Region:Asia Pacific
Current UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_D_6.1
Global normative and policy frameworks for gender equality and women’s empowerment are implemented in the Pacific
Ensuring global normative and policy frameworks for GE/WE are implemented in the Pacific is a priority for the Fiji MCO. There has been siginificant progress made during 2022. The Fiji MCO has coordinated with the Gender Technical Working Group - GTWG - (UN Women, UNFPA, Pacific Community, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and civil society) to ensure that Pacific governments are prepared to engage substantively in the CSW and that work around CSW, the Triennial Conference for Pacific Women, the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders' Meeting, and other regional and global mechanisms for GE/WE are aligned. In 2022 the GTWG supported teleconferences in the lead up to CSW66 to build capacity of Member States on CSW negotiations and to raise awareness of the priority theme. Efforts were made to link the CSW66 and COP processes, which resulted in stronger collaborations between intergovernmental organizations towards both intergovernmental processes. The GTWG provided technical support towards the development of a gender and climate change policty brief ahead of the COP in Egypt. Agreed conclusions from the CSW66 were used in the development of this brief as well as in the development of a COP side event on gender and climate change. Addtionally, mometum on CEDAW reporting has increased with more Pacific Islands countries. Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Marhsall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia have expressed interest to commence with their delayed CEDAW reports. This was a key outcome from the Regional CEDAW learnng exchange with 100 Pacific delegates from 10 Pacific Island Governments nowe having increased capacities and knowledge of CEDAW Reporting process including the recently adopted simplified reporting procedures. The CEDAW Learning Exchange workshop enabled Pacific Government to reflect, share and provide guidance, as well as to strengthen Pacific Island governments’ capacity, for the reporting and implementation of CEDAW working towards improving the status of women and girls in the region. Another form of support provded through normative work is support to Fiji government on Fiji Country Gender Assessment. The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) in Fiji has successfully led ground-breaking work on developing the most up-to-date Fiji Country Gender Assessment (FCGA) which looks at over 9 thematic areas in its assessment of the progress, gaps, challenges, and recommendation for advancement of gender equality in the country. This evidence-based resource will increase the capacity of MWCPA to effectively assess progress against regional and international frameworks including SDGs, Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW as well as the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED).
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_O_1
Enhanced co-ordination, coherence and accountability of the UN system for commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment
In 2022, coordination, coherence and accountability of the UN system for commitments to gender equality and women's empowerment were enhanced as a result of the Fiji MCO's work across the UN in the Pacific. 2022 was the fifth and final year of the UN Pacific Strategy (UNPS), which had a dedicated gender outcome with gender mainstreamed throughout all other outcomes. UN Women actively engaged in the UNPS interagency architecture to ensure that gender mainstreaming in the strategy continued in practice including as co-Chair with UNFPA of the Outcome Group 2: Gender Equality (OG2). UN Women is also represented on all UNPS outcome groups and interagency groups to ensure that gender is mainstreamed across the strategy. The Fiji MCO and the OG2 with UN Women as Co-Chair, actively and strategically engaged in the development process for the Pacific UNSDCF (2023-2027). The Fiji MCO was an active member of both the UNPS Evaluation Steering Committee and the Cooperation Framework Taskforce, which provided guidance across the UNSDCF development process. With the support of a technical consultant, the Fiji MCO ensured gender mainstreaming across the 14 CCAs and Regional CMCA. Advocacy for a gender standalone outcome in the CF was strengthened as a result of strategic key messaged developed by the OG2 during focus group discussions. Outputs from the focus group discussion were used in the strategic prioritization exercise in 2022 to ensure a standalone gender equality outcome in the next UNSDCF, but ultimately this was not agreed by the UNCT. Despite this setback, there was strong advocacy for the establishment of a Gender Theme Group (GTG) to be part of the UNSDCF management architecture, which was agreed by the UNCT in Q3. The GTG is Co-Chaired by UN Women and UNFPA and has membership from 12 UN agencies and the 3 RCOs. Its TOR and AWP are under development and will be finalized in early 2023. In 2022, the Fiji MCO and OG2 have supported implementation of the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard action plan. This comprehensive gender assessment was undertaken in 2020 and was the first time the exercise had been conducted in the Pacific using the UNCT-SWAP Scorecard methodology launched in 2018, providing key baseline data for all indicators against minimum requirements established by the UNSDG. The Interagency Team that supported the Scorecard rollout in 2020 identified 6 priority actions in the Action Plan, including gender mainstreaming in the CCA development, UNSDCF and results frameworks, as well as strengthening the Data, Monitoring and Evaluation Group. Work to address these priority actions were the focus in 2022. Additionally, the OG2 worked with the OMT and UN Communications Group to strengthen gender mainstreaming in their respective work and empower the groups to action the respective priorities in the action plan. The OG2 continued to build capacity of UN staff in the Pacific by collaborating with the Outcome Group 6: Human Rights to organize and host a virtual workshop that focused on the Human Rights Based Approach and Gender Equality to support gender and human rights mainstreaming in the UN system in the Pacific. This workshop was open to all UN staff but targeted RCO staff, including Country Coordination Specialists, and UN field-based staff who are engaged in UNSDCF planning, implementation, M&E and reporting.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_O_2
