REGIONAL INSTRUMENTS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

The leaders of PICs who are part of the Pacific Islands Forum have over the years agreed to the commitments on gender, climate and disaster risk reduction. These commitments are enshrined in various regional documents. Some documents most closely aligned to the NDC Hub are listed below:

1. Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) Leaders commit with renewed energy to implement the gender equality actions of the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Revised Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (2005 to 2015); the Pacific Plan; the 42nd Pacific Island Forum commitment to increase the representation of women in legislatures and decision making; and the 40th Pacific Island Forum commitment to eradicate sexual and gender based violence.

2. Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality16 The Revised Pacific Platform for Action is a regional charter developed and agreed to by representatives from all Pacific Island countries and territories. It has four strategic themes: Mechanisms to promote the advancement of women. Women's legal and human rights.

3. Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Reports (Multiple reports available)17 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have identified that climate change is the single largest threat to the welfare and livelihood of people in the Pacific. This is despite the fact that Pacific Island Countries (PICs) collectively emit just around 0.03% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Five out of the 16 highest ranked countries in the 2016 World Risk Report are PICs (Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji). According to the World Bank Pacific Possible 2017 Report, adaptation cost for coastal protection in PICs will require up to USD 234 million per year by 2020 and USD 285 million per year by 2040, on a best-case scenario. In line with this, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Economic Ministers continuously reaffirmed the need for timely and simplified access to scaled-up financing for the Pacific. This section will have country reports.

4. The Niue Declaration on Climate Change18 Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, meeting in Niue in 2008 stated their deep concern by the serious current impacts of and growing threat posed by climate change to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being and security of Pacific Island countries; and that current and anticipated changes in the Pacific climate, coupled with the region’s vulnerability, are expected to exacerbate existing challenges and lead to significant impacts on Pacific countries. The Declaration further highlighted the calls of PIC leaders in relation to climate change as a region.

5. The Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP)7 Presents an integrated approach to addressing climate and disaster risk management for more resilient development in the Pacific. Through the Framework, the Pacific seeks to reduce their exposure to climate and disaster risk, support low carbon development and improve disaster response and reconstruction.

6. The 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent Highlights the region’s approach to collectively work together to achieve the long-term vision and aspirations, through seven key thematic areas: Political Leadership and Regionalism, People Centered Development, Peace and Security, Resource and Economic Development, Climate Change and Disasters, Ocean and Natural Environment and Technology and Connectivity. As a fundamental element of its “People Centred Development”, gender and social inclusion form a central part of the strategy.8