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PIANGO Monthly 2.7

(The PIANGO Monthly is made possible through financial assistance from the Commonwealth Foundation, CCFD, Bread For the World, and NZODA)

Editorial

Greetings to all our readers! We have seen in the months of September and October various initiatives which aimed at improving PIANGO's capacity to serve its members. New initiatives and a newly-elected Coordinating Committee signify considerable optimism for the future of NGOs within our Pacific region.

PIANGO continues with Capacity Building Initiatives

Due to their limited size and resource base, most NGOs operate with minimal training and in relative isolation from other organizations. Few NGOs appear able to cope with the increasing demands placed on them by communities, governments and donors, and many experience deficits in program planning and /or implementation. Hence, they often request assistance with project design and management, resource mobilization, evaluation and performance reporting. Many NGOs also state a desire to participate more fully in public policy formulation and debate but feel their lack of experience and confidence in this area hinders meaningful involvement. Following the 1999 PIANGO Council, numerous initiatives have been discussed, including the following;

  • Pacific NGO Network
    The overall goal of this initiative is to strengthen the networking capacity of PIANGO by using the opportunities provided by modern information technology
  • PIANGO Organizational Strengthening Program
    The overall goal of this program is to increase the capacity of NGOs in the Pacific to initiate and management action for sustainable human development
  • Regional Training Network for CBO Strengthening
    This program is designed to establish a regional network of NGO trainers and provide them with materials, skills training and mentoring support to conduct quality management training and support services for CBOs in the region. The overall goal of this program is to increase the capacity of community based organizations to initiate and manage action for sustainable human development.
  • Program to enhance the Resource Base of NGOs
    The overall goal of this program is to increase the material and financial resources available in the Pacific to sustain NGOs and their programs.
  • Program to enhance the Resource Base of NGOs
    The overall goal of this program is to increase the material and financial resources available in the Pacific to sustain NGOs and their programs.

click here for further on the above.

PIANGO Philosophy

Following the assessment of the Secretariat in September 1999, the following philosophical elements were identified as common to all PIANGO members. These elements would ideally compliment both the mission statement and vision of PIANGO.

  • PIANGO through its view and actions will care for the Earth and all its inhabitants by nurturing, protecting and conserving the Pacific's total inheritance
  • PIANGO accepts the cultural diversity of its membership
  • PIANGO will apply participatory principles at all levels of the organisation and its activities
  • PIANGO asserts that development is a holistic concept inclusive of the well being of all people, especially the poor and marginalised
  • PIANGO is committed to a people - centered sustainable approach
  • PIANGO advocates the right of all indigenous Peoples of the Pacific to self-determination
  • PIANGO as a movement will strive to adhere to the principles of equality and tolerance
  • PIANGO will work towards maintaining and promoting a collective approach within its structure, actions and relationships
  • PIANGO believes in social justice and is committed to demonstrate this throughout the parameters of the organisation

International Conference on Social Welfare (ICSW) Pacific Forum
Sydney, 10-12 September, 1999 and 14-17 September 1999

This forum brought together about 15 Pacific Islanders from about 7 different countries. The main purpose of the meeting was to see how Pacific Island Countries that are signatories to the Copenhagen 1995 especially in relation to the following commitments:
  • A commitment to create an enabling economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment that will enable people to achieve social development
  • A commitment to the goal of eradicating poverty in the world through decisive national actions and international cooperation, as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind
  • A commitment to promote the goal of full employment as a basic priority of our economic and social policies, and to enable all people to attain secure and sustainable livelihoods through freely-chosen productive employment and work
  • A commitment to promote social integration by fostering societies that are stable, safe and just, and are based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, and on non-discrimination, tolerance, respect for diversity, equality of opportunity, solidarity, security and participation of all people including the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons
  • A commitment to promote full respect for human dignity and to achieve equ ality and equity between women and men, and to recognize and enhance the participation and leadership roles of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life and in development
  • A commitment to achieving universal and equitable access to quality education, the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and universal access to primary health care; to respecting and promoting our common and particular cultures; and to striving to strengthen the role of culture in development
  • A commitment to accelerate the economic, social and human resource development of Africa and the least developed countries
  • A commitment to ensuring that when structural adjustment programmes are agreed to they should include social development goals, in particular of eradicating poverty, promoting full and productive employment and enhancing social integration
  • A commitment to increase significantly and/or utilise more efficiently the resources allocated to social development to achieve goals of the summit
  • A commitment to an improved and strengthened framework for international cooperation for social development, in a spirit of partnership, through the UN and other international institutions.

