD SYSTEMS SUMMIT ADDRESS – 21 July 2021 Honourable Prime Minister, Honourable Ministers, the National Convenor, Distinguished guests, Bula Vinaka. The health of our food systems greatly affects the health of our people, the health of our environment, our economy, our culture, our way of life. In other words, it touches every aspect of human existence. Globalised, industrialised food systems are in crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation. According to the 2021 UN Report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition, the number of chronically undernourished people has risen to 811 million, while almost a third of the world's population has no access to adequate food. Despite global commitments to end hunger by 2030 in Sustainable Development Goal 2, the number of people who are food-insecure has risen since 2014. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated hunger and is anticipated to add between 83 and 132 million more people to the number in chronic undernourishment. Malnutrition, including both micronutrient deficiencies or so-called “hidden hunger” as well as overweight and obesity now plague 3.4 billion people worldwide. As a result, the FAO now identifies non-communicable diseases from poor diets as the number one cause of premature death globally. Faced with these realities, no one will dispute the fact that we need a radical transformation towards a just, inclusive and truly sustainable global food system. And we need it now! For this reason, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, declared that in September we would convene a Food Systems Summit as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs by 2030. The Summit will launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems. The Food Systems Summit and the National Dialogues leading up to the summit offer us an opportunity to agree on urgent national, regional and global actions needed to establish inclusive, sustainable and equitable food systems. These national dialogues in particular, which the UN is supporting in practically every country in the Pacific, will not only ensure that the region’s unique perspectives are considered during the summit, but they also serve as an opportunity for countries to recalibrate their own approaches to food systems and find local solutions for local problems. As you begin your deliberations today, I would like to suggest four key areas for your consideration: First – We need to place a more urgent emphasis on the nexus between food and the health of our nation. Pacific rates of NCDs and accompanying risk factors are some of the highest in the world and are responsible for up to 84 per cent of deaths in Fiji. Among other things, when considering the health of a society in the Pacific, we need to examine carefully the role that the reliance on food imports plays. WFP’s 2020 macro analysis of the agricultural import dependency for Pacific countries showed worrying overall market and trade vulnerabilities. With an import ratio calculation for cereals in Fiji hovering at 84% - in other words, food imports vastly exceed exports in Fiji. High import-dependency has complex health and economic implications for Pacific Islanders resulting in over consumption of imported processed foods. This has a direct effect on the prevalence of obesity in this region, where currently over 50% of Pacific Islanders are overweight or obese. We need to improve policies and regulatory standards for healthy and safe food, adopt taxation-based approaches, prepare food-based dietary guidelines and promote innovation in the food safety system. We must also recognize the importance of local production of nutrient-rich foods to address NCDs and food-related diseases and find creative ways to encourage more consumers – especially parents and young people. Second – We must take concerted action to enhance the resilience and sustainability of agricultural and food production systems Food insecurity as a result of the agricultural damages and losses caused by the three major cyclones to hit Fiji since Harold in May 2020 has been exacerbated by the catastrophic loss of jobs and income because of COVID-19. The combined effects will have a long-lasting impact on the nation’s food security, value chains and livelihoods Here in the Pacific, food systems should be based on resilient traditional foods, multiplication of resilient crop varieties and should include adoption of improved sustainable farming practices such as proper land management and land use planning that have been successful in similar climates around the world. Third - Blue Foods should be at the heart of Pacific Food Systems Blue foods have traditionally been undervalued in their contribution to global food systems. Yet they are incredible sources of locally produced nutrition for millions of people around the world. At the same time, ‘Blue Foods’ is a topic that is unfortunately not given the platform it deserves in global discourses, and a topic that should lead the way in any Pacific Food systems discussion and should comprise a valuable input from the region into the deliberations at the global summit. The Food System Summit Scientific Group has already recognised the important role that blue food plays in Food Systems. This role is particularly important in the Pacific region, but too often, the benefits of blue food from the region are reaped not by Pacific Islanders but by those who harvest the resources of the Blue Pacific from countries around the world. At the same time, this contribution by the Pacific to the global food system is highly under recognised. Transforming our food system in the region will require a new mind-set and a more careful consideration of blue foods. It would be timely to consider a scientific assessment of blue foods and their potential to contribute to sustainable and just food systems followed by the introduction of innovative approaches drawing on global good practices to address gaps to significantly bolster the blue food ecosystem. Fourth – Partnership is key. The twin crises of COVID19 and Climate Change mean that Food Systems are on the global agenda like never before. We have an unprecedented opportunity for positive transformative change! But this will take commitment on the part of all of us to listen to each other and learn from each other as we pursue sustainable solutions. Each of the 5 Fiji Food Systems Summit Action Track dialogues, have highlighted the importance of multi-sector collaboration to enable more equitable and inclusive participation. Historically, food has been seen as a commodity or the domain of one or two Ministries such as agriculture or fisheries or been captured by big business with little voice for consumers. To compound matters, one of the most challenging aspects of building a viable and just food system around the world is the low level of trust we have in each other in many countries. The UN Secretary General through this summit is calling on governments, companies and communities to work together to build that trust. And so, we must expand the conversation to involve everyone with a stake in food systems until we arrive at the solutions that will end hunger and malnutrition, protect the environment, and increase equity. To quote Agnes Kalibata, the Secretary General’s Envoy for the Food Systems Summit: “Democratizing the discussion about food systems is vital because people do not eat ideas and policies, they eat food grown and delivered by other people, who work in fields, in factories, in research labs, in distribution centers, in shops, and in restaurants. It is all of these people who have the knowledge, insights, and understanding to help improve the system at large and make it more inclusive, more sustainable, and more resilient.” From wet markets to farmers markets, from supply chains to production lines, from land management to fishing practices, there is an urgent need to ensure the entirety of any Food system is inclusive. I would like to commend the commitment demonstrated in previous dialogues to developing protection mechanisms targeting hard to reach poor rural people, with a strong focus on women and youth. I urge everyone to also extend these protections to persons with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups. Beyond protections – it is imperative that all food systems discussions, solutions and pathways are inclusive. What we eat and drink is a deeply personal and intimate exercise. And so, everyone’s voice matters. It is only through such a diverse stakeholder owned process that we can finally arrive at an equitable, nutritious and sustainable food system for all. Dear friends, these National Food System Summit Dialogues are a critical element of the Summit preparatory process because they ensure that the voice of the Pacific will be heard in the global discussion. The conversation that you will have here today will enhance international analysis, lead to innovative regional exploration and the development of game changing national solutions. I look forward to shining a light on the outcomes of this dialogue and those around the Pacific in September’s World Food Summit. We must ensure that the challenges you identify along with the solutions you propose are recognised and result in a commitment made by the UN member states to strengthen food systems that are particularly fragile in our region and Small Islands Developing States in general. But above all I look forward to taking the steps needed together to inclusively and sustainably meet national food system needs beyond the summit. Taking the World Summit Outcomes as a guidance and holding participants to account while rolling up our sleeves locally and making the difference for those at risk on every one of our beautiful Pacific islands. Ultimately, global partnerships and local commitment and action must go hand in hand. I thank you again and wish you the best in your deliberations. Vinaka Vakalevu.

