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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dear Members, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Warm greetings,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) has commissioned an independent review of the Pacific Regional Framework on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PFRPD)
which has commenced this month and will be ongoing until November 2025. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Background:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">The PFRPD was endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2016 and is the only regional policy framework on disability inclusion. The Framework contextualises the Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to the Pacific and connects related international commitments to national level action. Further, it also provides a platform to support persons with disabilities through their representative organisations (OPDs), in line
with the key CRPD principle of ‘Nothing about us without us.’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Review:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">The conclusion of the PFRPD this year provides an important opportunity to review the progress of disability inclusion in the region, and to identify opportunities to strengthen
national efforts, and regional cooperation, that reflects the development context and aligns the next iteration of the Framework to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent (2050 Strategy). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">The Review will take place in two phases:
<u>Phase one (Review</u>) will comprise of a desktop review, interviews, and consultations, to evaluate the effectiveness, relevance, and impact of the PFRPD.
<u>Phase 2 (Realignment)</u> will focus on the development of the next iteration of the Framework, aligned to the 2050 Strategy. The Secretariat worked with the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) in the planning and coordination of this Review, and this will continue
throughout the review process. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by the end of November 2025. PIFS has worked with the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) in the planning and coordination of this Review, and this will continue throughout the review
process. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Review Team:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">In support of an objective review of the PFRPD and its related activities, the Secretariat has engaged an independent team from CBM Australia to undertake this work. The
team, comprising of Tamara Jolly (Head of Pacific Impact), Setareki Macanawai (Disability Inclusion Specialist), Simione Bula (Pacific Program Coordinator, Pacific Impact), and Lucy Daniel (Senior Advisor, Inclusion Advisory Group). The team will be reaching
out to stakeholders to request for survey feedback and/or to arrange hybrid consultations as part of Phase One of the Review.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Appreciate your usual support for the review process and engagement with the review team. Please do not hesitate to contact the PIFS social policy team for any questions:
<a href="mailto:social_policy@forumsec.org">social_policy@forumsec.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Kind regards. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:#156082;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Shweta Vandana | Public Relations and Communications Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Pacific Disability Forum</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Ground Floor, Kadavu House, Victoria Parade
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">|
</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">GPO Box 18458, Suva, Fiji |</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Tel: +679 331 2008 | Mob: +679 899 0134 |
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Email:
<a href="mailto:shweta.vandana@pacificdisability.org"><span style="color:#0563C1">shweta.vandana@pacificdisability.org</span></a> |
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Website</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">:
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><a href="http://www.pacificdisability.org/"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="color:black">www.pacificdisability.org</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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