A Pacific Islands Regional Forum
Sydney, Australia, September 11-12, 1999


1. Information, Commitment & Resources
The World Summit on Social Development ‘Programme of Action’ is valuable and provides a good framework for planning, resourcing and monitoring social development. However it is not well known in most Pacific Island countries – even among some government officials and key civil society organisations (CSOs)1 involved in social development. There has been some useful development of programmes and initiatives tackling poverty, unemployment and social exclusion since Copenhagen, but far too frequently it does not appear that governments have the necessary commitment or resources to follow through on commitments made.

2. A Wider View of Poverty
The traditional subsistence economy is often invisible in official statistics. A simplistic focus on financial poverty alone is inadequate in the Pacific. Greater emphasis is also required on literacy, basic education, access to basic health services (including safe water and sanitation) and adequate shelter. Nevertheless there are many pressures (including from structural adjustment policies, rural-urban drift and drift from outer islands) which exacerbate financial poverty in the shift from a ‘traditional’ to a ‘cash’ economy.

3. Sustainable & Appropriate Development – Not Quick Fixes or Fads
This can harm and undermine the sustainability of the real economy, where countries become dependent on overseas remittances, the search for elusive overseas investment and on short term (‘quick fix’) strategies which can exploit the people and the culture. Caution is also needed to resist uncritical or excessive reliance on development ‘fads’, including potentially useful approaches such as micro-finance. Greater attention is required to overcome barriers to modest and productive utilisation of our land and marine resources for sustainable livelihoods. Collective responses, and joint government/CSO involvement is required in developing a realistic policy framework for sustainable economic development, supported by strategies for appropriate human resource development. Specific attention is also required in a number of countries to the reform of land tenure systems.

4. The Global Reality
Globalisation means that many important social and economic issues, however, cannot be effectively dealt with at the national level. This is especially the case for small island states in the face of powerful international institutions. Structural adjustment imposed on, or implemented by, Pacific governments have (at least during the transition period) increased poverty, reduced opportunities for productive employment and increased social exclusion.

5. The Cost of Unbalanced Structural Adjustment Policies
Structural adjustment polices have also reduced the capacities of Pacific countries to implement WSSD commitments. Better balance between social and economic objectives is required, and especially a greater emphasis on appropriate and inclusive ‘people-centred’ development (rather than reliance on out-dated and discredited ‘trickle -down’ approaches to development). We also need to strengthen regional and global institutions – both on an intergovernmental level and among CSOs – to face the new global realities.

6. A Key Role for Civil Society Organisations
Increasingly doors are opening for CSO participation in development and in public policy. However, the quality of the linkages and cooperation between governments, CSOs and the private sector needs to be strengthened. CSOs have important roles in civil society beyond merely delivering social programmes or services. CSOs can make valuable contributions in the development of social and economic policies and in monitoring the impact of policies and programmes at the grass roots level. Participation requires governments and CSOs moving beyond merely telling each other what they are doing. The full range of government and CSO roles needs to be valued and facilitated in an environment of mutual trust and respect.

7. Better Information for Planning & Accountability
Better data is required (especially in the larger Pacific nations and at a regional level) on policies, programmes and progress on social development generally and WSSD implementation in particular.

8. Investing in the Capacity of Civil Society Organisations
Further emphasis is required on individual and institutional capacity building to strengthen CSO contributions in the Pacific. In particular personnel and skills need to be developed for policy analysis, programme development, ethical management, accountability and advocacy for both CSOs and government.

9. The Centrality of Good Governance & Leadership
‘Good governance’ (including public participation in decision-making) is a crucial prerequisite for effective social and economic development. This requires a strong constitutional framework and specific measures to promote integrity and protect against corruption. However, emphasis is also required on leadership development at all levels, further opening up of opportunities for participation by all, recognising women’s participation and promoting greater gender equality, and specific mechanisms for increasing transparency and accountability.

10. Informed Citizens, Strong Civil Society
An educated and informed citizenry is crucial to achieving good governance and vibrant democratic institutions, as is an effective, informed and autonomous civil society sector. A risk of the rapid growth and increasing ‘popularity’ of CSOs is that they may be co-opted or subtly re-shaped by donors, or taken over by governments. Collaboration must not mean loss of identity. CSOs can be strengthened by effective linkages with other CSOs and especially by participation in democratic and representative regional (and international) networks of CSOs.