Testimonies of SI women inspire Bougainville women in forum

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

In Bougainville

Some of the young women in Bougainville who participated on the forum.

STORIES of the struggles of women in the Solomon Islands have touched participants of a major young women forum underway in Bougainville, motivating many to continue striving to achieve their goals.

The shared stories are based on the works of women empowerment in areas of women leadership in politics and social and economic affairs in Solomon Islands.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Judith Oliver, Bougainville Women’s Federation BWF executive manager, she said it is good to have other young women leaders from Solomon Islands participating in the forum.

Ms Oliver said having Solomon Islands young female leaders participating in the weeklong meeting has positively impacted Bougainville young women through the presentations and experience made with regards to empowering young women to prepare them to lead future generations.

Theck Hakalitz, BWF board member, said the importance of involving young women from other Pacific nations is for all young women advocators across Bougainville to know about how other Pacific nations women organisations operate in achieving their objectives.

Hakalitz said that having heard of the stories from neighbouring nations is part of nurturing young women in Bougainville.

“This is because we want them to expose out and to know about pacific island nations with regards to their women movements,” she said.

Hakalitz adds they expect Pacific nations to share more on common issues affecting women and girls and youths across Bougainville and across the Pacific in any upcoming event for young women.

She said that she hopes this partnership of having other Pacific nations will continue in the future to help each other in combating common women and girls’ concerns together with international partners.

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