Program Area 1: Reducing the prevalence of violence and HIV/AIDS amongst Pacific women.

National research conducted in the pacific island countries confirms high levels of gender-based violence.In most countries this includes habitual violence within the family, and there is increasing evidence of opportunistic violence and sexual assault during times of war,conflict and natural disasters.

HIV infection is a growing problem in the Pacific and is transmitted mainly through heterosexual intercourse.There is an urgent need to address the ways violence against women increases their vulnerability to HIV infection and hardship and suffering when living with HIV.

UNIFEM will support organisations working on violence agaist women to be more effective in HIV prevention and care.Likewise, organisations working on HIV and AIDS will be sensitized to understand how violence against women and girls contributes to HIV infection and makes living with HIV/AIDS harder for women.

UNIFEM Pacific provides additional support for organisations that wish to apply to the Trust Fund and will explore the options for a Regional Trust Fund or support facility. Local and national efforts to end violence against women will benefit from a focus on institutional strengthening and understanding of the resources required and sustaining and expanding their work.

UNIFEM is working with other UN Agencies and NGO partners to expore innovative new ways to understand the significance of Gender in HIV/AIDS programmes, from a social, cultural, political, economic and spiritual perspective.

UNIFEM coordinates the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women.Over the past 10 years the Trust Fund has supported innovative intiatives at community level and has that lessons learned can be disseminated to strengthen global efforts to eliminate violence.To date, 5 Pacific organisations have benefited fromthis fund. (FWCC, YWCA and WAC in Fiji, Samoa AIDS Foundation and IWDA working in PNG.

The Trust Fund supports:
Domestic legislation and national policies and plans of action to end violence against women.
Increasing understanding of the link between violence against women and HIV/AIDS and effective programming to address it.

Program Area 2: Enhancing Women’s Economic Security and Rights:

Women’s economic security and rights is fundamental to their enjoyment of basic rights, meeting of basic needs and their freedom from violence and are in reducing the risks of HIV infection.
A better understanding of globalizations, national economic and foreign investment policies, budgets and trade is needed to protect the livelihoods of women. UNIFEM’s pilot programs have sensitized governments and civil society organisations on the social impact fo trade agreements.

UNIFEM will continue to assists women’s organistions and governments to enable women to achieve secure and sustainable livelihoods and employment.This is central to the achievement of national development goals, the Millennium Development Goals and gender equality commitments.

UNIFEM will place a new emphasis on programmes that ensure structural change to support rural women’s economic empowerment, through education and training, transport and marketing support for fresh produce and the exploration of e-marketing opportunities for unique products created by women of the Pacific region.
UNIFEM will partner with donors in pilot projects for women to plan, manage new or renovated markets and add value for sellers and buyers.

Program Area 3: Governance, Peace and Security

UNIFEM in the Pacific is working towards advancing UN SC 1325 : and reaffirming the ‘important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace building’.

Current activites include:
A joint-study - investigate to what extent National Women’s Machineries and other women-led organisations in PNG, Solomon Islands, and Tonga have implemented gender perspectives in their programs’
The joint-study will strengthen UNIFEM ability to support institutional building of women’s organisations.
Consultation workshop with organisations from PNG and Solomon Islands; explore possobilities for a new program.

Program Area 4: Advancing Gender Equality in Political Governance

Programme Objectives:

To increase political participation by women as active citizens and leaders

Targeted Outcomes

• More women understand their rights and responsibilties and are active as citizens and leaders to promote democratic governance

• Pacific women supported to stand for elections and to effectively perform roles and responsibilites of political offices

• Incresased support for women’s leadership and participation in government by broad constituencies

• An increase in women-friendly and gender sensitive government structures, operations and procedures

Supporting Government Action on Gender Equality

• Working with Governments to strengthen National Women’s Machinery, policies and National Plans of Action for achieving Gender Equality across all sectors of development

• Mobilising technical support, training and information resources from the Pacific and other parts of the world

• UNIFEM support enables governments to develope policy and programme frameworks that are aligned witht the implementation of the MDG’s, CEDAW, the Beijing and Pacific Platforms of Action

• UNIFEM is committed to working collaboratively with other UN Agencies, regional development organisations and institutions to provide comprehensive and quality support to Governments

(More information on the programmes will be available shortly)