The Human Rights & Social Development Division (HRSD) 2021-2025 - Human Rights and Social Development Division (HRSD) 2021-2025 The Human Rights & Social Development Division (HRSD) 2021-2025 The Embassy proposes a new support to the Human Rights and Social Development Division (HRSD) at the Pacific Community (SPC) to support the implementation of HRSD's Business Plan 2021-2025 with a contribution of SEK 56 000 000, responding to Sweden’s Drive for Democracy (DfD) (government decision UD2020/00571) and the current Strategy of Sweden’s regional development and cooperation in Asia and the Pacific region 2016-2021. The ongoing strategy budget frame can be extended until 2024. The cooperation partner fulfils the legal requirements to enter into an agreement. HRSD is operating under the rules of SPC. 

The new HRSD Business Plan 2021-2026 incorporates the RRRT Business Plan 2018-2021 and the SDP Business Plan 2019-2023. The HRSD  programme builds on the synergies from these plans, and has adapted in response to the current environment shaped by covid-19 and climate change. The Business Plan draws on insights from across SPC, SPC members, civil society, implementing partners, and evaluators, through consultations, independent evaluations and reviews of work areas.

A key priority which the Swedish funds will cover is the HRSD work on mainstreaming gender and the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), using tools as P.L.A.N.E.T (Participation, Links to human rights, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment, Transparency) and the  people-centred approach (PCA) across SPC as an organisation. HRSD engages formally with other technical and scientific divisions at SPC through joint project funding and collaboration, assisting fisheries ( such as Sida- supported PEUMP) programmes and climate change programmes within their programme design, implementation and monitoring. This contribution also gives the embassy a strategic entry point to engage more with young people in the Pacific region. This is assessed to be relevant since they are key stakeholders in development processes. 

In the proposal,  HRSD has summarized the development problem in the Pacific region, and the drivers of change affecting human rights and social development, including the climate crises and the effect that covid-19 has on already vulnerable economies. A rise in poverty is foreseen, especially for women and young children. The pandemic has also caused an increase in violence against women and girls (VAWG), and limited social services. There is a strong need for good governance and meaningful participation from civil society to ensure that recovery includes social impacts. Post-covid, there is an opportunity to also respond to ecological challenges and the climate crises. There is a need to build back better and find sustainable solutions, especially in the context of temporary and permanent displacement of people. This is both an opportunity and a constraining pressure for members and implementing partners. Feedback from the SPC members suggests that Governments in the Pacific also need disaggregated data and statistics to better target social protection to reach marginalized groups. Sveriges ambassad i Bangkok föreslår ett nytt stöd till the Human Rights and Social Development Division (HRSD) inom Pacific Community (SPC), för att stödja implementeringen av HRSD:s Business Plan 2021-2025 med ett bidrag om SEK 56 000 000. Det svenska bidraget är ett svar på Sveriges demokratioffensiv (DfD) (regeringsbeslut UD2020/00571) samt bidrar till implementeringen av strategin för Sveriges regionala utvecklingssamarbete i Asien och Oceanien 2016-2021. Inom nuvarande strategi har Sida möjlighet att budgetmässigt förbinda sig fram till och med 2024. Samarbetspartnern uppfyller de juridiska kraven för att ingå ett avtal. 

Stödet till HRSD bygger på synergier från de program som de tidigare divisionerna genomfört. HRSD:s Business Plan 2021-2025 har utvecklats för att svara på förändringar i kontexten, inklusive covid-19 pandemins påverkan och klimatkrisen.  Planen bygger på samlade erfarenheter från SPC, SPC:s medlemmar, civilsamhället, och andra implementerande partners. Framtagandet har skett genom genom konsultationer, oberoende utvärderingar och granskningar av  prioriterade arbetsområden. 

En särskild prioritering som det svenska stödet bidrar till är HRSD:s arbete med att integrera jämställdhet och mänskliga rättigheter (HRBA) i allt SPCs arbete, med hjälp av verktyg som P.L.A.N.E.T (Participation, Links to human rights, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment, Transparency) och People Centered Approach (PCA). HRSD samarbetar med andra tekniska och vetenskapliga avdelningar vid SPC i samfinansierade projekt, samt assisterar fiskeriprogram (så som Sida-stödda PEUMP) och klimatprogram i design, implementering och uppföjning. Insatsen ger  ambassaden en strategisk ingångspunkt för att engagera unga människor i Oceanien, vilket är relevant då de är centrala intressenter och drivare av utvecklingsprocesser.

I sitt programförslag har HRSD sammanfattat utvecklingsproblemet i Stillahavsregionen, vilket inkluderar den påverkan som klimatkrisen och covid-19 pandemin har på redan sårbara samhällen. En ökning av människor som lever i fattigdom förutspås, och i flera av samhällets grupper är kvinnor och barn särskilt utsatta. Pandemin har orsakat ett ökat våld mot kvinnor och flickor (VAWG) samtidigt som det sociala skyddsnätet är begränsat. Det finns ett stort behov att stärka en god samhällsstyrning och verka för ett meningsfullt deltagande av det civila samhället för att säkerställa att covid-19-återhämtningen inkluderar såväl sociala dimensioner av hållbarhet som ekonomiska och miljömässiga. Att 'bygga tillbaka bättre' och hitta hållbara lösningar är av högsta relevans. Återkoppling från SPC:s medlemmar visar att regeringar i Oceanien också behöver ökad tillgång till disaggregerad data och statistik för att via sociala trygghetssystem bättre nå människor som lever i särskild utsatthet. The purposes of the HRSD Business Plan are: 

• to detail HRSD's key functions and strategies to progress ongoing and emerging human rights and social development priorities in the region;
• to detail HRSD's role in supporting SPC to strengthen its people-centred and culturally responsive work; and
• to outline transitional activities that HRSD will undergo over its first 12 months as a newly-merged division, and to align with an SPC-wide transition to a new strategic plan.

HRSD's vision is: 

"Our vision is for just, equitable and resilient Pacific Island societies. This will be achieved by advancing human rights, gender equality and social inclusion for all Pacific people, grounded in cultural values and principles, and people-centred approaches."

The HRSD Business Plan is built around four objectives, connected to SPCs Development Objective 6 (Advance social development through the promotion of human rights, gender equality, cultural diversity and opportunities for young people):

1. Governance and institutional strengthening: Strengthen inclusive, transparent and responsive governance and institutions for human rights and social development

1.1: State laws, policies and institutions are strengthened to serve the rights of all people

1.2: Civil society (including women and young people) have the capacity and positioning to influence policies and programmes

1.3 Regional leadership improves implementation of human rights and social development priorities at a national level. 

2. Equality and social inclusion: Mobilise, empower and build conditions for gender equality and social inclusion in society and development

2.1 Services and programmes target and respond to the needs of the most marginalized (especially in EVAWG, climate change and disaster response).

2.2 Skills and opportunities grow for income generation and sustainable livelihoods among women, young people, artists and cultural producers 

2.3 More communities and leaders advocate for human rights, gender equality and non-violence 

3. Culture: Promote, preserve and protect positive expressions of culture

3.1 Cultural knowledge is protected and dynamic in development policy/programming

4. Knowledge and innovation: Accelerate the impact of human rights and social development priorities through knowledge, learning and innovative solutions. 

4.1 Human rights and social development knowledge is used to inform national policies and development programmes