05th December, 2019 The ADB Pacific Regional Department (ADB) in collaboration and partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Women’s Affairs and Gender Equality Division (WAGED), as part of the Project “Promoting Evidence –Based Policy Making for Gender Equity in the Pacific”, is hosting a one (1) day round-table consultative workshop, evidence-based policy making for gender equity, Thursday 5th December 2019 at the Tanoa Hotel, Nuku’alofa, Tonga. This Workshop is based on the Draft Tonga Gender Country Profile that is being developed.
The Draft Gender Country Profile has been in development since 2017 by ADB in consultation with relevant government ministries and NGO’s in Tonga. WAGED plays a supporting role to the ADB. This partnership between ADB and MIA/WAGED supports the National Outcome C of the Tonga Strategic Development Framework II (TSDF II), which strives for “A more inclusive, sustainable and empowering human development with gender equality”.
The Draft Gender Country Profile is based on the five (5) pillars of the TSDF II 2015-2025 (TSDF II) which includes the Economic Institutions, Social Institutions, Political Institutions, Infrastructure and Technology Inputs and lastly, the Natural Resources and Environment Inputs. The five (5) pillars are further cross referenced to the seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The aim of the Workshop is to develop and enhance national capacities in producing and using gender data and indicators; integrating gender statistics; data and analysis in work on gender and development; and to enhance the systematic use of evidence in decision-making. It also aims to conduct a needs assessment (current situation, desired situation, data gaps, capacity gaps and priorities) in developing and publishing a Tonga Gender Country Profile. The Workshop will provide a platform for stakeholders (government, NGOs and development partners) to discuss the draft Tonga Gender Country Profile and generate feedback, inputs and reflections from stakeholders on gender equity in Tonga.
At this stage, the Draft Gender Country Profile is a work in progress and once completed will continue to promote evidence-based policy making for gender equity in Tonga, and will strengthen the current national initiatives in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment which is under the mandate of the MIA/WAGED.
Thirty (30) workshop participants include government partners, policy makers, technical specialist and representatives from civil society organisations, private sector, professional associations, academia and internal aid agencies, are attending the workshop.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Internal Affairs