EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Early in March this year, UNDP and the government of Fiji formed a formulation team to prepare the Fiji component for the UNDP Pacific Regional Equitable and Sustainable Human Development Programme. The three-member team conducted individual consultations with more than 50 persons from agencies, NGOs and community groups involved with programmes for disadvantaged communities and groups in Fiji. The team sought suggestions on activities which could be undertaken in the country based on the programme’s four-fold concern:
a) reduction of disparities between population groups with special attention to disparities arising because of gender, age or geographic location;
b) enhanced efficiency in the management of social development;
c) enhanced community participation in development;
d) enhanced sustainability in development with respect to environment, culture, resource management, and institutional capacity building.
Based on these consultations, a paper was presented for discussion in a seminar on equitable and sustainable human development held in Suva on 10 May with the understanding that the consensus on the programme strategy and the key activities to be implemented in Fiji. A total of 38 participants from key ministries and NGO coordinating councils and networks attended the seminar and ESHDP consultative meeting. (See Annexes A and B for Participant’s and Agenda, respectively).
B. HIGHLIGHTS
OF DISCUSSION
On account of Fiji’s human development situation,
specific programme needs and strengths (see Discussion Paper), as well
as the level of UNDP funding currently available, the ESHDP Formulation Team
proposed that the programme assume a catalytic role and implement the following
proposed strategy:
· assisting government promote and manage more effectively intersectional and government-NGO-community collaboration in carrying out poverty-focused programmes
through:
fuller integration of human development concerns and approaches in development planning and implementation.
The participants endorsed the strategy and the identified key activities arising from the previous individual consultations with government agencies and NGOs. Additional activities, as well as specific areas of concern for each activity, were also suggested or highlighted during the discussion.
1.
Review existing policies, plans, programmes and projects
from a human development perspective and recommend measures to further
strengthen the advocacy for people-centered development.
Facilitative activities required:
· An in-depth study of poverty, providing more qualitative and quantitative description of economically and socially disadvantaged groups in Fiji. It should employ diverse tools from the various disciplines, including validated participatory methodologies; use the latest household income survey; and involve NGOs and other institutions working with specific grips in local communities.
· Collection and analysis of data related to human development indicators, e.g. health. It was pointed out that the Bureau of Statistics seemed not to have any mandate to collect and analyze poverty-related data.
· A review of sectoral policies, plans programmes and projects with the aim of eventually integrating gender issues/concerns in sectoral planning. An indirect benefit would be the identification of women in development indicators that could be used as a means of measuring the improvements in the status of women.
· More clarification needed on how to compute/use HDI to rate overall country performance. Conduct of advocacy seminars on human development concerns.
2.
Provide technical assistance to subnational government
agencies and NGOs so they can work more effectively with local communities and
existing structures/leadership and thus ensure greater pertinence and
sustainability of programmes and projects.
· The programme will concentrate resources in one province for the training of district-level government and NGO functionaries on various participatory approaches/methodologies in working with local communities, indigenous institutions and other community structures.
· These training activities will be community-focused, to be done in specific localities, and will provide participants with real-life cases to work on and draw insights, lessons, development opportunities, etc. which could be vital to their own learning experience, and should also contribute eventually to local-level development.
· All training and programme activities undertaken in the province will seek to further strengthen subnational and community structures.
· The institutional framework at subnational level which has been in place since Independence is supposed to provide a forum for discussing people’s aspirations in relation to government’s plans and programmes. In reality, there are two distinct structures at subnational level: the traditional structure, which is based on the mataqali and yavusa system, and the relatively recent democratic committees where practically all sectors, including youth and women, are represented. A review of this institutional set-up is needed so as to bring about greater involvement of individual households in overall development efforts.
· There has been lack of coordination of the various sectoral agencies in pursuing activities related to development planning and implementation. The result is that people suffer, burdened as they are by tasks made in response to expectations of their vanua, church and government. Planning from below or area-based planning will help ease the burden through articulation of local needs by the people themselves.
· It was noted that while women are represented at village and tikina levels, it is not the case at provincial and district levels. It was observed, however, that representation in traditional bodies by women’s interests unless the use these for a to articulate their needs.
· A suggestion was made that training involving women should be geared towards amore entrepreneurial approach and must help integrate women in decision-making. Since there is government emphasis on strengthening women’s advocacy role, training on mobilization is of high priority. Production of training manuals to enable women to mobilize resources effectively was endorsed.