The Pacific forum provided wider awareness of the Copenhagen Commitments among civil society organizations in the Pacific. The majority of those who attended were not familiar with the Copenhagen Commitment. The forum provided further impetus for the NGO representatives to discuss with their respective governments obligations as specified in the "Copenhagen Commitments."

The Pacific NGO representatives at the meeting expressed their gratitude to ICSW for organising the Pacific Forum prior to the Asia-Pacific Conference which took place also in Sydney from the 14-17 September 1999.

PIANGO Newly-elected Coordinating Committee Meeting
September 1-2, 1999

PIANGO's newly-elected Coordinating Committee met for the first time in Suva from September 1-2, 1999. The main focus of this meeting was to review the outcomes of the Council and look at the initiatives that have been developed since the Council. The recommendations from the Strategic Planning and the resolutions from the Council were endorsed.

The Committee also reviewed the report and findings of the assessment of the Secretariat which was done by Suliana Siwatibau (Vanuatu) and Jerry Thompson (Aotearoa/New Zealand). The Committee also endorsed the PIANGO Coordinator's report (including the financial report) of the period beginning the end of the Council to the 1st of September.

The major part of the 2 day sessions was spent on discussing the 8-point plan which was developed by the Management Working Group following the Coucil. While the majority of these initiatives are still being developed, they all attempt to address the needs of the members as expressed at the PIANGO Council.

The Coordinating Committee expressed their gratitude to the Management Working Group, especially under the leadership of Joseph Ogaie and John Taylor for the tremendous effort.

Coordinating Committee Members
Hana Tukukino (Chair, Aotearoa/New Zealand)
Joseph Ogaie (PNG)
Meme Tong (Kiribati)
Roland Oldham (Tahiti)
Paula Sotutu (Fiji)
Joy Balazo (Australia)
Tina Takarshy (FSM)

APEC Monitoring Group Conference Report

Alternatives to the APEC Agenda
10 - 13 September-Auckland
Aisake Casimira (FCC)

In September, PIANGO was invited to participate in the "Alternative to the APEC Agenda" conference organised by the APEC Monitoring Group, based in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Here is a brief report from Mr. Casimira who attended on behalf of both PIANGO and the Fiji Council of Churches.

Introduction
The Fiji Council of Churches' participation at this conference was made possible through PIANGO's sponsorship. Among other important themes, the major issues of economic and social analysis of free trade and neo-liberal economic policies, and building networks and solidarity among communities are crucial if there is be a serious challenge to the economic policies of the new right. The issue of "free trade" and its implications to the APEC region was the central focus of the APEC leaders meeting. The major concern to the APEC leaders is in removing restrictions and regulations on the free flow of investment and capital among the region. The social and economic implications, however, were not a concern since APEC is about "business" and "economies" and not governments representing their own people. In the following report, I will touch briefly on some of the major themes from the APEC Monitoring Group's conference, relevant to the Pacific Island states.

Background
Against a background of protests and demonstrations against the APEC economic agenda of free trade and neo-liberal economic policies, the conference on "Alternatives to the APEC Agenda" endeavored to further the resistance, strengthen strategies and to seek for new alternatives.

The conference was organised by the APEC Monitoring group, a coalition of different community groups, churches and indigenous groups. Prior to the two-day conference, the Group organised various activities including community awareness raising programmes, rallies, public meetings and skits. These activities culminated with the two-day conference that began with a public meeting on Friday evening. The conference proper started on Saturday morning with the registration of participants and ended on Sunday afternoon with a public rally and a protest march to where the APEC leaders were meeting.

