Lisa Horiwapu reflects on the Pacific Regional MDG Tracking Report which was produced under the 2009 Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific was presented by the Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum: Feleti Teo of the Pacific Islands Forum presented the tracking report on the MDGs in the Pacific. According to the overview it is an annual activity by the Forum to keep track of all the MDGs and their progress. This report was presented to the forum leaders at their annual meeting held recently He said the 2013 tracking report has the theme Gender equality – therefore it is timely to also present at the Triennial and that the report has a dedicated chapter on the gender analysis. The report highlights that in terms of gender parity in education, most of the 14 member countries of the Pacific Islands countries are on track to achieving those except Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. However, he also noted that there are emerging concerns in the report over the attendance and performance of boys particularly in the high schools. The report showed that only Cook Islands, Niue and Palau are on track to achieving the MDGs but there is a slow progress achieving gender equality. The report also noted that the even with women attaining the highest level of education this is not is not leading to better employment because of negative gendered stereotypes. In response to the high prevalence of domestic violence Solomon Islands has put in place the Elimination of Violence policy and work is underway to compete the drafting of the Family Protection Bill and I am now certain that with the support of the many declarations made especially the Forum Leaders declaration on gender equality, we will certainly have the support from PIFS and SPC and the development partners to help push our government achieve these. It won’t be soon but I think it will get there. All in all the MDGs are our guidelines to supporting and uplifting the status of our women
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:17:41 +0000
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