In an effort to provide efficient and effective services to the disadvantaged and women in the communities, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation has conducted a three days workshop to reflect on its achievements and reinforce strategies to address challenges.
The workshop was organised for some 50 social welfare officers and women interest officers at the Centre for Appropriate Technology Development (CATD) in Nadave. It provided a platform for these officers to reflect on their achievements in their respective divisions and to device strategies to address gaps in terms of social welfare and women development services of the Government.
During the official opening, Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni emphasized on the need for consistent resource management and performance monitoring to ensure that deliverables outlined in the ministry’s Annual Corporate Plan (ACP) were achieved on time.
Permanent Secretary Mr Govind Sami and Minister for Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni
“As mandated in Roadmap for Democracy, Sustainable Socio-Economic Development, Government’s major goal is to reduce poverty to a negligible level by 2015,” Dr Luveni said.
“My ministry has an important role to achieve this overarching vision through advancing gender equality and empowerment of women, assisting the poorest of the poor through poverty alleviation programs, ensure social justice and protection of the rights of women and children in the country .”
While the ministry was rewarded with the achievement award last year, she said the objective was for Fiji to set the benchmark in terms of social welfare services and women development in the Pacific.
Dr Luveni also reminded the staff on the need to adhere to Public Service Commission Code of Conduct, Ethics and Values.
“Government is committed to providing an accountable and transparent service as such all the social welfare clients have the right to enquire about their cases. The ministry will also participate in the 2012 Fiji Business Excellence Award and that will allow us to showcase our services to the private sectors as well,” the Minister said.
She said her Ministry would be strengthening the public-private partnership approach to achieve Government’s deliverables.
“A focus for this year is to strengthen the coordination and implementation of poverty reduction and women advancement programs with relevant stakeholders and also carry out assessment of the impacts of these programs,” Dr Luveni said.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for social welfare officers to learn about handling customer complaints and ensuring on the implementation and sustainability of income generating projects.
Participants at the workshop
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