The activities focused on a wide range of issues: unemployment, poverty, students loans scheme, colonisation, reclaiming the people's language, education, housing, small businesses, networking and building solidarity. There three keynote speakers: Moana Jackson on "Colonisation", Antonio Tujan on "Alternatives to APEC" and Moses Havini on the Bouganville issue. Panel discussions followed the keynote address touching on APEC related issues nationally and internationally. There were workshops on education, colonisation, investment and free trade, health and environment, Church and social justice, Indigenous issues.

The purpose of these workshops was to follow through on some of the issues and themes picked up from the keynote addresses and the panel discussions, and to discuss and propose strategies and alternatives to address these issues. In this report I will not touch on some of the issues discussed at all the workshops, except to highlight some of the major themes. The conference process, I felt was excellent in that people were able to participate and contribute their bit to the discussion, and which I think is empowering for those who attended the two days.

Major themes

  1. Colonisation: The first keynote address highlighted the struggle of the Maori peoples' right to land and governance and was picked up by the panel discussions and one of the workshops. The issue was premised on the understanding that the present form of economic globalization is actually not new but rather it is the third wave of colonisation. The culture of globalization is the latest manifestation of the culture of colonisation. The conclusion is that people need to address indigenous issues as fundamental to addressing issues of globalization. It is within and from this context that strategies to addressing issues of free trade and economic globalization be effective. This theme raises some important issues for the Pacific:
    • The transfer of wisdom/values from social institutions like the church, chiefs and the elders to the media and businesses
    • Globalization seeks to quantified and measure indigenous peoples' spirituality
    • Question of indigenous peoples' right to self-determination raises the issues of public ownership of state companies and ownership of resources
    • Globalization creates a culture of contentment, and "uncaringness" among our people.

    Strategies proposed include a programme on reclaiming the sense of caring and compassion; address the issues of sovereignty - the rights of indigenous people and how these are defined within the context of democracy and traditional institutions.

  2. Bio-Technology
    This is an important trend. According to WTO rules, TNCs can claim ownership of indigenous natural resources or genetic engineered products even though the indigenous people or the state may not be aware of it. Even the state can be sued for banning certain items of goods or services. This trend raises some important issues for the Pacific:
    • The role of the government in the WTO rules
    • Awareness and education on ownership of natural resources and genetic engineered products
    • Rights of Pacific Islands states to self-determination
    • Rights and ownership of natural resources needs defining, given the compromising position of governments
    • The need to pressure Pacific governments to be more aware of WTO rules

    Strategies include education and awareness on rights to ownership of natural resources, genetic engineered products and their legal implications; a programme based on the "de-colonisation" of peoples' thinking as more and more we are seeing the privatisation of values, spirituality, family, homes and beings. This also raises the issue of nation-state within the context of the free market and questions the notions of whether governments have control over their nations. Strategy for creating a forum for decisive intervention on the international level.

  3. Education
    In the Pacific as elsewhere in the world, education is one major development issue. We inherit a western style system that for the most part is not relevant to many of our indigenous people. Many would agree that this system train and teach people, preparing them for the "market place". In other words, the system is geared towards preparing young people for business.

    The neo-liberal economic agenda aims to push this further, involving businesses in the development of the school curriculum, sponsoring classrooms and students. In effect, commercialising education to such an extent that businesses determines the quality, the learning processes and thought patterns of people, the values, selection of students and creating a homogenous and global education system. It aims to train young people on the skills of hi-tech technology, preparing them serve the free market and businesses. Such a trend has serious implications for the Pacific, especially so that the World Bank is preparing a seminar on Primary education reform for the pacific Island nations:

    • The re-definition of the values that should drive our education systems from the neo-liberal economic view
    • Phasing out of traditional and cultural learning processes, values and replaced by neo-liberal values of the free market and businesses
    • Weakening of the social and cultural cohesion and privatising communities and families
    • Questions the freedom of choice of individuals, families and communities
    • Questions the real target group for education. Many who will be left out of the system will be "invited" to take out students loan schemes which will further put them in debt
    • Subverting the educational system into a manufacturing plant of young hi-tech people for business
    • Disempowers people and inhibits young from developing their critical thinking processes and thought patterns.

