News and press releases
This is a list of official ILO press releases issued by the ILO Country Office for South Pacific Island Countries. The most recent release is at the top.
January 2022
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Supporting efforts in Fiji to return children back to school safely
25 January 2022
ILO in partnership with the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, Fiji Trade Union Congress and Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations are working together to support continued coordinated efforts in Fiji to see that every child returns to school.
December 2021
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Creative-prenures benefit from Palau market
20 December 2021
The initiative was technically supported and funded by the United Nations joint Informal Economies Recovery Project with the support of the Palau Chamber of Commerce.
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Summary report published reviewing the Seasonal Worker Programme and Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme through the lens of international human rights and labour standards
17 December 2021
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Fijian informal sector business owners and workers access social security
16 December 2021
The Informal Economies Recovery Project partnered with fellow UN projects - Markets for Change and REACH, to coordinate an outreach to the Rakiraki municipal market and Conua in the province of Nadroga in Fiji.
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Fiji’s western artists prepare for potential disruptions from cyclones
10 December 2021
ILO and UNDP are currently working with business development providers such as MSME Fiji, the Itaukei Affairs Trust Board, Green House Co-Working, Vou Fiji and the Fiji Enterprise Engine to roll out BCP training to a large cohort of MSME’s. Through the UN Informal Economies Recovery Project, similar initiatives are being implemented in Palau, Tonga and Vanuatu.
November 2021
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ILO supports micro, small and medium enterprises leverage reopening of borders in Fiji
29 November 2021
With Fiji’s international borders opening up to tourists this week and hundreds of businesses around the country having safely resumed operations, there has been a high demand for Business Development Services by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMSEs)
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Digital employment marketplace a game changer for Vanuatu
20 November 2021
The initiative was technically supported and funded by the United Nations joint Informal Economies Recovery Project, based on a proposal received from the Vanuatu Tripartite Labour Advisory Council.
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Creative associations in Fiji establish formal partnership with National Private Sector Organization and starts mentoring programme
09 November 2021
The initiative was technically supported and funded by the United Nations joint Informal Economies Recovery Project.
September 2021
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Solomon Islands committed to developing a gender-responsive National Employment Policy
16 September 2021
The ILO in partnership with the Government of Solomon Islands has completed a virtual seminar in Solomon Islands to support the design and formulation of the national employment policy (NEP) for inclusive structural transformation and environmental sustainability which took place from the 14 – 16 September 2021.
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Solomon Islands National Employment Policy Seminar 2021
14 September 2021
ILO in partnership with Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration are running a three-day workshop in Solomon Islands to support the design and formulation of the national employment policy (NEP) for inclusive structural transformation and environmental sustainability.
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Working together to end Child Labour in Fiji
12 September 2021
To strengthen efforts to combat child labour in Fiji, ILO supported a series of training and awareness seminars online. The sessions where conducted in partnership with the Fijian Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations. The interactive sessions saw active participation and contributions from Government ministries, employer’s organizations, worker organizations, CSO’s and faith-based organizations.
August 2021
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120 informal sector entrepreneurs in south Santo (Vanuatu) access business and technical training
31 August 2021
Since 2020, the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) economic empowerment work in Vanuatu has been amplified by the UN Informal Economies Recovery Project. With the support from the project, the Vanuatu team has been able to extend its reach and to fund seeds and agricultural tools distribution.
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United Nations supports public-private partnership to promote Covid-19 safe business operations
13 August 2021
In a bid to minimize financial stressors on Fijian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the United Nations [UN] is partnering with the Fijian Government, the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF), Fijian Competition & Consumer Commission (FCCC) and the Suva Retailers Association (SRA) to design, print and deliver tailored COVID-Safe signage packs to MSME’s, including those in the informal sector.
July 2021
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Tonga’s first ever tapa trade show to commence in August
22 July 2021
The newly-formed Tonga National Tapa-making Workers' Association [TNTWA] plans to inaugurate the association with the country’s first-ever Tapa Trade Show. Organized in partnership with the Tonga Public Service Association, TNTWA was formed through the support of the UN’s Informal Economies Recovery Project. The trade show is expected to be the first of an annual quarterly calendar, aimed at boosting members’ income flow.
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19 local business trainers in Fiji introduced to ILO’s Community Based Enterprise Development (C-BED) tools
22 July 2021
In an effort to strengthen Business Development Services (BDS) in Fiji, the ILO organised and delivered a Training of Facilitators (ToF) on 1st June 2021.
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Informal sector workers in Vanuatu to have a voice
22 July 2021
An initiative led by the Vanuatu Association of Public Employees Trade Union (VAPSE) and the Vanuatu National Workers Union (VNWU), aims to formalise existing informal sector associations, particularly those in the creative and agriculture sectors, on Santo and the Northern Provinces of Vanuatu.
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One voice: supporting Fijian visual artists influence national covid-19 recovery
20 July 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed and magnified the creative industries’ pre-existing volatility. Due to the complex nature of their work, artists and cultural professionals are particularly affected and lockdown measures around the world directly impact the entire creative value chain – creation, production, distribution and access.
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Leave no one behind! Making covid-safe business recovery protocol inclusive
19 July 2021
ILO and UNDP facilitated a consultation between government partners across the Fijian Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport [MCTTT] and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation [FCEF], with Micro and Small Business Enterprises [MSME’s] representatives – to allow MSME’s to provide feedback on and influence COVID-safe business operation protocols before they were enacted into law.
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Targeted support to MSME’s during Fiji’s COVID emergency
15 July 2021
In response to the Fiji COVID emergency, the ILO is working with the Fiji Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT) and the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), including the informal sector.
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EU-STREIT PNG takes a step forward in empowering rural communities to secure farmers’ access to agricultural markets
11 July 2021
Led by ILO, the road and infrastructure component of the EU-STREIT PNG is focused on upgrading roads, bridges, jetties and airstrips. This effort aims to help create an enabling environment for farmers to increase their income and profit with opportunities to participate in value-added markets to become agripreneurs under the three value chains supported by the Programme