Pacific Islands Forum Secretarait
CROP Health and Population Working Group
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CROP HEALTH AND POPULATION WORKING GROUP

The SPOCC* Health Initiative, including the establishment of a Working Group (WG) on health, was an outcome of a decision taken by SPOCC in September 1997 following a WHO sponsored meeting for Pacific Directors and Ministers of Health in Rarotonga on the Healthy Islands approach

A paper was commissioned to summarise key regional health priorities and regional agency mandates; to assess areas of complementarity and overlapping priorities and to recommend strategies for future action. Following consultation with stakeholders, the first ‘SPOCC Health Sector Working Group’ meeting was held on 8 May 1998. That meeting amended the initial TOR and agreed to mechanisms for enhancing cooperation and coordination.

As a result of the Heads of SPOCC meeting in June 1998, the WG was renamed the Health and Population WG and an expanded TOR was proposed. In a report to CROP which also went to the Directors and Ministers of Health meeting in Madang in 2001, the specific objectives of the Health & Population Working Group were noted as:

  • determine areas of overlap, complementarity and gaps in the coverage of regional activities and initiatives.
  • procedures for enhancing coordination and cooperation through streamlining work programmes and joint programming; 
  • coordinate project formulation; information exchange; 
  • refine health and population sector strategy; 
  • list health priorities; 
  • review progress on regional activities; 
  • ensure priorities meet needs of and provide consistent advice and information to member governments.
Rationalising and rethinking the TOR

In 2004, it was agreed to rationalise and revise the TOR so that it matched what the Working Group was capable of doing. By this time, the Working Group had expanded to include CROP agencies, UN agencies, NGOs and donors who have common interests. This membership makes it a unique group. There is a clear move towards collaboration and consultation between different stakeholders, thus the WG has a very positive role to play.

As directed by Heads of CROP, the WG meets only once or twice a year, but it has achieved some significant successes. For example, the first Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS had its genesis in this Working Group.

While coordinating joint action is not always possible, information exchange is still seen to be important.

The Terms of Reference of the Working Group are:
The Health and Population Working Group shall: 

- Advocate and facilitate communications, cooperation and information on health and population issues between stakeholders. 

- Identify emerging and high priority health and population related issues which need the attention of leaders in Pacific Island countries and inform them through PIF meetings and other relevant meetings.  

- Facilitate the coordination of comprehensive response on emerging priority health and population issue as requested and/or directed by the PIF meetings and other relevant meetings. Examples: strategy papers, activity monitoring 

* SPOCC: South Pacific Organisations Coordinating Committee – the predecessor for the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP)
Member Countries Flags Australia Cook Islands FSM Fiji Kiribati Nauru New Zealand Niue Palau PNG RMI Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Vanuatu Tuvalu
©2008 Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat