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SPC welcomes Nauru’s domestic Violence and Family Protection Bill

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 11/05/2017 - 11:52
Publish Published
2017
English

The Domestic violence and Family Protection Bill, recently passed by the Nauru Parliament, will provide enforceable court orders to protect people who experience family violence.
The Family Health and Support Study on violence against women in Nauru in 2014 revealed 48% of women in intimate partner relationships have experienced physical and or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.

The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Regional Rights Resources Team (RRRT) welcomed the passage of this Bill on 27 April and will now focus on supporting the implementation of the new law.
“Congratulations to the Nauru Parliament on the passage of its Domestic Violence and Family Protection Bill. This is a great achievement for the people of Nauru and we are looking forward to sharing good practices on the implementation of the new Acts by Solomon Islands and  Nauru,” RRRT Board member and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children & Family Affairs in Solomon Islands, Ethel Sigimanu, said.

“On behalf of the people of Nauru, I sincerely thank all those, who have been instrumental in the success of Nauru’s Domestic Violence and Family Protection Act.  This has happened with the dedication and assistance of our Regional Partners, notably SPC’s RRRT, whose dedication to the realization of the Act has been as real and as constant as our own determination and I want to thank our Government, who has been a key stakeholder in helping our women to achieve this milestone in ensuring that our laws not only protect and safeguard us but also educates and trains us all as a nation to become better parents, partners, and most of all to become better individuals,” Nauru’s Minister for Home Affairs, Honorable Charmaine Scotty said.

Upon the request of the Nauru Government, RRRT provided technical assistance in the drafting of the domestic violence bill, conducting consultations with judges, magistrates, lawyers, leaders, police, health, education and community liaison officers that had specific roles within in the Bill.
The purpose of the consultations were to raise awareness of the contents of the draft bill, capture opinions of all stakeholders, and integrate consultation feedback into the draft document.
Lessons from the implementation of domestic violence laws in the Pacific and internationally were also considered in the drafting of the Bill.
RRRT acknowledges the generous support of the Government of Australia and the European Union in providing financial support for the organisation of the consultations involved.

Alongside Nauru, Fiji, Kosrae State in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu have all passed Family Protection legislation.

Media contact:

Onorina Saukelo, RRRT Communications Assistant, [email protected] or +679 330 5582

Useful link:

SPC Regional Rights Resource Team

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Nauru submits first report to the UN committee on the Rights of the Child

Submitted by Admin on Tue, 03/11/2015 - 18:32
Publish Published
2015
English

Photo credit: Marie Bourrel

UNICEF Pacific welcomes The Government of the Republic of Nauru’s first report submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child on 27 October 2015.

The Government of Nauru reports to the Committee as part of its obligations as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ratified by the Government in 1994.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child that came into force in November 1990, is an international treaty that recognises the human rights of children, defined as persons up to the age of 18 years. The Convention establishes in international law that States Parties must ensure that all children - without discrimination in any form - benefit from special protection measures and assistance; have access to services such as education and healthcare; can develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential; grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding; and are informed about and participate in, achieving their rights in an accessible and active manner.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. It changed the way children are viewed and treated – i.e. as human beings with a distinct set of rights instead of as passive objects of care and charity.

The CRC reporting process is intended as a tool to support measures including legislative and policy development, and implementation resulting in the protection, promotion and fulfilment of all children’s rights. UNICEF, as mandated under the CRC, will continue to support the Government to focus on the rights and needs of children, while working to support further implementation of the CRC.

The next step for the Government of Nauru is a direct dialogue with the Committee on the Rights of Child in Geneva, involving additional inputs from civil society, NGOs and other UN agencies.

-  ENDS -

About UNICEF:  

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicefpacific.org(link is external)

For more information, please contact:      Laura Gibbons, UNICEF on (679) 800 8383 or [email protected]

http://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/1852_24829.html(link is external)

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Call for applications - Regional Youth and CSO Dialogue 23-27 June 2014

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 22/05/2014 - 15:54
Publish Published
2014
English

A coalition of regional partners, including the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC RRRT), UNDP Pacific Centre, Pacific Youth Council and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) will be convening a Youth and civil society dialogue to be held from the 23-27th of June in Nadi, Fiji.

SPC RRRT is pleased to invite one representative from Civil Society and one youth representative from each of the following Pacific Island Countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu

Download the conference announcement below for further details and the application form if you are interested to represent your country. Email us your completed form as soon as possible.

SPC_meeting_announcement_Regional_Youth_and_CSO_Dialogue_1.pdf

Human rights reporting, a tool for development in the region

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 06/03/2014 - 09:11
Publish Published
2014
English

The SmalI Island States Officers representing Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands (front row, right to left) in Suva last week discussing their human rights responsibilities

Monday 3 March 2014, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) – Suva, Fiji.

A human rights training workshop for Small Island States Officers (SIS)/Human Rights Officers (HROs) of Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, and Marshall Islands last week highlighted the added value of treaty reporting by the governments of the region.

The role of SIS/HRO includes representing the country in the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Small Island States group and acting as human rights focal point under a funding agreement with the European Union.

‘Many Pacific Island countries find the human rights reporting obligations overwhelming, but through the reporting processes such as the Universal Periodic Review and treaty reporting, human rights issues are brought to the attention of governments. In addition, positive developments and challenges are discussed and dialogue with civil society, the international community and the wider public is enhanced, resulting in prioritisation of action to address the crucial human rights issues on the ground,’ said Romulo Nayacalevu, Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC RRRT) Senior Trainer, discussing the Universal Periodic Review process.

Mr Nayacalevu added that human rights reporting also provides the opportunity to share best practice among states and support cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights, which makes it a great tool for development.

The weeklong workshop jointly facilitated by SPC RRRT, PIFS and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and partners UN Women and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) introduces the HROs to human rights concepts, human rights systems at the national, regional and international level and their role in building national human rights coordination systems to support national human rights reporting. Two key outputs of the training were the development of common core documents to assist in harmonising reporting obligations and developing terms of references to assist Pacific governments in the creation of National Human Rights Coordination Committees to coordinate treaty reporting at the national level. The HRO’s were also trained on how to assist their governments on the implementation of human rights obligations arising from the country’s ratified human rights treaties.

Holly Yamada, SIS and HRO for Palau, was grateful for the opportunity to attend her first ever human rights training workshop:

‘Given my added-on responsibilities in human rights, the training this week has been useful in enhancing my knowledge in this area and allowing me to view the world through a human rights lens. I look forward to going back to my country and supporting the government in its UPR report due next year and the CRPD and CRC reports that are long overdue,’ Ms Yamada said, referring to the country’s obligations to report under Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

David Teaabo, SIS and HRO for Kiribati, is empowered to support the strengthening of existing national human rights committees in Kiribati to ensure availability of key information from relevant government ministries and civil society for national reporting purposes:

‘Availability of accurate information through human rights reports is important to guide the design and effective implementation of interventions such as projects and programmes to address the priority needs of the countries,’ Mr Teaabo said.

Last week’s training was made possible through funding support provided under the European Union–PIFS Human Rights Project 2012–2015. On 20 February 2012 the European Union and PIFS signed a contribution agreement with a value of 1 million Euros to support Pacific Island countries in their ratification and implementation of international human rights treaties and the Rome Statute. SPC RRRT is an implementing partner of this project.

The PIFS Small Island States group includes Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected].

Expert calls for domestic violence laws in the Pacific to be gender specific

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 10/06/2013 - 09:26
Publish Published
2013
English

Monday 10 June 2013, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji –

A four-day regional consultation on violence against women legislation in the Pacific, organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resources Team (SPC RRRT), is currently underway this week in Nadi, Fiji.

In her remarks at the opening ceremony of the consultation, guest speaker Shamina Ali, Coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, called for gender specific domestic violence laws in the Pacific as a vital way forward in addressing discrimination against women in the region.

‘The use of gender neutral laws in addressing domestic violence ignores the reality of the nature of domestic violence, and is ineffective in the context of a patriarchal society. It is well established that cultural norms and societal values in Fiji and the Pacific are predominantly patriarchal, and that women’s access to justice is restricted,’ Ms Ali said.

A good example of gender specific domestic violence law, Ms Ali added, is India’s Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005. The act guarantees a women’s right to reside in the matrimonial or shared household, irrespective of whether she has any title or rights in the property.

Other presentations during the opening ceremony reaffirmed the findings of national surveys showing the high prevalence of violence against women in the Pacific. The recent research shows rates of 68% in Kiribati, 60% in Vanuatu, 64% in Solomon Islands, 46% in Samoa and 61% in Fiji.

Participants were also reminded that legislation is only one aspect of the work needed to address violence against women; it is equally important to ensure resources are available for the implementation of the laws and to monitor progress.

Activities on the agenda for this week’s consultation include reviewing legislation to address violence against women in the region and lessons learnt from national committees and consultations, sharing lessons on law reform strategies undertaken in countries and developing plans to progress legislative law reform in the Pacific.

This consultation is the 5th organised since 2009 and is part of SPC RRRT’s programme to develop and support comprehensive integrated legislation that addresses all forms of violence against women. The aim is to build capacity at the national level to advocate for improved legislation through the development of appropriate policy papers and comprehensive legislative reviews encompassing all aspects of legislative change that affect women suffering from violence.

The consultation this week is being attended by government and civil society stakeholders including legal drafters from Cook Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. This consultation and work to support legislative change in addressing violence against women is supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected].

