| PUBLICATIONS |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Strategic Plan 2004 - 2006
Human rights for everyone - one nation, many peoples
Introduction
Vision and Mission
Goals
ObjectivesObjectives and Activities: Goal One
Objectives and Activities: Goal Two
Objectives and Activities: Goal Three
Introduction
This strategic plan sets out the Vision of the Fiji Human Rights Commission and our Mission. It also articulates the Goals we have prioritised for the next three years and the Objectives we have set ourselves to reach those Goals.
We began this process in April 2000 and by the end of the month had developed a detailed draft strategic plan. However, the events of 19 May intervened, setting back human rights immeasurably in our country and diverting us from our long-term planning. It is only now, in November, that we have been able to return to complete the exercise in the light of changed circumstances.
We are a new institution for Fiji. One of our first responsibilities is to let people know what we can do in the human rights field. Just as importantly, people need to know what we cannot do. But first we must develop the ability to fulfill our responsibilities. This means that we have in some respects emphasised building up our own capacity before undertaking the full breadth of our legal mandate. We have also identified particular priorities for the first three years. However, this does not mean that other human rights issues will be ignored by the Commission. Specifically, we have a legal responsibility to investigate and conciliate complaints about violations of human rights and unfair discrimination and will be giving proper consideration to every complaint we receive, no matter what human rights it is based on.
One of our important values is transparency. We began developing our strategic plan by consulting both civil society and the government sector. This was to identify what our stakeholders considered we should be giving priority to. We had many helpful suggestions and appreciate those people and organisations who assisted us. We have recently repeated these consultations, to take account of the prevailing political context. Of course, ultimately it is the Commission which must decide where our priorities should lie. Nor could every expectation expressed to us possibly be met given the limited resources at our disposal. It may be possible to address some of these hopes in the years to come, or even before then. We plan to keep this document under regular review so that it accurately reflects the human rights issues of the moment.
During our planning we undertook an examination of the environment in which we operate as an organisation. We noted, for example, the widening racial divide as ALTA leases expire over the next few years and exacerbated by the events of May 19 and 3 November. We noted, too, the current lack of leadership in the race relations field which has doubtless contributed to an environment in which the attempted coup could be presented as a conflict of races. We have resolved to make moderating the racial divide a priority area. To begin with, we will appoint a staff member with a specific race relations focus and with responsibility for developing a race relations strategy for the Commission.
We have noted too the economic setbacks resulting not just from the attempted coup but from globalisation. These have had the greatest impact on the most disadvantaged and discriminated-against sectors. Economic pressures could also make it difficult to secure the increases in state funding the Commission will need to undertake its full responsibilities in the years ahead.
The Commission has a responsibility to educate the interim administration and future governments about the Commission's role and how it can assist the government to adopt policies which fully take into account human rights implications. We have encountered a perception among some in power that the Commission has had a focus on the rights of women and sexual minorities. However, the Commission's role is a great deal wider than these issues. It includes other civil and political rights. It also includes economic and social human rights. For the similar reasons, the Commission intends to include politicians in its education programmes so that they understand the human rights constraints on their powers.
Human rights training for the mass media will be another priority for the Commission. A free press can undertake much to protect those whose human rights are under threat. There is a feeling in civil society that editors and reporters could benefit from a raised awareness of human rights issues. Indeed, there is support for this within the industry itself.
This is the Fiji Human Rights Commission's second three year strategic plan. Final and mid-term reviews of the first plan, undertaken independently, have told us that we have made good progress in developing the organisation into a credible, effective and efficient human rights watchdog. We are told that we have developed the confidence of our stakeholders. Our challenge now is to fulfill the expectations we have raised.
Our first plan (2001 - 2003) covered what we have called our Capacity Development Phase. The next three years, those covered by this new plan, are our Consolidation Phase. After that we expect an Expansion Phase (2007 - 2009) as we build on six years of institutional development.
While the new Strategic Plan covers three years of consolidation, we realize that much of our focus will involve further capacity development - our middle managers have been in place less than eighteen months and some of their staff less than that. Staff development will need to be a priority if we are to improve our capacity to fulfill our mandate and the meet the needs of those who rely on us for their human rights protection.
We have retained the format of the previous strategic plan since it worked well for us and we are familiar with how it functions. Our long-term goals remain very similar to those identified in the first plan. What has changed are the Objectives (most of the objectives in the first plan having been achieved) and the Activities we will undertake in order to reach the Objectives.
We have developed this plan in consultation with as many of our stakeholders as we were able to contact. It will be adjusted annually to reflect changes in our working environment and human rights priorities and we encourage feedback on it at any time.
We hope our plan receives wide dissemination and discussion. We would welcome feedback and relevant comments.
VISION AND MISSION
These define our ambitions as an organisation. We will use them as our long-term inspiration. We hope they enable you, our stakeholders in the community (civil society) or in the official sector, to understand what we see as the prime reason for our existence.
OUR VISION OUR MISSION
Human rights for everyone - one nation, many peoples To take a leading role in the protection and promotion of the human rights of the people of the Fiji Islands;to build and strengthen a human rights culture in the Fiji Islands
Back to the top
GOALS
In our goals we have identified our desired results. These are what we are aiming at in the long term. They are unlikely to be reached quickly, and certainly not in the life of this Strategic Plan. Yet defining our goals enables us to ensure that our Objectives and the Activities based on them create a common direction for all the Commission's staff, no matter what part of the Commission's functions we are concentrating on at any one time. They ensure we are all working in unison.
-
GOAL ONE:
A just society which upholds the rule of law and where everyone is aware of, and can realise and defend, thier rights under the Bill of Rights, the Human Rights Commission Act and the Internatinal Human Rights Covenants. -
GOAL TWO:
Healthy race relations and the elimination of all forms of discrimination. -
GOAL THREE:
A Commission that is well-known and respected; dynamic; productive; effective; efficient; operating within budget; professional; transparent; accountable; ethical; client oriented; accessible and with a culture of working with other organisations.
Back to the top
OBJECTIVES
The Objectives we have identified are the means of reaching our destinations (goals). We have endeavoured to make these as specific as possible. This is to ensure that our progress towards them can be measured objectively. We think they are achievable and realistic and in our operational plan we have set out clear timeframes and performance indicators for their achievement. This enables us - and you our stakeholders - to measure our effectiveness.