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20 July 2021

Condolence message by UN RC Sanaka Samarasinha on the passing of Ambassador (Ret.d) Litia Gasagasa Mawi

The United Nations wishes to convey our deepest condolences to the family of Ambassador (Ret.d) Litia Gasagasa Mawi. The United Nations fondly recalls with much gratitude H.E Mawi’s efforts during the United Nations 75th Anniversary last year in her capacity as a senior advisor in my office. Her compassion, charisma and strong sense of empathy for people from all walks of life helped ensure a very inclusive global conversation with a unique Pacific tinge on “The future we want, the UN we need.” Her efforts to help us hear voices from all segments of the population in our promise to “leave no one behind” was unrelenting as was her staunch commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. She provided us all great insights through her own life on how to ensure that older people and young people can work together in a meaningful way to save our planet. We regard her as a true champion of the United Nations in the Pacific. Her drive to bring attention to inter-generational dialogue, highlighting key issues and opportunities on climate change, gender and Pacific diplomacy will be missed. The sincerity, passion and wisdom that she brought, inspired and guided the team during those months and will continue be cherished by all of them. We also wish to acknowledge her role as a United Nations Volunteer, which she took post-retirement. This clearly demonstrated her “forever ageless” attitude and her determination to continue serving the people of the Pacific. H.E Mawi served for a year as an International Specialist with the planning and budget department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in the Government of Tuvalu, based in Funafuti through the UN. A passionate and committed volunteer, she never stopped serving as a UNV, championing the values of volunteerism in numerous capacities both at the national and regional level and provided advice on how volunteerism can be innovative within a South-South cooperation platform. She also supported UNV and partners shape up a consultation process in the research and design of Volunteering for the SDGs Accelerator Toolkit and helped to get submissions and gauge interest from the Pacific for the Global Technical Meeting 2020 on the theme “Reimagining Volunteerism for the 2030 Agenda”. H.E Mawi was also part of the Technical Working Group for the Global Technical Meeting and the Regional Asia-Pacific Conference of the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) in Bangkok in 2019. She was compassionate and truly embraced the values of volunteering, often giving her time to assist where and when needed. We recognize that her passing away will not only leave a void in the diplomatic community and the UN family, but she will be greatly missed by the many she touched beyond Fiji and the Pacific. H.E Mawi will always remain within our hearts, and we include her family sincerely in our thoughts and prayers as they try to overcome the sorrow of her loss.