Pacific judges and magistrates consultation focuses on human rights issues in the region

Submitted by Admin on Wed, 05/06/2013 - 09:34
Publish Published
2013
English

Wednesday 5 June 2013, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji –

A three-day regional consultation for judges and senior magistrates from across the Pacific, organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resources Team (SPC RRRT), took place this week in Brisbane, Australia.

The consultation focused on judicial independence, rule of law, and human rights issues in the contemporary Pacific context. They included sexual- and gender-based violence, disability inclusiveness and impacts of the Convention of the Rights of the Child on adoption.

The consultation serves as a forum for judges and magistrates from the Pacific region to share their professional experiences, with the aim of expanding their knowledge of human rights issues and best practices in the region.

The keynote address at the opening ceremony on Monday was delivered by Justice Logan of the Federal Court of Australia. The Pacific judges and magistrates were later hosted to a cocktail reception by the Chief Justice of Queensland, the Honourable Paul de Jersey, and judges of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The consultation was attended by judges and magistrates from Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.

SPC RRRT has supported the work of regional judges and magistrates for over a decade, mainly focusing on the promotion and application of international human rights treaties and universal standards in Pacific courts. This work supports state obligations derived through the ratification of international human rights treaties and the application and domestication of international human rights standards in Pacific courts.

The regional consultation this week is generously supported by AusAID.

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected]

Pacific human rights trainers trained to higher standards

Submitted by Admin on Tue, 12/02/2013 - 11:38
Publish Published
2013
English

Tuesday 12 February 2013, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji –

Fifteen human rights trainers from the Pacific region have graduated with greater capacity in imparting knowledge and skills through professional training after an intensive two week training course conducted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC-RRRT) in Suva, Fiji.

The training of trainers (ToT) course, facilitated by Trevor Kliese from Training Australia Unlimited, was an empowering experience, as the trainers increased their training skills in line with international standards. The ToT programme will assist not only trainers, but all others working in the area of capacity building, where the transfer of knowledge, skills and information is critical. This training was unique in that the skills component was complemented by the use of human rights topics.

The RRRT trainers who graduated from the course provide human rights training for government departments and civil society organisations throughout the Pacific region. This ToT training provides graduates with enhanced skills and techniques, leading to improved services and outcomes in SPC member countries.

'I now have a better perspective on how to conduct this training and I feel better equipped than before to perform as a Senior Trainer,' said Lionel Aingimea, SPC-RRRT's Senior Legal Trainer.

Matakina Simii, a disability advocate in Tuvalu, is optimistic that she will put the knowledge she acquired from the ToT training to good use. One of her first priorities when she returns home will be to advocate through her training for the ratification of the Convention for the Rights of People with Disability, so that more children with disability can access education.

Commenting on the course, RRRT Country Focal Officer in Kiribati, Amberoti Nikora, who was previously a Member of Parliament in Kiribati, said he would have done better as a human rights advocate in Parliament if he had received this training during his time as MP.

'However, with the knowledge acquired from the training, I am in a strong position still and empowered to conduct training and work with MPs to support human rights in my country,' Nikora said.

Lepolo Taunila, RRRT Country Focal Officer in Tonga and a former Tongan Member of Parliament, expressed a similar sentiment, saying that the training has taught her the importance of good training preparation, sourcing the right facts to support her training and understanding adult learning principles in order to tailor training to meet the needs of her learners.

'It has been a very helpful training for me and I look forward to going back as a more effective trainer. As soon as I get back, I will be working on a training request from the government and another from the NGO sector and this ToT training has just prepared me well to take them on without hesitation,' She added.

As part of the training, the recipients discussed contemporary human rights issues affecting Pacific Island nations, including violence against women, children's rights to education and health services, refugee rights, corruption and media freedom.

The ToT course was conducted from January 28 to February 8 and included participants from Fiji, Nauru, Tuvalu, Tonga, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia. The training was generously supported by AusAID.

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC-RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected]

The Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) is a programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and provides training, technical support, and policy and advocacy services tailored specifically for the Pacific region. Based in Suva, Fiji, RRRT has programmes across the Pacific Islands, with partners including governments, regional and civil society organisations

Visit the SPC website: www.spc.int

Violence against women costs money

Submitted by Admin on Tue, 15/12/2009 - 18:28
Publish Published
2009
English

Press Release – 15 December 2009

'Violence against women costs the Australian economy close to $8.1 billion per year,' said Queensland's Attorney General Hon.

Cameron Dick MP at the opening of an annual consultation with regional members of parliament in Brisbane, Australia held by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community's Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC / RRRT).

'In Fiji, the Governor of the Reserve Bank estimated in 2004 that the direct costs of domestic violence was about $300 million a year, which was about 7% of GDP,' said Dick.

