By Loretta B Manele

The International Women’s Day program kicked off on high note at the National Museum Auditorium yesterday.

This year’s theme for the three-day program is “Accelerate Action; For all women and girls. Rights, Equality and Empowerment”.

The program started with a word of prayer, a moment of silence to respect women who paved the way for others through their work and sacrifices and then guests delivered their speeches.

Speeches for the first day of the program were delivered by Kristina Sogavare, Vice President of NCW, Rod Hilton, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and finally, Freda Tuki, minister for Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) who officially opened the program.

There were also a number of stalls set up that either sold local delicious food or beautiful handmade accessories and locally themed clothes.

Women from different organizations and offices turned up to join the celebration.

They represented Rove Correctional Services, Telekom, Tourism Solomons, Public Service, Ports and Solomon Water to name a few.

A live band performing a number of songs was also a highlight of the day.

The event will continue until Thursday this week.

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By Loretta B Manele

There are certain essential perspectives that are key for growth in the community when it comes to uplifting women.

Kristina Sogavare, the Vice President for National Council of Women (NCW) highlighted this when she delivered her speech at the International Women’s Day event at the National Museum Auditorium yesterday.

She stressed that we have to look at actions that will uplift and include women in the community and encouragement for girls in the classroom.

Sogavare pointed out that this involves ensuring that women are given voices inside their communities such as in meetings and as teachers, making sure that girls are encouraged and inspired to pursue non-traditional career paths.

She said these are perspectives that are essential for growth in the community.

Sogavare went on to include policy makers.

“Policy makers and legislators, examine your work. Are your policies just and equitable for women in this nation?

Are you supporting initiatives to ensure gender equality such as reserved seating for women in parliaments and provincial assemblies?”

Sogavare said if we fail to honour and value women, we are failing to respect the very beings that brought us into the world.

In relation, she expressed that as women and girls, each day in every decision we make, we must ask ourselves if we are appreciating, respecting and honouring ourselves.

“To women of Solomon Islands, I say, you are the heartbeat of this nation. You are our strength. You are our resilience. You are our strong community.

You are the very reasons generations continue. Despite the challenges you face, you rise stronger and wiser and more determined than ever. So today we celebrate you.”

She stated that the National Council of Women pledges to work with stakeholders in this country and the government of Solomon Islands to create a world where women and girls are safe, valued and empowered.

Sogavare noted that we must remember that leadership and inclusion go hand in hand.

“By empowering women to lead and ensuring every single voice is heard, we can create a future where equality is not just a dream. It will become a reality.

On this International Women’s Day, let us stand together, united in our commitment to gender equality and empowerment for all women.”

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By Loretta B Manele

Today, Solomon Islands women continue to be underrepresented in decision-making roles.

Freda Tuki, minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) stressed on this whilst speaking at the first day of the International Women’s Day program at the National Museum Auditorium yesterday.

She said since 1978, only eight women have been elected to parliament and only 17 women have been elected to provincial assemblies since 1981.

Tuki stated that women’s voices are also missing from many decision-making boards and commissions and only 7% of women hold senior management roles like CEOs.

She added that only 23% of women are business owners with most of them being in entertainment and catering sectors.

Tuki mentioned that these issues are not just at the local level but also on the global level.

Moreover, she said the biggest barrier to women’s economic empowerment is their over-representation in unpaid care and domestic care.

“In the Solomon Islands, women work nine hours more than men on unpaid care work.”

She highlighted that Solomon Islands women have proven and played vital roles as peace builders and contributors to peace-building and conflict resolution, however are often unrecognized.

“The changing landscape of how women and girls experience peace and security, particularly in the context of increasing global shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, online harms and climate-induced conflicts disproportionately affect women.

In times of crisis, women, especially those in rural areas, take on additional burdens, including caregiving, managing sanitation and food security and helping their families cope with health challenges, including mental health.”

She emphasized that despite these challenges, women’s resilience and ability to adapt must be acknowledged and supported.

Tuki said to move forward, we need to change the way we have been doing things and that is to now act quickly and focus on making real, meaningful changes.

“We must commit or reaffirm our commitments to accelerate action through supporting policies that give women more opportunities to lead and make decisions, adopt affirmative actions to address the historic barriers women face in decision-making roles, including in earning, accessing and benefiting from natural resources.”

Tuki highlighted that in our homes, workplaces and communities, we can also accelerate action by speaking out against violence and harassment.

She also took the opportunity to thank both past and present governments for taking important steps to promote gender equality.

“Some of our key achievements include rectifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2023 and launching a related policy, conducting the Equality Insights Rabbit Study in 2022 to better understand poverty and inequality, expanding services for victims of gender-based violence to the provinces, the Solomon Islands government being one of the only governments to have both a Women’s Economic Empowerment National Action Plan and a National Women’s Financial Inclusion Strategy in place, and the development of more sectoral policies that support gender equality.”

Whilst officially opening the 3-day program, she announced the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy 2025-2030.