· Development of training modules to enable women to better represent women’s interests in the various tikinas and village committees was likewise endorsed. There was also the suggestion to train women in income generating activities.
· It was pointed out that rural women, with emphasis on family-related decision-making, e.g. sanitation, food production and nutrition, etc., are more practical than their urban counterparts, who tend to stress Western-influenced issues, such as women’s rights, liberties, etc.
· It was noted that women’s role in development has not been given due recognition by government. The topic was dealt with by two sentences in the 7th Development Plan and by a single paragraph in DP8.
· On the youth, the proposal to provide management training to youth groups which have received cash grants and other support for business projects, as well as the production of manuals for trainers, was endorsed.
· Local structures will be identified which can be used by disadvantaged non-Fijians outside a specific vanua to articulate their needs and be assisted by relevant government agencies and NGOs.
3.
Support the planned assessment of procedures and
methodologies of existing programmes and projects designed for the poor and the
disadvantaged primarily to enhance community participation and ensure
cost-effective service delivery to most needy households, groups and
households.
· Assessment of the Poverty Alleviation Fund (existing project submission and approval procedures, forms impact to improving the situation of disadvantaged communities and groups, etc.) to allow greater participation and responsibility on the part of subnational/district bodies and local communities.
· Assessment of the Family Assistance Scheme, which now covers more than 7,000 households, to determine effectiveness and to recommend measures to make the scheme also a tool for promoting productivity and eventual self-reliance among the destitute.
· It was noted that NGOs play a complementary role in the provision of social services and as such should be directly assisted to further strengthen their capacity to deliver services to disadvantaged groups. An official policy on the role of NGOs was proposed to be formulated similar to the policy recognition given the private sector as the essential driving force for the economy.
· More effective ways to deliver development benefits to rural villages will have to be identified.
· The entrepreneurial spirit and skills at community level need to be further developed in support of Fijians in business.
· Working mostly with cooperatives and local communities, a panelist summed up his 30-year experience in all the divisions to draw lessons for ESHDP formulation.
His experience with a number of unsuccessful projects, ranging from bus operations, wholesale trading, shipping and transport operations, marketing of agricultural produce and handicraft, fishing projects, etc. showed that in each project which failed, the local people were not consulted nor involved.
He said the cost of a failed project goes beyond money: “It creates resentment and strains the bond of loyalty amongst the community.”
To prevent or lessen the number of failed projects, it is important that sectoral planning, as undertaken by individual ministries, be combined with a method which will draw people’s aspirations and their real needs.
The increasing number of school leavers and the demand for more and better health and sanitation facilities indicate that the sectoral ministries alone will not be able to cope with current development problems at the community level. Partnership with the people is a must to ensure the success of projects.
· The role of the people in decision-making was endorsed by the education sector, with the qualification that ideas drawn from them should be ploughed back to local communities to enrich development planning and implementation. FANFE offered its network of NGOs in the sector to help achieve programme objectives, in a variety or roles, from training to assisting project clients fill forms or write letters.
4.
Encourage and support continuing dialogues among
policymakers, planners, project implementors and donors to a) thresh out
issues, discuss policy recommendations and overall support for programmes and
projects targeting disadvantaged communities and groups; and b) assess
programme and project experiences jointly so as to elicit prompt and pertinent
support to needs identified at various levels.
Possible activities/topics for future dialogues:
· Conduct of in-depth study to determine the impact of women’s employment (as in PAFCO, Levuka) to the performance of other developmental roles by women.
· Focus on the role of women in the light of dynamic social changes.
· Special program on disability, taking into account that 1992 – 2002 has been declared Decade of Disabled Persons.
· Provision of and reinstatement of small grant schemes to community-based organizations or CBOs by development partners.
· Representation of women at provincial/district advisory councils.
· Full mobilization of NGO expertise and resources, e.g. FANFE, FCOSS, Fiji National Council of Women, Soqosoqo Vakamarama, Women’s Crisis Center, Fiji National Youth Council, etc.
· More government support for the work of FCOSS.
· Focus on the role of education and the social system in the pursuit of human development goals.
· Rural or urban bias of general decision making as exercised by members of provincial councils.
· Land-related issues as they affect aspirations related to equitable and sustainable development.
· User-pay approach to the provision of basic needs. It was noted that this emerging trend will limit the access of rural people to services.
