VNCW welcomes MSG Secretariat adviser Sanday

Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat’s Private Sector Development Adviser, Henry Sanday, visited the office of the Vanuatu National Council of Women (VNCW) on February 4. He discussed with the Acting President of VNCW, Anita Deroin, MSG’s private sector program for this new year that would involve and benefit the country’s women.

The program of activities is being supported by the European Union through the Pacific Integrated Technical Assistance Project (PITAP) that the MSG Secretariat is jointly administering with the Pacific Island’s Forum Secretariat.

“The visit was also part of the MSG Secretariat’s efforts to establish and strengthen networks for information sharing purposes with stakeholders in the public and private sectors and civil society,” Sanday said.

The main PITAP-funded activity relates to the formulation of a “private sector development strategy for promoting private sector activities in MSG countries including women entrepreneurs”. This is consistent with the MSG Eminent Persons Group’s recommendation for enhancing the role of women in the development process.

Work on the new MSG Private Sector Strategy is scheduled to begin in March and will involve extensive consultations with stakeholders in MSG Member countries, including existing and prospective women entrepreneurs from both the formal and informal sectors.

“A unique feature of this work is the series of meetings to be arranged in centres outside of the MSG capitals, so in Vanuatu we will cover not just Port Vila and Shefa, but will also visit the outer island Provinces,” Sanday continued.

He said that from MSG’s perspective, the most interesting finding from the meeting with VNCW relates to the Council’s current pursuit of 11 priority actions at the provincial level, one of which is to “improve markets and small businesses for women”.

The resolutions to undertake these priority actions were made in late 2012 and their outcomes will be presented for scrutiny at the VNCW’s National Conference in January 2016.

“We have thus begun exploring opportunities for collaboration between MSG and VNCW during the implementation of their Provincial priority actions, and the development of the MSG Private Sector Strategy,” Sanday added.

VNCW says it was honored to have the MSG Secretariat’s Private Sector Development Advisor visit its office on Wednesday 4th February 2015.

“The meeting provided insight to VNCW on the MSG’s role in private sector development and especially for development of women on rural areas particularly women in business,” it says.

The national council of Vanuatu women says it places importance on agriculture and food security as a high priority in growing the rural economy in order to sustain the livelihood of all families.

“Every year there is an increase in the number of children dropping out of school with very little to no employment opportunities available resulting in increased social problems,” the national council of women said.

VNCW advised Sanday that the 6th Resolution from the VNCW conferences held at all six provinces and three municipalities of the country called for the improvement of markets and small businesses for women and the VNCW looks forward to working together with the MSG Secretariat in finding ways to “address this urgent issue”.