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Press Release

02 April 2021

UN recognizes Fiji’s progress on fighting Child Labour

Child labour has decreased by 38 per cent in the last decade but 152 million children are still affected globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably worsened the situation, but joint and decisive action can reverse this trend. “I commend the considerable work of the government of Fiji and other partners like civil society. The work on child labour in Fiji has progressed and has resulted in the country accumulating considerable child labour expertise and experience in aligning national legislation with international standards relevant to children,” said Mr. Sanaka Samarasinha, UN Resident Co-ordinator. “All the same, there is much work still to be done and we are in this fight together to eradicate this terrible practice once and for all.” The fight against child labour requires strong partnerships at global, regional, national and community level. It requires collaboration between Government, Workers and Employers Organisations, Civil Society organisations, families, and international organisations. Whilst significant progress has been achieved, the UN Resident Coordinator has recommended three areas for immediate joint action with the support of the UN. There is a need to update research on the worst forms of child labour including children in commercial sexual exploitation and drug related offences. The impact of COVID-19 with respect to the possible increase in child labour needs to be better understood. Secondly to raise awareness on child labour and worst forms of child labour reaching into communities across the country. Thirdly, to finalise and approve legal and policy frameworks to eliminate child labour in line with relevant international conventions. “We all have to make it our business to ensure children are in schools and not engaging in labour. Providing for the family is only the responsibility of adults – not children,” said Hon. Mereseini Vuniwaqa, Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation. “If we stay true to our pledge as a nation and strengthen our strategies for implementing programs, policies and legislations around child labor better, we will not only improve the lives of our children today, but also secure the lives of future generations. I am pleased to announce that the Fijian Government is pledging the following agendas in relation to the elimination of Child Labour in Fiji: Formulation of a national child labour policy, Review of the Current National Employment Policy, Finalization of the National Occupational Health Services Strategic Plan and Formulation of Paperless Labour Inspection Program,” said Minister Vuniwaqa. “Fiji has adopted legislation to prohibit employment and work of children and undertook other important and necessary steps. The UN International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour 2021 provides us this great opportunity to make sound progress within the ILO MAP-16 project funded by the US Department of Labour,” says Mr. Matin Karimli, Director of the ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries. "In Fiji, UNICEF is supporting the Government to strengthen the multi-sector child protection system to prevent and respond to child neglect, abuse and exploitation. This includes drafting of child protection legislation, capacity building of welfare officers to work with vulnerable families and ensuring they have access to guidance, social protection schemes and other services, which is a key intervention to prevent and respond to child labour. Support is also provided to improve parents’ knowledge of child development and parenting attitudes and practices, as well as to set up community-based mechanisms to prevent and respond to child protection concerns, including child labour," said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett. Background: About Measurement, Awareness Raising, and Policy Engagement project (MAP16) in Fiji The MAP16 project contributes to the promotion of decent work in Fiji by contributing to the elimination of child labour and worst forms of child labour with support from the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations, Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation and Fiji Trades Union Congress. The project further aims to assist Fiji in its capacity as a Pathfinder country and to contribute to achieving SDG 8.7. For more information: https://www.ilo.org/suva About the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS): MICS is an international household survey programme developed and supported by UNICEF. Since its inception in 1995, MICS has become the largest source of statistically sound and internationally comparable data on women and children worldwide. UNICEF is supporting the government of Fiji to conduct a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) which includes a module on child labour. MICS will provide quantitative data on the number of weekly hours and types of household and economic activities children are engaged in, disaggregated by age, gender and geographical area. Field work is on-going, and results are expected to be available at the end of 2021. For more information: http://mics.unicef.org/ Ends There are 26 UN resident agencies in the Pacific; with 16 agencies based in Fiji and 10 agencies based in Samoa. UN agencies such as UNHCR are based outside the region but collaborate with in-country agencies and Joint Presence Offices and Country Coordination Specialists to meet their country level obligations. Non-resident agencies include IAEA (Geneva), UNCDF, UN Environment, UN-Habitat (Fukuoka), UNIDO, UNCTAD, and UNODC (Bangkok). These agencies implement projects and programs in the region in partnership with resident agencies. For more information and to keep abreast the latest developments, please visit the UN in the Pacific Website: http://pacific.un.org

