Pacific Islands Forum
The 42nd Pacific Islands Forum was held in Auckland, New Zealand from the 6th to 9th August 2011.
There were many Pacific Forum-related events at Oxfam over the weekend and there was a Lowy Institute Conference, 5th Sept. Lack of funding unfortunately meant there was no major Pacific CSO event as a lead-in event to the Forum week, but Oxfam had organised several events around the Forum. Despite funding constraints, Pacific NGOs are doing great things, and particularly notable are the initiatives that the Fiji Women’s Right Movement is working on. The role that women are playing throughout the Pacific, whether it is working for peace, ending conflicts, promoting human rights, health and education, and eliminating domestic violence does not get the media coverage it deserves.
Message from CID director Wren Green
From the perspective of development NGOs, it was particularly pleasing to see the specific reference that Pacific leaders made in their Communiqué to the importance of civil society in achieving progress on Pacific issues. The text of the relevant paragraph is reproduced here:
Engagement with Civil Society
Leaders welcomed the Secretary General’s initiative to convey the views of civil society on a range of challenges facing the Pacific. Leaders recognised many of the issues identified by civil society were ones already on the regional agenda. Leaders highlighted this commonality and noted that meaningful engagement with civil society was vital in finding the best path forward. Leaders tasked the Secretariat to determine, as appropriate, practical means to ensure civil society perspectives continue to be reflected in Forum policy formulation and are able to be conveyed to future Forum Leaders’ meetings.
The “views of civil society” refers to a CSO Statement that was developed during two meetings of Pacific, New Zealand and Australian NGOs earlier this year. CID was involved throughout this process and coordinated New Zealand input to the Statement.
For the full text of the communiqué go to http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1109/S00193/pacific-islands-forum-communique-42nd-pif.htm
Wren Green
Director, Council for International Development
Pacific Islands Forum and Civil Society
ACFID: 40 Years and Little to Celebrate: Pacific Leaders Ignore Women & Civil Society
NGOs have expressed deep frustration about the Forum’s lack of engagement with civil society and labelled the lack of presence of women in parliaments in the region as scandalous.
Oxfam: Provides a Platform for Change
Oxfam welcomes the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ commitment to meaningful engagement with civil society on key policies and welcomes the suggestion of a dialogue at the next Forum Leaders’ meeting.
A number of initiatives have been announced by New Zealand, Australia and the governments involved in the post-Forum dialogue. A number of these are significant, including the EU’s commitments on climate change adaptation, Australia’s expansion of the seasonal workers scheme and New Zealand’s support for sustainable agriculture. Recognition of the importance of meaningful engagement with civil society and women in the Waiheke Declaration on Sustainable Development is positive, as is the inclusion of organics and fair trade. The announcements by Australia and New Zealand to step up commitments on education are particularly important, including the commitment to a target that, by 2021, 75 per cent of the Pacific’s children will be able to read by the age of 10. This is vital if more people are to be able to participate in economic development.
Articles on the Forum
Island Leaders Drowned Out At Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum was held in Auckland last week. The media scrum homed in on high profile guests and paid little attention to the real concerns of island leaders, reports Nic Maclellan. Speaking to journalists at last week’s Pacific Islands Forum, President Anote Tong of Kiribati had a few words to say about the problems facing the islands of the South Pacific. "You know what the reality of life is? In our life, there will always be bullies," said Tong. "But in our lives, if you allow yourself to be bullied, then so you shall be bullied."
The opening speech to the Lowy Conference by the Foreign Affairs Minister on 5th September
UN Secretary-General: Opening remarks with NZ PM John Key
A Transcript of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's opening remarks.
Pacific needs more than economic development – focus on poverty, water
This year marks the Forum’s 40th anniversary, at a time when the Pacific faces huge challenges. Although there is huge value in its natural environments, fisheries and vibrant cultures, there is unrest in the Pacific and there is poverty, even if it does not always look like the pictures of starvation we’re used to seeing elsewhere.
NZ, Australian human rights groups call for UN probe on West Papua
Fifteen human rights and social justice movements based in Australia and New Zealand today called on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to immediately appoint a special United Nations representative to investigate the alleged human rights violations in West Papua and its political status.
Balancing Samoa’s trade deficit – one banana at a time
Pacific Violence Against Women
Pacific violence against women – an ‘epic’ human rights disaster left on the Forum margins
Amnesty International Report: ‘I always dread walking in the morning to fetch water, when the kwaso boys are drunk’
Women in Honiara’s slums face particularly high risks of physical and sexual violence, especially when they are collecting water in the early evening, bathing, or using toilets at night, says the new Amnesty International report on gender, human rights and water and sanitation in the Solomon Islands. Download the Report
Kiribati accepts petition to stop violence against women
Of all the Pacific heads at the Pacific Islands forum Kiribati President Anote Tong is the olny one to date to accept the over 21,000 petition presented by Amnesty International which calls on Pacific leaders to make their countries safe and secure for women.
Gender and the Pacific Islands Forum
For an overview of non-government topics, including violence against women
