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Civil
Society Workshop for Indian Ocean Islands on Democratic Governance
and Sustainable Development
A
workshop for civil society representatives from Indian Ocean islands
was held in Seychelles 26-30 January 2004. Civil society representatives
from Mauritius, Rodrigues, Chagos refugee groups from Mauritius,
and Seychelles attended. The workshop focused on democratic governance
and sustainable development in small islands. The workshop agenda
included a wide variety of topics ranging from sustainable tourism
to spiritual education, and from population policy to climate
change. Organised by a non-governmental organization, the Centre
for Rights and Development (CEFRAD),
and supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat and other organizations,
participants to the workshop developed a list of issues where
further work was necessary. The list was wide ranging, covering
areas such as small business and education, as well as the rights
of women and the future of the Chagossian people. A proposal for
a Small islands Peace Action Initiative was considered. The workshop
provided material for the 2004 review of the Barbados Programme
of Action for Small Island Developing States. Further information
about the outcome of the workshop is available in the Workshop
Communique.
Within
the framework of Small Islands Voice, a communications unit was
established within CEFRAD to facilitate online discussions prior
to the workshop and following the event.
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