Increased engagement of partners in support of UN-Women’s mandate
The Fiji MCO’s engagement with its partners is continuous and growing in number and engagement. Compared to 2021, in 2022 Fiji MCO selected and engaged 12 new partners to support programme implementation at output/outcome levels in 3 priority thematic areas (WEE, EVAWG and Humanitarian). This brings to date about 170 partners engaged in various capacities across all of the MCO’s programmes, including in consultations for the development of the new Fiji MCO Strategic Note (2023-2027). Engagement with stakeholders and the general public is through a number of ways including: through the Gender Theme Group consisting of over 50 members from across the Pacific region. These are CSOs, Government and development partners, including members of the UNCT in Fiji, Samoa and Micronesia. Through an integrated communications approach that aims to enhance advocacy and visibility around key events, and programmatic achievements. There were 87 media mentions of UN Women, Representative, or MCO Proj e cts up to the end of 2022 , owing to six MCO-issued press releases, engagement of the media to cover signature programme launches, 16 Days actions and other activities, including the MCO’s subscription to Pacnews wire services that then also disseminates UN Women’s press releases in the Pacific region . Social media saw growth across the year on these platforms: Facebook : 32,231 followers % growth over 2021. Audience profile – Men 4%; Women 66 .6% Twitter – 14 086 followers or 6 % growth In addition, 20 knowledge p roduct s were produced and disseminated to partners.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_O_3
High quality of programmes through knowledge, innovation, RBM and evaluation
The Fiji MCO has developed its new Strategic Note with lines of sight to the UN Women Strategic Plan and the Pacific UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The accompanying SN results framework was developed based on programmatic theories of change. The SN Results Framework results chain (activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts) has indicators as measures of success, with baselines and yearly targets. Work was undertaken to ensure all indicators have the correct baselines and relevant targets. Impact level indicators in the Fiji MCO SN include indicators for SDG 5.5.1 (women’s leadership) SDG 8.3.1 (women in the informal sector) SDG 1.5.1,11.5.1, 13.1.1 (persons affected by disasters) SDG 5.2.1 (violence against women). These alignments is allowing the Fiji MCO to have coherence in its programming and role in the greater global effort for its specific impact areas. Fiji MCO held All-staff Results and Learning Sessions, across all countries, which were used to collectively review progress against the AWP and share results and lessons learned from implementation. The initiative is achieving its aim in breaking down work/programmatic silos and fostering cross-thematic results and knowledge sharing.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-FIJ_O_4
Improved management of financial and human resources in pursuit of results
As the 2022 was the year of partial recovery from the isolation caused by COVID-19 imposed restrictions for Fiji office and increased restrictions for other field offices due to COVID19 escalation in the region, the MCO maintained flexibility in ensuring the employees had enough space and time for the smooth transition from 100% working from home modality to going back to the office arrangements: the colleagues enjoyed hybrid working arrangement with no stress attitude for the overall MCO work performance remaining at a top-quality level. The MCO kept all core and critical programme positions occupied for most of the year. Though Fiji MCO Representative position was vacant for 4 months, the office ensured sufficient backstopping arrangements to ensure smooth operations and delivery of results. The human resources requirement, caused by the successful fund raising efforts was met throughout the whole reporting period, though the office faced challenges in retaining staff and personell in most of offices where Fiji MCO operates (primarily due to staff and personnel carreer growth opprotunities and better pay packages provided by other non UN Entities in the region). Even though MCO was able to perform all activities uninterrupted, with the high level of the delivery (above 90%). Regular all staff and operations meeting, as well as staff working meetings and retreats were held, to maintain clear, transparent communication within MCO team, to review new corporate pocilicies and guidelines, as well as operational flows, ensuring the MCO team is on the same page and adheres to the consistent work practice, in line with the corporate requirements. Despite turbulent economic and political landscape, triggered by COVID19 escalation in most of field offices, affecting MCO operations, all programmatic activities were finalized in full agreement with initial worplan, thanks to very close support and full engagement from the side of the MCO management and programme leads.Showing 11 - 15 of 15
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References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).