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Press Release

26 November 2020

UNITED NATIONS AND FIJIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCE UN75 COMMUNITY WEEK IN SUPPORT OF WESTERN DIVISION

Speaking at a Press Conference this morning, UN Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha said, “The UN75 Community Week was born from the UN and the Fijian Government's joint goal to execute a high-impact initiative for the people of Nadi and Western Viti Levu as tens of thousands continue to struggle amidst the socio-economic impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. We are bringing together a vast array of partners across the diplomatic corps, private sector and civil society to generate a hike in economic activity through the week; provide critical service delivery; and support laid off workers through business and skill development sessions.” “Our three-fold goal is to provide service delivery; create opportunity for dialogue where communities can deliver messages directly to policy and decision makers; and advocate to build awareness around some of the crucial issues affecting Fiji, the Pacific and the world at this important juncture in history,” continued Mr. Samarasinha. “As has been our emphasis throughout the year, we are especially targeting women and girls; youth and persons living with disabilities.” Western Viti Levu has been one of the hardest hit in Fiji, with more than 100,000 people losing their jobs across tourism and related sectors. This is now compounded with the uncertainty of the cyclone season. Speaking at the press conference, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, Immigration and Sugar Industry and Acting Permanent Secretary Foreign Affairs, Mr Yogesh Jitendra Karan conveyed the Fijian Government’s appreciation to the United Nations for the innovative partnership in organising the UN 75 Community Week. “On behalf of the Fijian Government, I congratulate the UN Resident Coordinator, the Diplomatic community and all stakeholders and key partners involved in the commemoration of the United Nations (UN) 75th Anniversary. The Anniversary celebrations will reflect the UN75 theme “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism. The theme itself is very diverse and we are very grateful that the UN Team has a well thought theme for the celebrations. There are opportunities to explore innovative options across various sectors that will be present on the two days.” While reflecting on Fiji’s collaboration with the UN, PS Karan said that the UN75 Community Week coincides well with the commemoration of 12th December as the 5th Anniversary of the establishment of the Paris Agreement. “Fiji was the first country to ratify the Paris Agreement and we have continued to champion the cause for climate action through sustainable use of our environment, at the global stage. I am very pleased to mention that the Hon. Prime Minister is the recipient of the 2020 Champion of the Earth award in recognition of his policy leadership on innovative sustainable development initiatives. The award ceremony will be part of this event, and this is another significant milestone for Fiji and the region.” “As we reflect on our 50 years UN membership; Fiji is recommitting its unwavering support to the United Nations and the important work we undertake together to make the world a better place. Now more than ever we need a strong UN to deliver a just and equitable distribution formula for the COVID-19 vaccine, to deliver a strong Paris Agreement, to deliver a solid foundation for a sustainable ocean, to deliver a peaceful and harmonious world and of course to deliver on the 2030 Agenda,” PS Karan said. Friday 11th December and Saturday 12th December will be community and family days, with full-day activities planned at Prince Charles Park. Colorful exhibitions from countries around the world have been organised by embassies and diaspora communities; global cuisines are expected to be available with local restaurants and hoteliers Kanu, Radisson Blu, Tanoa Restaurant, Jack’s of Fiji and more; plus Culinary Master Classes have also been organised by the UN Local Expatriates Spouses Association. Through the UN REACH Program, led by the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, the public will be able to access a wide range of services that include the registration of births, deaths and marriages, banking facilities for financial literacy through the different banks, legal services through the Legal Aid Commission and others. As an added incentive for Fijians living outside the Western division to participate, Fiji Airways, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Westin Hotel and The Hilton Hotel today released special UN75 airfare and hotel rate packages for those traveling in to be a part of the community days. For more information and to keep abreast the latest developments, please visit the UN in the Pacific Website: pacific.un.org

