TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL VANUATU (TIV) had the opportunity to participate in a two day Integrity Validation Workshop for Senior Samoan Government Official organized by the Samoa Government, UNODC and UNDP from the 9-10 November 2016.
The workshop is about helping Samoan Government Officials understand the UNCAC Convention and hopefully get the Samoan Government to ratify the UNCAC Convention in the near future. So far 11 Pacific Island States are parties to UNCAC. The countries are; PNG, Fiji, Palau, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Kiribati and Tuvalu. Vanuatu is the 4th Pacific Island States to ratify UNCAC.
TIV presented the work we are doing around awareness on the Right to Information in Vanuatu as an example for the region where a CSO is working in partnership with a Government Institution (RTI Unit) in promoting a Government Policy that supports integrity, accountability and transparency in Vanuatu.
This is the third presentation for TIV to do in the Pacific region. In July TIV had the opportunity to present the RTI awareness work with regional institutions in Fiji organized by the Pacific Leadership Program, and in August, TIV again presented the RTI awareness work at a CSO regional workshop in Fiji organize by the South Pacific Island Forum.
TIV is excited about our work on the RTI being recognize regionally especially by regional bodies such as the Pacific Island Forum and the UNDP.
TIV and the Vanuatu Governments RTI Unit carried out awareness in all province especially in the islands of Vanua Lava, Santo, Malekula, Ambae, Pentecost, Ambrym, Efate Outer Islands, Schools in North Efate, Tanna and last week in Erromanga. Next month TIV and RTI will carry out awareness work in the Sherperd Islands.
This RTI campaign tours are funded by the Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) who supports Transparency International Vanuatu’s work with the Government’s Right to Information (RTI) Unit to raise awareness and promote public interest in the RTI Policy and Bill. PLP’s support has enabled TIV to campaign in communities and schools and host public forums on the RTI Policy and Bill, using its strong networks in the provinces.
This process has built the public’s knowledge and understanding of the principles of good leadership and the importance of government transparency and given the RTI Unit insights into how the Policy can be effectively implemented.
The Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) is a regional initiative of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that recognises the pivotal role of leadership in development. PLP builds, applies and shares knowledge on developmental leadership (i.e. individuals, organisations and other stakeholders working together on inclusive policy and institutional change for the public good).
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