EARTHLY NEWS
Small Islands Voice comes to Seychelles

Small Islands Voice (SIV) is a long-term project proposed by UNESCO's intersectoral platform for Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and Small Islands. The main aim of SIV is to promote participation of small island civil society in the Barbados + 10 review (10 years after the Barbados meeting in 1994 for Small Island Developing States) as well as in the sustainable development of their country.

SIV seeks to ensure that the voice of civil society on environment and development issues in Small Island Developing States constitutes a component of Barbados + 10 (2004) and that through a continuous feedback-driven mode, civil society's views become an effective catalyst for on-the-ground action up to and beyond 2004. The project was launched in March 2002 and will go on until 2004. The project is being coordinated by Mr. Rolph Payet and Mr. Alain De Comarmond of the Ministry of Environment.

Apart from Seychelles, islands from the Pacific and the Caribbean are also participating in the project, namely St. Kitts & Nevis, Bequia, Palau and the Cook Islands, more islands will be part of the project in 2003. Grassroots opinions on environment and development issues will be obtained through community-based activities and supported by radio, television and print media, and will be compiled in each island.

Several youth-related activities were organised in 2002. The Young Islanders Forum, an internet-based discussion forum, which saw the participation of Anse Royale Secondary School students, was started. This year, three more schools in Seychelles will be joining the forum. The students have the opportunity to discuss with their counterparts from the other islands of the world, environment and development issues. They are able to share ideas, discuss and learn about each other's way of living.

A mini workshop was organised with the youth workers to find out the most pressing issues facing the youth of today. These included sex, access to recreational activities and facilities, drugs and alcohol, employment, politics, culture, education and the environment. There was also a community survey that was carried out in October 2002, which saw the participation of over 50 youth volunteers doing the surveying on Mahe, Praslin and La Dique. Over 800 individuals were interviewed. The result of the survey is still being compiled. A second forum, Global Forum, which is an internet-based discussion forum for all age groups focusing on environment and development issues, is still ongoing. In November 2002, a youth representative, Ms Sabrina Marie, had the opportunity to participate in the project's inter-regional meeting which was held in Palau, Micronesia.

More activities will be organised in 2003, especially with the local media. The project has a website www.smallislandsvoice.org

Youth in Action Newsletter, 24 January 2003