· Focus on the sustainability of projects at village level. It was pointed out that projects should suit the level of understanding of the village people so that they can continue the activities after the project life. Projects evolved through ESHDP need technical support from the NGOs and the people.
5.
Identify potential areas requiring programme or project
formulation/technical assistance work related to equitable and sustainable
human development.
· Identification/development of human development indicators.
· Developing a training module to impart development management skills for members of the town councils to enable them to assist in the delivery of relevant services to local communities.
· How to “humanize develoment by including specific target groups, e.g. the disabled, or to consider seriously the needs identified at the grassroots and not to marginalize or eliminate them totally by some centrally-oriented planning methodologies. The search for a people-based planning methodology represents an effort “to consider the unconsidered” and not to waste time “spearing at the moon,” reaching vainly to abstract heights, an act of futility.
· How to conduct participatory research. It was pointed out that conventional research methodologies are inadequate to capture the reality of poverty. New methodologies involving people and the poor themselves should be tried out in conducting the proposed poverty study in Fiji.
C. ESHDP
ACTION
1. ESHDP will provide technical assistance ad funding support to catalytic activities at national level which are identified as critical to policy formulation and programme implementation, as well as to those activities related to the testing and validation of participatory approaches in working with disadvantaged communities and groups at subnational level.
All these activities will be undertaken in partnership government agencies and NGOs, target communities, develoment partners, including regional organizations.
Activities to replicate validated approaches and methodologies and projects outside the initial project area will be funded by government and other donor agencies.
National Level
Activities designed to
facilitate policy formulation and programme implementation.
· Conduct of in-depth poverty study.
· Assessment of poverty-focused programmes, i.e. Poverty Alleviation Fund, Family Assistance Scheme.
· Systematic collection and analysis of human development indicators. To be undertaken with SIAP.
· Technical assistance on integrating human development concerns, including gender concerns, in sectoral policies, plans and programmes. To be undertaken with UNIFEM.
· Conduct of advocacy seminars and dialogues on human develoment.
Subnational Level
Activities designed to
strengthen human development focus in provincial and local-level develoment
planning and implementation.
· Preparation of provincial human development profiles and plans.
· Review/assessment of local-level structures, their relative effectively for service delivery and for generating community participation.
· Identification and mobilization of specific disadvantaged communities and groups which should be brought to the pursuit of human development goals.
· Technical assistances on participatory methodologies in reaching disadvantaged communities and groups.
· Development/validation of training modules for the use of women and youth leaders, groups and members.
· Technical assistance on the replication of participatory methodologies/training modules to other provinces.
· Development of training module on management skills for town councils for effective service delivery to disadvantaged communities and groups.
2. The ESHDP Formulation Team will present the detailed work programme on the foregoing activities to representatives of key ministries and donor agencies.
The Team will also look into complementary areas of need identified during the consultative meeting and negotiate with potential donors, bilateral agencies and regional organizations for possible funding arrangements to implement activities addressing these programme needs:
· Replication of validated approaches, methodologies and projects to provinces outside the initial project area.
· Provision of cash grants for the income-generating activities of community-based organizations.
· Representation of women at provincial/district levels.
· Additional training activities for women, e.g. specific skills for income generating projects.
· Research on the impact of women’s employment on their other develoment roles, etc. (PAFCO case).
· Direct assistance to FCOSS, NGOs for specific projects involving disadvantaged communities and groups.
· Direct assistance to projects identified by local communities and groups which have undergone participatory profiling and development planning.
· Specific support to projects involving the disabled.
· Assessment of land issues, user-pay policy, education and social system, etc. on the pursuit of human development goals.
· Assessment of entrepreneurial skills/activities at community level which can be further enhanced to support Fijians in business objectives.