    The strategies include the development of a multi-skilled people; redefining what education is from a holistic approach; linking up sectors and issues that are involved in education; advocate for educational policies that are based on human rights, traditional and cultural values, that reflects and develops critical thinking and an appreciation for learning. There should be a programme on reclaiming our "language" and our "community". Popularise critical thinking by developing resource kits for teachers and community educators.

  4. Networking and Building Solidarity
    For us in the Pacific this is particular important. The themes outlined briefly above touch also on issues such as workers, wages, domestic work, role of the Churches and social justice, democracy and what it means, investment, health and the environment. The conference also raises the question of civil society organisations and the particular role they play in advancing or resisting the neo-liberal economic agenda.

    Building solidarity among our people, civil society organisations and informing our governments on issues of common concern are important. This is particularly so when our governments are under intense pressure to dance to the tunes of the WTO and APEC economic agenda. This will involve critical economic and social analysis work on the ground level. PIANGO, I believe is capable of doing this at the regional level, creating a regional forum for intervention and strengthening the networking linkages. PIANGO's economic group should, in my view, play a key role in this and needs to be strengthened through regular contact, meetings and information sharing.

    A critical suggestion is for PIANGO for set up a regional intervention forum to inform, pressure the member countries of the South Pacific Community (SPC) and the Forum Secretariat, and advocate for people centred policies that respects traditional and cultural values, the environment and peoples' rights to self-determination.

IIn conclusion, I would like to acknowledge the kind sponsorship of PIANGO and CAA (Community Aid Abroad)-Australia for making it possible for me to attend the conference and hope that the above brief notes are of benefit.

(For further information, please contact the Secretariat)

to conference announcement.

PIANGO Regional Leadership and Management Workshop

Delegates at the 1999 PIANGO Council meeting have directed the organisation to facilitate opportunities for NGO leaders from diverse backgrounds to acquire effective leadership skills, a critical element in today's rapidly changing society. In response to this challenge, the PIANGO Secretariat has organised a Regional NGO Leadership and Management Workshop to be held at the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development in Nadave, Fiji from 29 November until 3 December 1999.

This five-day intensive workshop will bring together twenty senior NGO leaders from twelve countries to discuss leadership and management issues confronting the sector at the national and regional level. The program includes a prerequisite course for the Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit Management programme (Culture and Values) offered by UNITEC Institute of Technology (Auckland, New Zealand). This three-day course explores the values of the NGO sector and seeks to define the management principles and practices consistent with those values. During the last two days of the workshop, participants will be asked to reflect on the relevance of this course in light of the needs of NGO leaders in the region and assist in developing a comprehensive training strategy for the future. This will include identifying priority learning needs and appropriate planning and delivery processes.

The Secretariat is confident that this meeting will be the first step in an ongoing process to enable NGO leaders to build competent organisations, give professional recognition to the sector, and ensure NGOs are equal partners in the development process.

click here for more on the above.

Australia Consultation, 4-8 October 1999

The Consultation trip to Australia was made by John Taylor and the PIANGO Coordinator. The main objective of the consultation was to keep contact with affiliates and funding agencies in Australia and also to provide them with information on PIANGO's new initiatives as directed by the Council and endorsed by the Coordinating Committee. The consultation covered mainly Canberra and Melbourne where discussions were held with the Canada High Commission, AusAid, Asia-South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), Australia Council For Overseas Aid (ACFOA), Australia Volunteers International (AVI), Community Aid Abroad, Save the Children Fund, and CUSO. There is a need to build on the momentum created prior to and during the last PIANGO Council.

(PIANGO Secretariat wishes to express its sincere thanks to CIDA/UNDP for financing the consultation/trip to Australia. We look forward to build on the existing relationships)