The South Pacific Games (SPG) has not been just about putting on the best sporting event in the Pacific for the United Nations (UN).
The UN has been using the Games in order to promote the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) through different initiatives.
The MDG have been promoted vigorously throughout SPG but four were focused on in particular under the campaign named “Achieve the Dream 2015!”
The first, MDG eight is to “develop global partnerships for development”, began even before the sporting event was opened
A partnership between the UN and the South Pacific Games Authority was finalised with the signing of a contract for sponsorship, making the UN “Friends of the Games”.
Ms Naheed Haque, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Apia, was excited and grateful of the partnership which is now officially in place.
She expressed that the Government of Samoa, South Pacific Games Authority (SPGA) and the United Nations have a “close association”.
“We [the UN] are very grateful for all their support,” Ms. Haque explained, in particular she thanked the Prime Minister, Hon. Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi for his personal support for the UN.
Partnerships
With the sponsorship of two big scoreboards for the Games by the UN, SPGA have broadcasted the final week of events to screens, for the general public to view the activities.
However, not only events and results have been posted on the scoreboards, they also displayed messages relating to MDG’s and information on how each country involved in SPG is doing in achieving the eight goals by 2015.
Because of the relationship between the UN and the Government of Samoa, the UN were able to increase awareness of the seven other MDG’s during the games, not just to Samoan’s but to other members of the Pacific Island’s as well who could then take the messages to friends and family back home.
As well as sponsorship, the UN has also offered staff members to help out the SPGA; a special Communications Team was set up within the UN, directed by UNESCO Communications Advisor and Chairman for the UN Communications team, Abel Cain.
The team has continually been active within the SPGA, giving up their time to assist them with their media advertisements.
The media advertisements will promote not only SPG activities but the MDG’s as well.
Environment
A second partnership was formed between the UN, Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in order to help achieve MDG seven, “ensure environmental sustainability”.
The UN has reported that Samoa is in doubt of achieving this goal by 2015 but the three organisations are still working hard at doing so.
A clean and green campaign was widely promoted during the South Pacific Games, this focused on encouraging people to put their rubbish in the bins provided and getting everyone, including athletes and spectators to come and plant a tree in the Tuanaimato National Park.
Reigning Miss South Pacific of the Cook Islands and the Norfolk Island Netball Team are just some of the personalities who have taken part in this campaign by planting their own trees.
The organisations have had an impressive partnership in the past, which shows how all of the MDG’s interconnect.
Other environmental projects they have worked together on include the planting and clearing up of Mangroves around the back of parliament on World Environmental Day.
This was important as the Mangroves can protect the seawalls from high winds a rising sea levels.
During the tree planting, anybody in that area will be encouraged to come and plant a tree.
Trees help decreased the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
One of SPREP and UN’s major concerns is that the Pacific releases the least amount of green house gases but will be the most effected by climate change.
The planting of trees is just one initiative focused on during the South Pacific Games, many more are sure to follow.
One other way of cutting CO² Gas emissions is through the scoreboards.
Ms. Haque has confirmed that the scoreboards will use solar power instead of electricity.
Safe Sex, HIV/AID’s and the Prevention of Diseases
MDG six to eradicate HIV/AID’s and other diseases can also co-inside with MDG seven.
The UN and SPREP has shown this by making it aware that rubbish breeds mosquito’s which are the main cause of the spread of serious disease such as Malaria and Dangue Fever.
However, under MDG six the main focus is eradicating HIV/AID’s as they are a major killer in the world and although it is not yet a big problem in the Pacific, the UN believes if we do not start prevention now the disease could soon become out of control.
Many people may believe that HIV/AID’s is not a major problem in Samoa and the Pacific, however, Ms. Haque has previously said, “We have to be very careful in order to keep it that way so it doesn’t become an epidemic.”
Ms. Margaret O’Callihan, a Consultant to UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) also reiterated Ms. Haque’s comments when she was in Samoa conducting a workshop creating awareness about the deadly disease.
“We are on the tip of an ice-berg,” she explained, “People think that there is no problem but if we do not control it there will be.”
The Safe Games Campaign has been set up by various non-government and government organisations in order to prevent the spread of STI’s and HIV/AID’s during the Games, especially in the areas of which the athletes’ villages are located.
The UN plays a major role in this campaign along side the Samoa AIDS Foundation, Ministry of Health and the Samoa Red Cross Society.