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Press Release

14 October 2020

UN and EU launch Spotlight Initiative Regional Pacific Programme

SUVA, FIJI, 13 October 2020 – Today, the United Nations and the European Union (EU) launched a multi-year partnership - the Spotlight Initiative Regional Pacific Programme focused on amplifying efforts to end violence against women and girls. In the Pacific region, the Spotlight Initiative will focus on addressing Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence, working in partnership with key regional institutions and diverse partners, to address: legislative and policy gaps; strengthening institutions; promoting gender-equitable attitudes; strengthening systems of collecting data on violence against women and girls; and supporting civil society and coalitions in advocacy. The Spotlight Pacific Regional Initiative builds on existing commitments across 16 Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, PNG, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tokelau, Niue and Cook Islands), as well as country specific commitments in Fiji, Republic of Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands to ending domestic and intimate partner violence. While addressing partners and invited guests via video link from New York, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed said, “The Spotlight Initiative is a comprehensive, all-sector approach to tackle one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today. Through the Spotlight Initiative, we are calling together everyone to ensure women and girls can live a life free of violence, in all its forms.” “We are working hand-in-hand with everyone, from world leaders to the grassroots, government, civil society, the private sector, development partners, men and boys, women and girls. We must all get involved,” she added. Speaking at the launch, Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific HE Sujiro Seam said, “The Spotlight Initiative is an unprecedented effort, through its level of funding and coordinated efforts of multiple stakeholders, in the global fight to eliminate violence against women and girls. It reflects the commitment of the EU to multilateralism and partnership. It reaffirms gender equality and women’s rights as a key strand of European Union foreign policy, in line with its upcoming Gender Action Plan 2021-2025.” The Spotlight Initiative represents an unprecedented global effort to invest in gender equality as a precondition and driver for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, launched with a global seed funding commitment of €500 million from the EU. During the launch, a panel discussion took place that included a civil society representative from Tonga, a representative of faith based organisations from the Pacific, youth advocate and a disability advocate connecting from Palau. Studies conducted in most Pacific Island countries reveal some of the highest rates of domestic and intimate partner violence in the world. Up to 2 in 3 women in some Pacific countries have experienced violence in their lifetime. Between 25 to 68 per cent of women in Pacific Island Countries reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner since age 15. The figures are significantly higher in the programme focus countries of Solomon Islands (65%), Fiji (64%), Vanuatu (60%), and Marshall Islands (51%). In closing the event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha said “The Spotlight Initiative is testament to what we can do together when we combine our efforts to address a common goal and that is to end violence against women and girls in the Pacific.” “As someone once said to end violence against women and girls we need political will, partnership and public commitment. We have all of these, but we need to do it together.” # # # Background The Spotlight Initiative (SI) is a global partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including harmful practices. In the Pacific region, Spotlight Initiative will focus on addressing Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence. The Initiative joins existing efforts and compliments the work of regional institutions and diverse partners. The Spotlight Initiative will work closely with the existing EU funded Pacific Partnership on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls together with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Pacific Community (SPC). The UN agencies involved in the implementation of the Spotlight Initiative includes, the United Nations Development Programme, UN Children’s Fund, UN Women, UN Populations Fund and the International Organisation for Migration. www.spotlightinitiative.org