ANNEX A
UNDP – Government of
Fiji Seminar on
EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
HUMAN DEVELOMENT
10 May 1993
Banyan Room, Suva Travelodge
Suva, Fiji
PARTICIPANTS
Central Planning Office
1. Dr. Patrick Spread
Director
2. Isireli Koyamaibole
Chief Economic Planning Officer
Ministry of Fijian
Affairs and Regional Development
3. Josefa Ratuvuka
Deputy Secretary
4. Varea Sakenasa
Principal Assistant Secretary for Regional Develoment
5. Manu Turagava
Eastern Division Planning Officer
6. Poasa Ravea
Commissioner, Central/Eastern
7. Fred Sasau
District Officer, Eastern Division
Ministry of Youth,
Employment Opportunities and Sports
8. Dr. Ahmed Ali
Permanent Secretary
9. Paula Cavu
Director of Youth
10. Waisea Davuiqalita
Principal Youth Officer
11. Kolinio Vulakia
Youth Officer
Ministry of Women,
Culture, Social Welfare and Multi-Ethnic Affairs
12. Ms. Sereima Lomaloma
Director of Women’s Affairs and Culture
13. Samuj Lal
Director, Multi-Ethnic Affairs
14. Josefa Davui
Director, Social Welfare
15. Ms. Sereima Yavala
Divisional Women’s Interest Officer
Poverty Alleviation
Committee
16. Dr. Finau Tu’uholoaki
Vice Chairperson
Ministry of Health
17. Dr. Asinate Boladuadua
Director, Primary & Preventive Health Services
18. Uraia Lesu
Chief Health Inspector
19. Ms. Asenaca Vakacegu
Health Planner
20. Dr. Sara Davies
Health Planner
Ministry of Education
21. Kolinio Meo
Act. Deputy Secretary, Administration/Finance
22. Ms. Kolora Cavu
Senior Education Officer / President, FANFE
23. Filimoni Gadolo
Divisional Education Officer, Eastern
24. Solomoni S. Vosaicake
Senior Education Officer- Special Education
Ministry of Primary
Industries, Forestry and Cooperative
25. Ms. Loata Karavaki
Senior Agricultural Officer, Hq.
26. Kilioni Turaga
Act. Principal Agricultural Officer, Eastern Division
Bureau of Statistics
27. Eroni Luveniyali
Government Statistician
Department of Town and
Country Planning
28. Ms. Suzie Yee Shaw
Town Planner
University of the South
Pacific
29. Ms. Cema Bolabola
Coordinator for Continuing Education, Fiji Center
Center for Appropriate
Technology and Development
30. Jope Rokotuibau
Workshop Manager
Non-Government
Organizations
31. Sen. Paula Sotutu
Vice Chairperson
Fiji Council of Social Services
32. Hassan Khan
Executive Director, Fiji Council of Social services
33. Fr. Kevin Barr, Fiji Forum for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation
34. Ms. Tauga Vulaono
President, National Council of Women
35. Ms. Marama Sovaki
Vice President, National council of Women
36. Ms. Natasha Khan
Programme Officer, Helpage Center
37. Ms. Helen Sutherland
Volunteer, Women’s Crisis Center
38. Ray McCarthy
A & P Development Consultants
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
39. Ms. Judy Ham-Nam
Assistant Secretary for Trade & Regional Affairs
United Nations
Development Programme
40. Somsey Norindr
Resident Representative
41. Ms. Kristi Ragan
Assistant Resident Representative – Regional Programmes
42. Ms. Sabine Roth
Programme management Officer- Regional
43. John Rofeta
Economist
44. Parviz Fartash
Assistant Resident Representative – Country Programmes
45. Jeff Liew
Programme Coordinator, ESHDP
46. Nestor Pestelos
Community Development Specialist, ESHDP
ANNEX B
SEMINAR
ON EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Monday 10 May 1993
Suva, Fiji
AGENDA
01.45 pm Registration
02.00 pm Introductory Remarks by Seminar Chairperson,
Dr. Patrick Spread
Director of Economic Planning
02.15 pm Opening Address by UNDP president Representative,
Mr. Somsey Norindr
02.30 pm The UNDP Human Development
concept and Approach,
presented by Mr. Jeff Liew,
ESHDP Project Coordinator
03.00 pm Break and Refreshment
03.15 pm Presentation of Findings and
Proposed ESHDP
Action in Fiji:
- Some
lessons from Development Work in Fiji
Manu Turagava
Eastern Division Planning Officer
- Report
on Findings
Nestor Pestelos
Member, ESHDP Formulation Team
- Proposed ESHDP action in Fiji
Jeff Liew
Project Coordinator
ESHDP
03.45 pm Panel Discussion on the
Proposed ESHDP Strategy
Ms. Josefa Ratuvuku
Deputy Secretary
Ministry of Fijian Affairs and Regional Development
Ms. Sereima Lomaloma
Director of Women’s affairs
Mr. Paula Cavu
Director of Youth
04.30 pm Open Forum/Consensus Building
on Proposed ESHDP Strategy
05.30 pm Summation and Closing Remarks by Chairperson