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Congress hosts population and development workshop in Palikir

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Congress): May 6, 2010 - A three-day workshop under the banner of the Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance (PLPG) is currently underway in Palikir hosted by the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia to address issues of population and development.

The workshop is sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and facilitated by Tangata Vainerere, Coordinator of the PLPG Secretariat to provide participants with an overview of the PLPG itself along with discussions that examine the various components of the PLPG, especially the Parliamentary Group projects and the Pacific Parliamentarian Champions program. These components are examined within the context of the issues of: HIV/AIDS, Youth, Climate Change, Gender and Governance.

It is expected that the workshop would establish a Federated States of Micronesia Parliamentary Group on Population and Development with a Work Plan for 2010 to be developed and approved.

Another facet of the workshop is to sensitize parliamentarians on the four thematic areas that have been identified through the annual PLPG meetings, the areas of note are: HIV/AIDS, Youth, Climate Change, Gender and Governance.

Participants include members of the FSM Congress, members of Pohnpei State Legislature, Kosrae State Legislature along with representatives from various municipal governments in Pohnpei. Representatives from the non-governmental organizations based in Pohnpei along with various stakeholders are also at and part of the workshop.

Day One of the workshop created a special working group to develop the FSM Work Plan 2010 which would establish the direction and set up goals that the FSM Parliamentarians would undertake in order to meet and address the PLPG Strategic Plan 2008-2010. A plan that declares to be "Engaging Pacific Legislators in advocacy to improve the living standards, security, governance and well being of people in the Pacific through quality democratic governance."

The special working group is Chaired by Senator Magdalena Walter from the Pohnpei State Legislature with membership comprised of representatives from both the parliaments and the civil societies. Outcome from the special working group will be the guiding mechanism for the parliaments in the FSM to fulfill its national mandate as a member of the Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance.