From 2006 the UNDP Pacific Centre has been providing technical and capacity development support to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and to Pacific civil society organisations to respond to calls to broaden the focus of security discussions in Pacific Island Countries from state security to human security. From a conflict prevention perspective, the value of the concept of human security lies in the fact that it shifts the traditional focus on state security, to the security of people. In doing so, human security also underlines the importance of the work done by a wider array of stakeholders in addressing security concerns, thus bringing into focus civil society and community based organisations as relevant actors in these processes. It also enables a broader spectrum of issues to be considered.

 

In 2007 UNDP Pacific Centre and PIFS initiated three multi-stakeholder consultations in partnership with USP, FemLINKPacific and the Pacific People’s Building Peace Network/Citizens Constitutional Forum. These consultations brought together civil society organizations (CSOs), women’s NGOs, academia, government officials and faith-based organizations from across the region to discuss the changing nature of security from state-focused to people-centered.

 

Following these consultations, UNDP Pacific Centre and PIFS have continued to work together to design a comprehensive Human Security Framework for Conflict Prevention for the Pacific region. An initial outline of this framework was endorsed by the June 2008 Forum Regional Security Committee (FRSC). It consists of three main elements:

Within the broader framework of human security, seven human security issues have initially been identified that relate most directly to potential conflict in the Pacific region. These seven issues resonate as causes of potential conflict across the Pacific region:

UNDP is working together with PIFS to further design a three year Human Security Framework for Conflict Prevention and associated action plans, to be tabled at the 2009 FRSC meeting.   

 

 

In June 2006 the Forum Secretariat with AusAID, UNDP Pacific Centre, UNIFEM Pacific, the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), and FemLINKPacific convened the Regional Workshop on Gender, Conflict, Peace and Security. The workshop outcomes challenged governments, regional organizations and development partners to develop greater regional capacity for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and to collectively strategise on concrete ways to move forward.

 

During 2008 the UNDP Pacific Centre and PIFS have further developed mechanisms through pre-Pacific Islands FRSC meetings to sustain engagement between PIFS and regional civil society networks. In addition, space has been created for women’s organizations to interact with formal regional security processes to further the implementation of UNSCR1325. To further this process UNDP Pacific Centre and PIFS are recruiting a International UNV Gender, Peace and Security Project Officer to further work on the linkages between women, peace and security at the regional level.