A multi-agency working group on food security in the Pacific reconvened
recently in Suva to address food security issues and concerns in the
Pacific. The Food Secure Pacific Working Group, which was established in
2009, met this month to begin implementing the Food Security Regional
Framework, which was endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their
August 2010 meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Pacific Valuation of Culture Study

Commissioning a Pacific Valuation of Culture Study to assist in the development of a regional cultural strategy. This study will propose a methodology on how to value culture in the Pacific along the four pillars of the Pacific Plan.

Stocktake of gender mainstreaming capacity

Coordinating surveys to measure the capacity of ministries and departments responsible for gender issues and women’s empowerment, and other government counterparts to mainstream gender throughout government. Participating countries include: FSM, Tonga, Cook Islands and Solomon Islands.

Festival of Pacific Arts evaluation

Commissioning an evaluation of the Festival of Pacific Arts to measure its cultural, economic and social impacts on host and participating countries and territories over the past three festivals (hosted by New Caledonia, Palau and American Samoa). The study, funded through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will particularly evaluate the contribution of the festival to safeguarding and promoting intangible cultural heritage.

Women in politics (July–August)

Conducting training on the participation of women in politics for FSM and other North Pacific countries and territories in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

Gender indicators workshops

Running workshops on gender indicators to assist French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna with reporting for the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Research project on gender-based violence and child abuse

The project, which began in August 2007, is being carried out in Kiribati and Solomon Islands. The final results of the studies will be published in 2009. Events on the calendar this year include:

• January — regional Project Advisory Committee meeting to review project progress and outline future directions
• Early 2009 — stakeholder meetings to finalise the reports and discuss next steps
• Mid-2009 — publication of full reports
• Second half 2009 — beginning of dissemination and intervention activities in-country

Community development training

In 2009, the HDP Community Education Training Centre’s (CETC’s) activities include:

• Its annual seven-month community development course — 31 students enrolled from 13 Pacific Island countries and territories;
• Eight in-country training courses in business enterprise skills and two training of trainers sessions to be undertaken in six countries;
• Strengthening its management of business trainers network and providing a more effective delivery system with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC);
• Pursuing arrangements for franchising CETC courses in Tonga and Vanuatu; and
• Conducting an impact assessment of CETC graduates in Vanuatu.