INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day, every March 8, is a time for people in Solomon Islands and across the Pacific region to celebrate the progress made towards gender equality.

It’s a day to commit ourselves to redouble our efforts to achieve equal access for Pacific women to education, employment, health, leadership, prosperity and other opportunities – and to realise the rights and benefits that women’s empowerment brings to women and girls, to their communities and nations.

We celebrate the courage and determination of women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their Pacific countries and communities, including our women leaders who make a daily impact in their families, villages, businesses, workplaces, marketplaces, cities and nations.

And we acknowledge the strong commitment by Pacific governments, community organisations and the dedicated and talented women activists and leaders, who are all working to advance gender equality across the Pacific region – to ensure women enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men.

Although there is much to celebrate, March 8 is also a day to reflect and to recognise that we have a long journey ahead to realise empowerment, safety and equality for women in the Pacific.

Notable achievements to close the gap in gender equality in the Pacific include the fact that there are now more girls then ever enrolled in schools and graduating. There are more women running businesses, and women taking up senior professional roles. Another big achievement in recent years was the passing of legislation to protect women and girls from domestic violence.

Despite these gains, there is still a lot of work ahead. While women are increasingly active in the business sector, they are still more likely to be in low wage or unpaid family employment. Higher female enrolment and more female graduates in education has yet to translate to equal numbers of women professionals and leaders. The Pacific still has the lowest global percentages of women in leadership roles including the world’s lowest overall average of women in parliament at only 15 percent. And although women are now more protected by domestic violence laws passed in 10 Pacific States between 2008 and 2014, still, the Pacific still has twice the global average of violence against women. Violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights, which threatens to stop women achieving their potential and limits the development of their family, community and nation.

We have significant work to do to ensure women’s rights and improve gender equality across the Pacific region.

Today I am heartened to see that the commitment and dedication to this work in the Pacific continues to escalate with more new initiatives evolving to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors.

VAWG is a significant barrier for women and girls in completing education, taking up professional roles and realising their goals. As such it is a key factor in closing the gender gap and improving the lives of not only women and girls, but their families, communities and nations.

And we know now that closing the gender gap is not only a basic human right, but it also makes the best economic sense. Research and statistics clearly indicate that improving gender equality not only improves the lives of women and girls but also generates significant economic benefits for nations and the Pacific region. Global data indicates that if we invested equally into women in the economy, the world economy could gain $US28 trillion dollars by 2025 .

As Pacific nations move progressively towards closing the gap in gender equality and ensuring all our population – both women and men – are able to participate and contribute equally to community decisions and development, then we’ll see commensurate improvements in the Pacific’s overall development and the quality of life for our wonderful women and our girls.

Let us use this International Women’s Day to reflect on our progress in the Pacific but to also prepare for the ongoing challenges ahead. There is still much work to be done to come close to achieving gender equality for the women and men of the Pacific. The time is now.

By Aleta Miller,

Representative of the UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO), Fiji

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case against three individuals alleged to have involved in fraud activities will be mentioned today at the Honiara Magistrate Court.

Gordon Mark, Nelson Maeta and John Nelson Ross were charged in relation to an incident in 2011 in Honiara.

The allegation said between November 1 and 30, 2011 the two accused and other men obtained more than $300,000 by selling the victim fake gold bars.

Police alleged the men approached the victim, Hypolite Taremae, who is the former Minister of Truth Reconciliation and Peace, at his office at the Anthony Saru Building.

Police said that the men went to see the victim with the intention to obtain money through false pretence and also lure him into believing their made-up stories.

The men and others allegedly told Mr Taremae that they were from Weather-coast in Guadalcanal, and in the coming days a reconciliation ceremony will take place in their village but they did not have enough money.

It was at that time they showed a picture of a gold bar to Taremae which they claimed to be in their possession, Police said.

They allegedly said they have some gold bars which were stolen by the former Guadalcanal war-lord Harold Keke that was taken from the former Ross Mining during the height of the ethnic tension.

The men also allegedly showed Taremae a certification letter from the Director of Mines that confirmed that the gold bars were gold and worth six million dollars.

Having heard from the accused and seen all the documents, Taremae was convinced.

Then on various occasions between July and November 2011, the accused men allegedly handed Taremae three gold bars in return they received $300,000.

The victim however, later found that the men lied to him and he took the “gold bars” to a dealer who confirmed they were fakes.

The bars were made from lead metal and painted with gold colour paint.

It was also alleged that the men threatened the case officer who was investigating their case that they will shoot him with a gun.

The allegation further said that the men claimed that they still have guns and will hunt for the case officer everywhere and will kill him.

BY MAVIS NSIHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE Australian Government promises support to Solomon Islands in its journey to press for progress toward increased gender quality.

This was according to the Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Roderick Brazier yesterday in Honiara.

He said it was known that gender inequality has widespread with high rates of domestic violence in Solomon Islands.

“We all know that gender in equality is widespread in Solomon Islands shown in the high rates of domestic violence and constrained economic opportunities for women,” said Mr Brazier.

However the team for this year’s international Women’s Day Press for progress, gender equality captures this well.

Moreover the same statement was highlighted during last year’s commemoration of the International Rights Day which was part of last year’s 16 days of activism he (Brazier) joined with Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela and Deputy Prime Minster Manasseh Sogavare, development partners, community leaders and many chief executive officers (CEOs), they publicly pledged that together they will uphold a promise regarding the zero tolerance of violence against women.

These include zero tolerance of violence against women and girls in the home, the workplace and within communities.