People living in remote communities in Tonga are expected to have better access to a range of social support services when teams are mobilized there under a pilot mobile service launched on February 5.

The mobile service, called “Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion” (REACH) is led by the Government of Tonga with support from UN Women and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 

Support services will include a youth program, registration for labour mobility and seasonal workers scheme, women’s livelihood assessments and microenterprise, community development grants, registration for the Electoral Roll, national ID, family protection, legal aid and police services, support services for women, and men and families. Information will be disseminated about citizen’s rights and gender equality.

Minister for Internal Affairs Hon Saia Piukala said government is committed to reaching out to people who need their services most but face difficulties in accessing them for various reasons, including children, youth, elderly, persons with disabilities, women and men. 

“Through the REACH initiative we aim to enhance more inclusive delivery of our service provision. Using the mobile service delivery platform, we also aim to increase the awareness of people on government’s support services for vulnerable groups, and strengthen gender equality in our society.”

Filipe Nayacalevu, REACH focal point from Fiji’s Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation said this service has been successful in Fiji after its launch in 2015.

The launch set up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is followed by a three-day workshop to develop a locally designed approach to REACH that best suits Tonga, and to overcome geographical and social barriers that people face on accessing local services.

UN Women, UNDP, and Fiji REACH team members will carry out the workshop. 

The pilot program which started from October 19, 2018 to May 31, 2019 has a total budget of around US$165,000 for Tonga and Samoa.