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Press Release

27 April 2020

A New Normal: UN lays out roadmap to lift economies and save jobs after COVID-19

The urgent health crisis that is COVID-19 has created a historic recession with record levels of deprivation and unemployment, creating an unprecedented human crisis that is hitting the poorest hardest, especially women and children. In a new framework released today as a roadmap to support countries’ path to social and economic recovery, the United Nations calls for an extraordinary scale-up of international support and political commitment to ensure that people everywhere have access to essential services and social protection. The “United Nations Framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19: Shared responsibility, global solidarity and urgent action for people in need” calls for protecting jobs, businesses and livelihoods to set in motion a safe recovery of societies and economies as soon as possible for a more sustainable, gender-equal,and carbon-neutral path—better than the “old normal”. “This is not only a health crisis but a human crisis; a jobs crisis; a humanitarian crisis and a development crisis.
And it is not just about the most vulnerable. This pandemic shows that we are all at risk because we are only
as strong as the weakest health system. Its unprecedented scale demands an unprecedented response,” said
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who presented his report on the socio-economic impacts
of COVID-19 “Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity” in March. “Everything we do during and after this crisis must be with a strong focus on building more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient in the face of pandemics, climate change and the many other global challenges we face,” he said. This new framework released today sets the way United Nations entities will deliver this vision on the ground. Decisions made in the next few months will be crucial for the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN’s framework for social and economic recovery stresses. Noting that during the Ebola outbreak in 2014, more people died from the interruption of social services and the economic breakdown than from the virus itself, the framework focuses on protecting the needs and rights of those most affected by the pandemic, starting with the most vulnerable countries, groups, and those who risk being left behind. Drawing lessons from the 2008-2009 global economic and financial crisis, the framework notes that countries with strong social protection systems and basic services suffered the least and recovered the fastest. To prevent billions of people from sliding into poverty, governments around the world will need to rapidly adapt, extend and scale-up safety ‘cushions’, such as cash transfers, food assistance, social insurance schemes and child benefits to support families. For the impacts of COVID-19 to be reduced, the UN calls for an extraordinary scale-up of support to cope with
the challenges ahead, including immediate social protection responses that consider differentiated impacts on
vulnerable groups, children, women, men, and those in the informal sector. This is particularly urgent considering
that 4 billion people, more than half of the world population—including two out of three children—have no or
inadequate social protection. NOTES FOR THE EDITORS
The UN will focus on five key streams in its response, which places communities at the centre of recovery efforts:
1. protecting existing health services and strengthening health systems’ capacity to respond to COVID-19;
2. helping people cope with adversity, through social protection and basic services;
3. protecting jobs, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and informal sector workers through economic recovery programmes;
4. guiding the necessary surge in fiscal and financial stimulus to make macroeconomic policies work for the most vulnerable and strengthening multilateral and regional responses; and 5. promoting social cohesion and investing in community-led resilience and response systems. These five streams are connected by action to meet the need for environmental sustainability, if countries are to recover and “build back better”, and be better prepared to address future shocks, including pandemics.
UN teams covering 162 countries and territories will rollout this recovery plan in the next 12 to 18 months, under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinators (RC), supported by a network of global and regional expertise. As the technical lead in the socio-economic recovery effort, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) will support RCs,with UN teams working as one across all aspects of the response. While a significant proportion of the existing US$17.8 billion portfolio of sustainable development programmes across UN entities will be adjusted towards COVID-19 needs, given the scale and scope of the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, additional funds will be required. To support these efforts, the Secretary-General launched the United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, a UN inter-agency fund mechanism to help support low- and middle-income programme countries overcome the health and development crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and support people most vulnerable to economic hardship and social disruption. The financial requirements of the Fund are projected at $1billion in the first nine months and will be subsequently reviewed. The Secretary-General also called for a multilateral response that amounts to at least 10 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP) to mount the most effective response to crisis the world has ever seen.
There will be no return to the “old normal”, the framework document states. The pandemic is a blow to develop-ing and emerging economies that already face binding constraints of debt and limited fiscal space, with several developing countries needing urgent debt relief. Its impacts will be especially devastating for the most vulnerable countries – those in humanitarian or conflict settings. The UN also calls for a massive fiscal and financial repurposing in the next weeks and months, including the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies to aid the response.
The UN stresses that the status quo and business-as-usual are policy choices, and they are not inevitable.For a sustainable development that benefits more people, the choice must be for a recovery from COVID-19 that is fast, fair, green and inclusive.

About the framework document The “United Nations Framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19: Shared responsibility, global solidarity and urgent action for people in need”, released today puts in practice the UN Secretary- General’s Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity report on the same subject. It is one of three critical components of the UN’s efforts to save lives, protect people, and rebuild better, alongside the health response, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the humanitarian response, as detailed in the UN-led COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan. Three funding mechanisms support the comprehensive response pillars: The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, managed by the UN Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation for the immediate health needs; The “Global Humanitarian Response Plan” for the humanitarian appeal; and The United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for the socio-economic recovery.
About the UN Development System
The United Nations development system is the world’s largest international actor on social protection and
basic services. The UN System is present in 162 countries and territories and reaches tens of millions of people
through basic services, social transfers and other forms of social protection. The UN Development System has
extensive experience in supporting governments in developing social protection systems including social protection
floors and delivery of quality social services and to support such services across humanitarian and
development contexts. unsdg.un.org
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