ESCAP/CYP/SPC/UNICEF Regional workshop on Formulating National Youth Policies and Action Plans,10 -15 June, 2009, Honiara, Solomon Islands

EPOC's Development Policy Regional Adviser facilitated the workshop together with officials from UNICEF Pacific office, the Commonwealth Youth Programme, and the Secretariat for the Pacific Community.  Workshop participants learnt the importance of consultation and involvement of stakeholders in developing national policies as well as how to conduct a workshop in their own countries to develop national youth policy objectives and strategies.  A toolkit will be developed following the workshop to provide the necessary resources for national youth officers to organise the preparation of youth policies and their review.

Advisory Mission on Social Development and Social Impact Assessment, 17-23 May 2009, Honiara, Solomon Islands.

EPOC's Social Development and Planning Regional Adviser conducted an assessment of capacity building and technical assistance needs with respect to social development and social impact assessment of the new town development for Doma, Guadalcanal Province in Solomon Islands. It is expected that lessons learned from the Doma project and other initiatives with the project from Asia and Latin America will be presented to a Pacific sub-regional workshop planned for later in 2009.

ESCAP/ILO National Youth Employment Workshop, 6-8 May 2009, Port Vila, Vanuatu

This was the second mission of EPOC with ILO to develop a National Action Plan. EPOC Regional Advisers for Development Planning and Social Development and Planning conducted a workshop on developing a national action plan on youth employment in collaboration with the ILO and Labour Department, Vanuatu. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from a range of government, private sector, union, employer and civil society organisations. Participants focused on identifying priority policy areas, goal, objectives, strategies as well as indicators and targets. The workshop developed and agreed on a draft National Action Plan and agreed that further consultation with other key stakeholders should take place to finalise the plan.

65th Commssion Session, 23-29 April, 2009, Bangkok more

ESCAP/ILO National Youth Employment Workshop, 25-27 March 2009, Tarawa, Kiribati

This was the first mission of EPOC with ILO to develop a National Action Plan. EPOC Regional Advisers for Development Planning and Social Development and Planning facilitated the 3 day workshop which was attended by stakeholder from a range of government, private sector, union, employer and civil society organisations. The workshop developed and agreed on a draft National Action Plan which would be finalised after further consultations with other key stakeholders.

EPOC's Regional Adviser reviews Social Policy Adviser position for Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, March - May 2009, Fiji

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has requested the assistance of EPOC to undertake an evaluation of its Social Policy Adviser position.  The Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat noted that,  "Given the recent restructuring of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as well as the regional institutional framework review and the changing nature of work associated with this position, it is timely for the position to be reviewed .The purpose of the evaluation is twofold:  to assess the degree to which the Social Policy Adviser has been able to impact on the policy direction and priorities of the Forum Secretariat as well as member countries; and to make recommendations for improvements in the work of the Social Policy Adviser." 

ESCAP/ADB/UNDP Pacific MDG Workshop: "Taking Stock, Emerging Issues and Way Forward", 16 - 20 March 2009, Nadi, Fiji.

What are the effects of the current economic crisis on Pacific Island States? How will that impinge on their efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals?....more

Advisory Mission to Palau in collaboration with the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre, 29 January - 6 February 2009, Palau.

The Centre’s Regional Advisor for Development Policy conducted an advisory mission to Palau in collaboration with the Financial Management Advisor from the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre based in Fiji. The mission team met with the Vice President and Minister for Finance for Palau and many of his officials. Possible capacity building activities were identified in the planning and budgeting areas and in the monitoring of policy implementation. The Government of Palau is currently negotiating a successor to its Compact agreement with the United States.

Followup Mission to Samoa on Disability Consultations and Draft Community Sector Plan, 2 - 8 December 2008, Apia, Samoa.

The Centre's Regional Adviser for Social Development and Planning provided technical assistance for the final stages of developing a national disability policy for Samoa and also facilitated a final disability policy review workshop with National Disability Taskforce.

Pacific Governance Network, 1 December 2008, Suva, Fiji.

The Pacific Operations Centre Economic Affairs officer and two regional advisers attended part of a University of the South Pacific (School of Governance and Development Studies) and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat "Pacific Governance Network" meeting, 1 December 2008. The network was established in 2007 as a "type II umbrella iniative" to link the work of interested agencies in diverse regions of the world across a range of critical sectoral challenges. Strengthening regional cooperation and capacity development around sustainable development and governance is articulated in the "Pacific Plan" as a priority area.

The Regional Adviser for Social Development and Planning and the ESCAP Pacific Operations Centre based UN-Habitat Programme Manager made a joint presentation on the Pacific Urban Agenda and the "Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance."

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Meeting for Government Focal Points for Disability in Forum Island Countries, 24- 26 November 2008, Nadi, Fiji.

EPOC's Regional Adviser for Social Development and Planning conducted an information session on the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific at the above Pacific Islands Forum meeting and both EPOC Regional Advisers provided a half day capacity development session on policy development and national planning processes. Meeting Report, Disability Policy Making, Draft Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability.

ESCAP/ILO Workshop on Paving the Way for National Action Plans, 17 - 21 November 2008, Nadi, Fiji.

EPOC's two Regional Advisers conducted a capacity building session at the training workshop to improve understanding among the participants about integrating national action plans on youth employment into national policies. The workshop participants were Government offiicials, worker and employer representatives, and youth group representatives from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and Kiribati. The workshop is a first step in assisting countries to develop national action plans for youth employment. Next steps were identified by countries and assistance will be provided early next year for some countries to map existing youth employment activities and organise a national workshop to develop their national action plans. Meeting Report, Integrating Youth Action Plans into National Policies, Presentation, Agenda