Twenty-five MPs from Tonga, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Tuvalu, Nauru and Kiribati attended this year's event, which focused on violence against women legislation.

The Attorney General stated that he was 'pleased that so many fellow parliamentarians from the Pacific Island countries have shown their commitment to improving the lives of Pacific people.' He made the comments in light of the recent data revealing extremely high prevalence rates of violence against women in the Pacific.

Both Kiribati and Solomon Islands were amongst the countries with the highest rates in a 17-country study by the World Health Organisation. In this study, only Ethiopia and Peru surpassed Kiribati and Solomon Islands in prevalence rates. PNG, Fiji Islands and Samoa have also been shown to have high prevalence rates in other studies.

In a conference room packed with members of parliament from nine Pacific countries, Queensland's Attorney General quoted the recent Cairns Communiqué in which Forum Leaders addressed the issue of sexual and gender-based violence and called for a range of measures to address it, including legal measures.

The Hon. Cameron Dick reiterated the stance taken by the Forum leaders by acknowledging that sexual and gender-based violence 'is now widely recognised as a risk to human security and a potential destabilising factor for communities and societies alike.'

The acknowledgment from Forum leaders is 'most welcome', he said because violence against women is a serious global problem that affects every country.

In 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution calling on all member states and the United Nations system to intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. Such violence has compounding human rights implications; causing trauma to women, families and communities. Sexual and gender-based violence is both a symptom and a cause of gender inequality and discrimination.

The Minister of Justice from the Republic of Nauru, Hon. Matthew Batsiua, stated

'it is necessary for regional leaders to consult on issues of violence, especially when it is perpetrated against vulnerable people like women and children because the statistics do show that it is a prevalent problem with damaging consequences.'

The Hon. Cameron Dick once served as the Attorney General of Tuvalu and was quite proud of that fact. He jokingly said that

'Tuvalu recognised talent when it saw it.'

He also said that he was proud that Tuvalu was 'mixing it with the big guns in Copenhagen.' The consultation in Brisbane will also discuss human rights implications of climate change.

The members of parliament have a week to look at human rights issues, including violence against women and HIV legislation, the new compulsory Universal Periodic Review process and the potential of a regional human rights mechanism to serve the needs of Pacific Island governments and peoples.

The consultation is funded and supported by SPC / RRRT, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid), the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Pacific Islands HIV and STI Response Fund.

The Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) is a programme under the Social Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. For more information regarding this event, please contact Gwen Philips at [email protected] or Imrana Jalal at [email protected].

Nauru MPs commit to ratifying CEDAW

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 07/12/2009 - 18:36
Publish Published
2009
English

Monday 7 December 2009, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Suva Regional Office, Fiji

'CEDAW enables the full and complete development of a country through maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields,' said the President of Nauru, the Hon. Marcus Stephen, at the opening of a two-day information and dialogue session for Nauru parliamentarians on CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women).

Nauru is one of only three Pacific Island countries that have not ratified CEDAW, but by the end of the dialogue the MPs had re-affirmed the government's commitment to ratifying the convention within a set timeframe.

Meeting in Nauru on November 30 and December 1, the parliamentarians, assisted by staff from the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (RRRT), assessed the advantages and challenges for Nauru of ratifying CEDAW. The government has already identified ratification as an element of the Women and Development priority area in the National Strategic Development Plan. During the dialogue, MPs considered in detail how the CEDAW process could assist in indentifying and addressing current gaps in national laws and policy relating to violence against women, women's reproductive health rights and political participation by women.

They also recognised that ratifying CEDAW will pose some challenges for the small island nation, particularly given the lack of resources and technical capacity to meet the associated implementation and reporting requirements. For example, the Minister for Justice, Health and Sports, Hon. Mathew Batsiua MP, said the cost of sending a delegation to Geneva to report on Nauru's progress in implementing CEDAW would be as much as the cost of running Nauru's Able-Disable Centre. He recommended that a special sitting of the CEDAW committee be held in the Pacific to enable most Pacific Islands to report in a timely manner.

MPs acknowledged RRRT's technical support and looked forward to continuous partnership with key regional organisations and donor agencies in advancing gender equality through ratification of CEDAW in Nauru.

For more information, please contact Lionel Aingemea (email: [email protected]) or Sandra Bernklau, RRRT/SPC Programme Manager (Tel. +679 3305582 or email: [email protected]).

Background: The Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT), which is a programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, works with partners in eight focus countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) to offer training and expert advice on the development of human rights advocacy, lobbying, mobilisation strategies and the drafting of national human rights legislation. The team provides human rights training, technical support, and policy and advocacy services tailored specifically for the Pacific region. Its mission is 'to seek a Pacific region that is respected for the quality of its governance, the sustainable management of its resources, the full observance of democratic values and for its defence and promotion of human rights'.

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