Through Pacific Women, the Australian Government has allocated $5.1 million over 10 years (2012–2022) to initiatives supporting women’s empowerment in Nauru.
Country Plans are the mechanism through which Pacific Women outcomes and activities are planned and agreed between DFAT and counterpart governments, following extensive national consultations. They provide detail on what will be funded and how these funding decisions are made. The first Nauru Country Plan was developed during a design mission that coincided with missions by the Pacific Community and the Asian Development Bank in March 2014. Consultations were held with the Government of Nauru, civil society, district level leaders, local businesses and faith-based organisations.
A mid-term review of the Nauru Country Plan took place in 2017. The findings from the review noted that there has been an improvement in outcomes, due largely to changes in policy, legislation, referral and supportive systems. The review also identified gaps which have been addressed in the revised Country Plan.
The second Nauru Country Plan (2018–2022) was developed during an aligned mission with UN Women and was finalised in 2018. Australia’s Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston and Nauru’s Minister for Education, Health, Home Affairs and Land Management, the Hon Charmaine Scotty jointly launched the Second Nauru Country Plan on 5 September 2018.
Activities under the second Country Plan include engaging a Psychosocial Counsellor through the Pacific Women Support Unit to handle cases of domestic violence and prevention. The Country Plan also supports activities to strengthen the role of the health sector in identifying and supporting victims of violence and gender mainstreaming support for DFAT’s programs in Nauru.
In addition to Pacific Women, DFAT makes an important contribution to gender equality in Nauru through mainstreaming gender outcomes in the aid program, as well as through political, diplomatic and corporate activities.
