In response to requests from member countries, SPC in collaboration with the Fiji Meteorological and Hydrological Service (FMHS) is arranging a regional hydrological services forum, to develop a workplan to frame a regional strategy and support national strategies for enhancing hydrological services in PICTs. The regional forum will recognise the critical importance of rivers, streams and groundwater resources in supporting development and contributing to climate and disaster resilience actions across sectors and the need for a strategy.

The purpose of the forum is to bring together Directors of national agencies that provide hydrological services and key national stakeholders, in addition to donors and development partners, CROP agencies, partners and technical agencies, to discuss the workplan to frame the development of a regional strategy and national strategies, and to also discuss key priorities and roles of national and regional hydrological services and identify strategies to address these priorities.

Additionally, recognising the underrepresentation of women in the water sector in the Pacific (and globally) and the Revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (‘The Declaration’), we propose to make provisions to ensure that women working in hydrology in the region have the opportunity to attend the Forum, and participate in sessions to identify ways to increase women’s participation in hydrological services.

This is in line with The Declaration, which states: 

 “accelerated actions and measures to strengthen the participation of all Pacific peoples, particularly women and girls in all their diversity, at all levels of leadership and decision making, and strengthen national       systems to promote and mainstream gender equality and inclusivity.” 
 

The meeting will be held in Novotel Hotel, Lami, Suva from the 18-20th of February, 2025