UN

Spotlight Initiative launches in Vanuatu

The Initiative is a multi-year partnership focused on strengthening efforts to end violence against women and girls and by symbolically shining a spotlight on barriers that hinder women and girls from development.

Working in partnership with key institutions and diverse partners, the Spotlight Initiative in Vanuatu will focus its work on Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence through all six key pillars (i) laws and policies (ii) institutions iii) prevention iv) services v) data and vi) civil society/women’s organisations.

Indonesia lashes out at Vanuatu over West Papua at the UN

The testy comments came in Indonesia's right of reply to a statement by Vanuatu's prime minister Bob Loughman at the United Nations General Assembly.

It's become an annual scrap at the general assembly, with Vanuatu raising concern about a lack of action by Indonesian authorities in addressing human rights abuses against West Papuans. In exchange, Indonesian diplomats slam the Vanuatu for interfering in its domestic affairs,

UN urges Fiji to amend Media Decree

In its Universal Periodic Review report published in December, the United Nations' Human Rights Council called on Fiji to amend its Media Industry Development Decree 2010.

The report also calls for Fiji to avoid "abusive interpretations" of any journalistic publications.

They have conveyed to the government their disappointment at aspects of the media laws," according to the general secretary of the Fiji Media Association, Stanley Simpson.

Pacific voices 'need to be reflected in UN language'

That's the view of the University of the South Pacific's director at the Oceania Centre, Frances Koya-Vaka'uta.

The Pacific is the first region to host the series of United Nations consultations aimed at turning around the decline of the oceans.

Dr Koya-Vakauta said the Pacific voice risks being lost among generic UN language when it's combined with contributions from the eight other consultations.

She said Pacific people need to see themselves reflected in official language for it to resonate properly and this includes plans for the coming 'Decade of the Ocean'.

Vanuatu could be alone on West Papua bid at UN

The Charlot Salwai-led government plans to submit a draft resolution to the Pacific Islands Forum, calling for Indonesian-ruled Papua to be inscribed on the list at next year's UN General Assembly.

The intention was conveyed at this month's meeting of Pacific Forum foreign ministers in Apia.

Despite claims in Vanuatu, however, that other Pacific governments had indicated they would back the draft, no other countries committed support in Apia.

Vanuatu to take West Papua cause to UN

The Vanuatu prime minister, Charlot Salwai, is to take the draft of this resolution to the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Nauru next month.

The Daily Post reported this comes after Vanuatu presented the draft during last week's Pacific foreign ministers' meeting in Apia.

The newspaper reported that at the Apia meeting Vanuatu got support from some Forum members but Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji reportedly expressed reservations.

NZ govt MP calls for West Papua issue to go to UN

Louisa Wall made the comment at the launch of a new book examining New Zealand's position on West Papua.

In her book See No Evil: New Zealand's betrayal of the people of West Papua, author Maire Leadbeater criticises successive governments for failing to support Papuan rights.

Ms Wall said the book offers telling insights on how Papuans had no say in their homeland's incorporation into Indonesia in the 1960s.

North Korea: Urgent need to open channels, UN says after visit

The statement follows a visit to Pyongyang by Jeffrey Feltman, the highest-level trip by a UN official to the isolated nation in six years.

North Korea says it has agreed to regular communication with the UN.

Tensions over the North's weapons programme were raised further after a fresh ballistic missile test last week.

North Korea said it was its most advanced missile yet, capable of reaching the continental US.

The test was the latest in a series of nuclear and missile tests conducted in defiance of UN sanctions.

UN signals 'end' of throwaway plastic

They signed off a document stating that the flow of plastic into the ocean must be stopped.

Scientists welcomed the statement, but were unhappy the agreement was only based in principle, with no firm targets or timetables.

Ministers say it's a milestone because it shows governments, industry and the public that a major change is needed.

Vidar Helgesen, Norway's Environment Minister, has been leading the UN debate on plastic pollution.

SPC updates Pacific nutrition guidelines

This was also a chance for SPC to emphasise the guidelines to attendees on the UN assembly's declaration that 2016 to 2025's is the decade for nutrition action.

NCD advisor for the public health division (of SPC) Karen Fukofuka said the guidelines were drawn up in 2000 and the revision of the principles only started last year.

Ms Fukofuka said it was important that the messages were current and consistent for the Ministry of Health and other non-health partners to distribute to the community.