Welcome to the Population Unit

The Population Unit is committed to advancing social development through comprehensive research, policy formulation, and strategic collaboration. Our focus is on ensuring that demographic factors, gender issues, and public health considerations, particularly regarding HIV/AIDS, are integrated into national development strategies.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create and promote informed, research-based policies that address the population dynamics of our country, ensuring sustainable social development for all citizens. We aim to:

• Formulate and analyze effective national social development policies
• Ensure alignment of development strategies with population and health issues
• Foster collaboration with NGOs and civil society for inclusive development

Key Functions

1. Policy Formulation and Review
   • We formulate, review, and analyze national social development policies, leveraging research-oriented activities to inform our approaches.
   • Our team ensures that all development policies, plans, and strategies consider population, gender, and HIV/AIDS issues, establishing necessary linkages.
2. Monitoring and Evaluation
   • We develop effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess social development programs.
   • Our focus on result-based practices helps us review development policies and strategies for ongoing improvement.
3. Research and Recommendations
   • Our unit initiates and carries out research on emerging social development issues, providing valuable insights for policy adjustments.
   • We propose recommendations to update and refine policies, strategies, and programs as necessary, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.
4. Collaboration and Partnerships
   • We promote an active collaboration process with NGOs and civil society organizations, fostering partnerships that enhance social development efforts.
   • Our collaborative approach includes working with other divisions of the department and engaging with national and international partners.
5. Data Management
   • We develop, maintain, and update a national database on relevant social development issues, facilitating access to critical information.
   • Our analysis of population trends in Seychelles provides insights into their implications for future development challenges.

Current Projects

• Seychelles Population Trends Study: An in-depth examination of current demographic trends and their implications for social and economic development.
• HIV/AIDS Integration Initiative: A program aimed at ensuring that HIV/AIDS considerations are effectively integrated into all development policies and strategies.
• Collaborative Network Development: Establishing a framework for stronger partnerships with NGOs and civil society to address pressing social development issues.

The Population Unit teams up with national government agencies and minsitries, NGOs, and local communities to address population issues effectively.

The Unit collaborates with International partners, organizations, agencies, and networks that focus on demographic research, policy development, and social development.

Our key international partners:

1. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): Focuses on reproductive health, gender equality, and population issues globally.
2. World Health Organization (WHO): Works on health-related population issues, including maternal and child health, and communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS.
3. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Advocates for children’s rights and welfare, including issues related to population and social development.
4. World Bank: Provides funding and expertise for population and development projects, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
5. International Organization for Migration (IOM): Focuses on migration issues and their implications for population dynamics.

We are also part of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which was first held in Cairo in 1994, a landmark event that significantly shaped global population and development policies. The conference brought together representatives from 179 countries, including government officials, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies, to discuss issues related to population, reproductive health, and sustainable development.

Key Outcomes and Themes

1. Program of Action: The ICPD resulted in a comprehensive Program of Action that emphasized the importance of individual rights and empowerment, particularly regarding reproductive health and family planning. It shifted the focus from population control to the well-being of individuals.
2. Reproductive Health and Rights: The conference highlighted the need for universal access to reproductive health services, including family planning, maternal health care, and education about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS.
3. Gender Equality: The ICPD emphasized the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women as essential for sustainable development. It called for the elimination of gender-based discrimination and violence.
4. Sustainable Development: The conference linked population dynamics to sustainable development, recognizing that population issues are intertwined with environmental, economic, and social factors.
5. Focus on Adolescents: The ICPD acknowledged the specific needs of adolescents, promoting education and access to health services to ensure a healthy transition to adulthood.
6. Collaboration and Partnerships: The ICPD encouraged partnerships between governments, civil society, and international organizations to achieve its goals.

Legacy

The ICPD laid the groundwork for subsequent international agreements and initiatives, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also reinforced the importance of integrating population issues into national policies and development plans.

The conference’s emphasis on human rights, reproductive health, and gender equality continues to influence global and national policies today, making it a pivotal moment in the discourse on population and development.

Thank you for visiting the Population Unit. Together, we can address the challenges and opportunities presented by our population dynamics, ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for all!

Contact Us

For inquiries, partnerships, or more information about our work, please reach out:

Gerald Kiwale
Principal Research Officer                                  
Oliaji Trading Centre
Room 102
Victoria

Gerarld.Kiwale@gov.sc

Phone: +2482724073
Office: +248 43979655

Fabienne Fardial
Senior Research Officer
Oliaji Trading Centre
Room 102
Victoria

Fabienne.fardial@gov.sc
Phone: +2482722978
Office: +248 43979655