The event brought together participants from 12 Pacific island states with representatives drawn from national media houses, regional bodies and schools of journalism and communication.

Over the five-day course, emphasis was placed on the role that media could play, in concert with other development partners, in drawing attention to national level challenges and successes in key social sectors, such as health and educational services. The <a target=_blank href="http://www.pacificinfo.org/">PacificInfo</a> online database, an initiative of the United Nations launched during the workshop, is expected to enhance this process.

PacificInfo provides a single access point to national MDGs data - for example school enrolment and access to maternal care - for 15 Pacific countries. It enables identification of trends and comparisons within and across the region and will support journalists in accessing data that contributes to better-quality reporting.

Gary Wiseman, Manager of the United Nations Development Programme's Pacific Centre, urged journalists to "increase reporting on the MDGs so that through increased information and advocacy the progress towards the achievement of the MDGs can be accelerated".

The Fiji and Samoa UNCT consists of 18 UN Agencies, including UNESCO, who collectively work with government and other stakeholders in 15 Pacific island states and territories to support socioeconomic development in the region. UNESCO serves as the chair of the UNCT communication and partnership group (CPG), which supports work around communication for development and advocacy.

For more information on the workshop please contact:

<li><a href="mailto:Shobhna.decloitre@undp.org">Shobhna Decloitre</a>, UNDP Pacific Centre.