UN Summit Hears Of Pacific Progress On MDGs

UN Summit Hears Of Pacific Progress On MDGs

Melbourne, Australia (30 August, 2010) – The 63rd United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI)/NGO Conference currently underway here in Australia, today heard reports from the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu on Pacific progress at grassroots level towards implementation of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

Representatives of the Civil Society Forum of Tonga, Solomon Islands Development Trust, Tuvalu Association of NGOs and the IZA Foundation/Save the Children in Vanuatu shared their progress stories with NGOs from all over the world in a capacity-filled room at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“Pacific Islands NGOs continue to work without much recognition and visibility. PIANGO, as a network of NGOs, is looking at networking opportunities to have Pacific voices heard at global level and to bringing global concerns home to the Pacific Islands,” said Ms Emele Duituturaga, Executive Director of the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs (PIANGO).

“Our workshop here today has highlighted very practical examples from the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu in terms of achieving the MDGs. We have focused on gender equality, maternal and child health, combating HIV/AIDS and environmental sustainability – all MDGs very critical to the Pacific Islands and which cannot be progressed without the involvement of Pacific CSOs,” she said.

“It is also pleasing and very heartening to see the support that we have had here today during our presentations and to see the room so full of interested people who even sat on the floor and stood in the aisles,” Ms Duituturaga said.

Annie Homasi, Executive Director of the Tuvalu Association of NGOs (TANGO) told the session that climate change continues to be a serious and life-threatening issue for Tuvalu.

“The Pacific as a region, continues to support Tuvalu’s efforts to mobilise around climate change at all levels and this is the only way to achieve progress at all levels,” she said.

“The Tuvalu Climate Action Network (TUCAN) is working with a number of CSOs, the media and government on advocacy around climate change issues We have maximised our collaborative efforts and are taking the issue forward together with government, however, we need a stronger mandate to advocate locally, regionally and internationally. We also need additional resources to become more results-based and effective. We must act now for the future of our children and our grandchildren,” Ms Homasi said.

Jennifer Wate of the Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT) said: “It is important that development projects are community led. Water and sanitation are primary issues in Solomon Islands communities as is the need for leadership and life skills training, disaster risk reduction and awareness on climate change, environment and conservation issues.”

“Malaria has been a life-threatening issue for us in the Solomon Islands and it has taken SIDT 20 years of advocacy and awareness raising on the need for each household member to have a bed net to combat malaria. We have now recently managed to achieve this and the government is providing free bed nets to all households to combat malaria. Our work using community media to raise awareness on malaria and advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention has resulted in large reductions in malaria cases in the Solomon Islands, however, our biggest challenge remains the need for behavioural changes and attitudes,” Ms Wate said.

“We need to involve all stakeholders in order to achieve the MDGs. Information is an important tool for empowerment and I urge governments and development partners to use NGOs to help meet MDG targets by 2015,” she said.

Irene Malachi of the IZA Programme/Save the Children in Vanuatu said the IZA Foundation/Save the Children has managed to break cultural barrier and religious barriers and increase public knowledge of HIV/AIDS amongst communities in Vanuatu through her public advocacy, as a HIV positive person.

“This has also curbed discrimination against us and now my 10 year-old daughter, who is also HIV positive, can attend school and we can ride the bus again. The way forward is to widen the outreach of IZA, attain the capacity to manage and sustain the Foundation in the future, continue with our existing programs and hopefully expand to other areas,” she said.

Ofa Guttenbeil, Director, Tonga Women, Children Crisis Centre said: “There is a huge increase in children under five years old experiencing malnutrition in Tonga as a result of families being unable to afford proper food for their children. In addition, a large proportion is child abuse statistics in Tonga highlight the problem of neglect and malnutrition. However, other statistics on literacy, incest and sexual abuse are not reflective of reality. For example, there is no evidence-based research to illustrate how many women in Tonga have had miscarriages as a result of domestic violence.”

Ms Guttenbeil also highlighted the need for Pacific Island governments to include civil society in the MDG reporting process.

ENDS

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