The campaign composes of many different elements which include, talking to villages to ensure they are knowledgeable regarding safe sex and giving the athletes’ a “safe sex pack” when they arrived to their village.
The UN ordered in 50’000 male and female condoms for the athlete packs and for distribution at the games, however, unfortunately the SPGA removed the female condoms for reasons unknown.
Nevertheless, athletes still received their male condoms and information on safe sex, STI’s and HIV/AID’s.
Safe sex tents have also been set up at the markets outside the government building and at the complexes for anyone needing any information regarding the diseases.
Promoting safe sex has become a big focus in Samoa recently with many workshops being held with people of all ages and sexes.
MDG six is not all about HIV/AID’s though, Ms. Haque also pointed out health problems such as diabetes and obesity are becoming a crisis in Samoa and really need to be looked into as well.
“The real problems are Diabetes, Heart Attacks and Obesity.”
It is hoped that the SPG will help encourage people to get out their and become active in order to cut down these rates in Samoa.
“It (SPG) is very good for people’s health; it encourages people to keep healthy.”
Women in “Men’s” Sports
Gender Equality is a major issue in the Pacific and many other parts of the world with a lot of women not being able to work in “men’s” professions.
The Multi Country Programme Document prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) states that Samoa is potentially on the way to achieving this goal.
MDG three states to “promote gender equality and empower women”.
Women had a strong role to play in the XIII South Pacific Games with many women competing in sports traditionally seen as men’s sports.
This was shown through the Weightlifting team and other sporting events Samoa is competing in.
Weightlifting is increasing becoming popular for women to compete in which was shown by Gold medallist siblings Mary and Ele Opeloge.
Ele Opeloge is also one of the United Nations MDG Champions.
Ms. Haque expressed it is highly important to have women in sports and she commended the large number of women athletes who participated in the SPG.
She was particularly pleased of the role women played in the opening ceremony, with top female athletes from Samoa carrying in the important South Pacific Games flag.
Other females that made her proud were the women behind the scenes at SPG; Ms. Haque noted that women played a strong role on the management side within the SPGA and shown by the number of female officials.
Also mentioned was the young girl who performed in the fire dancing at the Opening Ceremony, traditionally a male role.
Ms. Haque added on by saying that it is very important for young women to have role models which are different for each woman.
“It (SPG) showed that women can do anything, they can be a housewife and bring up a family, or they can combine that with being a sportsperson.
“SPG showed that women can be anything, they can be Weightlifters, Athletes or Swimmers.
“… and it inspires young women that they do not have to follow the traditional role.”
Children, Mothers, Education and Poverty
The final four MDG’s were not as widely promoted as the goals mentioned above, however, the UN did make sure people became aware of all eight goals.
Samoa has or is close to achieving all of the final four goals.
MDG one “Eradicate Poverty”, MDG two “Primary Education for all”, MDG four “Reduce child mortality” and MDG five “Improve maternal health”.
According to the document prepared by the UNDP Samoa has already achieved MDG number four and five, is on target to achieve MDG one and could potentially achieve MDG two.
On the other hand other countries in the South Pacific are much further away at achieving the goals than Samoa is and that is one of the reasons the UN wanted to have such a big presence in the South Pacific Games.
Earlier Ms. Haque said the Games is going to be a great opportunity for the UN bodies to promote the goals and let the athletes tourists and officials know and understand the goals.
She previously mentioned, the messages will be used to educate and inform the public on their countries status in order for them to ask their leaders, “why hunger?” “why child mortality?”
“We want thousands of young people to understand the messages and go back to their respective countries and talk about the MDG’s.
“We want them to ask, ‘why are we doing what we are doing?’”.
It is hoped that the athletes will go back to their respective countries and ask their Governments, Communities and Schools what they can do to help their country ‘Achieve the Dream 2015!”.
The Millennium Development Goals are eight goals set out set out by the United Nations in a Millennium Declaration which was signed 189 UN Member States including Samoa and a number of other Pacific Islands.
The UN in Samoa is working with the Government of Samoa to do all it can to achieve the goals by 2015.
It is very important that the UN works with the Government and different Ministries to get the people of Samoa involved to “Achieve the Dream 2015!”
In the words of Kofi Annan, “It is not at the Un that the MDG’s will be achieved. They have to be achieved by the efforts of Government and peoples.”
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South Pacific Games 2007 
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