“I have the honour of announcing, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, the passage of the Ministry of Public Service, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy 2025-2030.”

Tuki furthered that this is a testament to the vision of the government to ensure the principle of non-discrimination, equal treatment and opportunities are practiced for the well-being of women, men and persons with disabilities employed in the public service and essentially a catalyst for people-centred development and gender mainstreaming across the public sector.

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By Loretta B Manele

Australia as Solomon Islands largest partner in supporting gender equality has announced a new investment for women and children.

Rod Hilton, Australian High Commissioner made the announcement on the first day of the International Women’s Day program at the National Museum Auditorium yesterday.

He expressed that he is very happy to announce the launch of Australia’s new investment for Solomon Islands which is “Advancing gender equality inside Solomon Islands”, an initiative that will go towards supporting gender equality in the country.

Hilton said Australia will invest 46 million dollars for a three-year period that will go towards fostering strong leaders and economic empowerment of Solomon Islands women and to tackle violence against women and children.

He highlighted that this new investment will help unleash women’s full economic potential, reduce violence against women and remove barriers for women in leadership, particularly in politics.

Hilton stressed that Australia will continue to work with its partners to take action in gender equality within women’s rights action movement such as in efforts to increase women’s political representation in Solomon Islands.

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-Alarming rate of online gender-based violence in Small Malaita and nearby communities of East and West Are’are: AHNRA report

-Nearly 90 percent youths, 63 percent women affected: Report

BY IRWIN ANGIKI

Online gender-based violence is high in Small Malaita and nearby communities of East and West Are’are as digital technology usage increases in the rural areas, a report launched yesterday has shown.

In what is regarded the first of its kind, the Apunepara Haamwaora Natural Resources Association (AHNRA), a community-based organisation in Small Malaita, released its research findings on communities in Small Malaita constituency and neighbouring communities of West and East Are’are constituencies.

As high as 88 percent of youths have experienced online gender-based violence (OGBV). 63 percent of women too have experienced the same.

Men are also exposed to cyber dangers, with 67 percent saying they have experienced OGBV.

In the research, OGBV includes: cyberstalking – verbal harassment, posting abusive information against each other on social media; doxxing – posting of personal information without consent online; sextortion – sharing nude images online which results in divorce, mental disturbance; malicious deep fake – bad and fake videos posted online to cause hate; argument – between social media groups and/or individuals; emotional abuse – something making them angry or sad.

Around 20 percent of youths and 15 percent of women do not know how to deal with OGBV, which researchers have acknowledged is a huge risk.

According to the research, dealing with OGBV include: ignoring perpetrators, refrain from social media platforms, notably facebook, blocking accounts and destroying the Sim card, talk to teachers and family members about OGBV, avoid sharing phones with others passwords to social media accounts, seeking reconciliation from community leaders, pay compensation, seeking advice from experienced mobile and internet users, adhere to community by-laws and guidelines, counselling services, awareness from village leaders and police.

Of the 111 youths interviewed, “most indicated that they chose to ignore the perpetrators entirely, distancing themselves from the negativity”.

“The majority of women opted to take a break from social media, particularly by refraining from using facebook to protect their mental well-being,” the AHNRA report said.

Perpetrators of OGBV according to the research include mostly hackers, followed by chat partners, photographers and mobile users, and internet users, ‘anyone’ and media producers.

On digital media producers, the report explained, “Creators of content that perpetuate harmful narratives or imagery related to gender-based violence”.

The report recommends more education and awareness to be carried out in Small Malaita, East and West Are’are communities on digital technologies and platforms and the risks associated with their usage, along with how to safely engage in these communication tools.

Community and families were highlighted as the ones who need awareness and education most.

“Parents and guardians should be supported in becoming the first teachers and role models for their children, helping to control their access to digital services and ensuring their safety online,” the report said.

Community-based organisations (CBO) and non-government organisations (NGO) also have a role to play towards providing awareness and education on online dangers, the report said.

“There is a need for collaboration between the government and telecommunication providers with NGOs, CBOs and CFBOs [community faith-based organisations] to raise awareness across all provinces about the safe usage of handsets and digital platforms, highlighting their negative impacts and benefits,” the report said.

Government is also being called on to create laws to protect citizens from the harm digital engagements can bring.

“The government through its ICT department should develop legislation related to digital applications and equipment. This includes requirements for the registration of all mobile handsets and SIM cards,” the report said.

It is understood that the nationwide registration of telecommunication sim cards is ongoing, having extended from its initial deadline in November last year to July 2025, following low turn-out and related “customer feedback”.

More than 140 youths took part in AHNRA’s research from the age-range 14-29 years old.

Around 60 women, and more than 20 men took part, from the age-range 30-49 years old.

The research was funded by the European Union, facilitated by the UNDP through its Pacific Digital Democracy Initiative.

The report was launched with a press conference at the SIBC conference room yesterday.

Media personnel met with researchers AHNRA chairman, Gibson Oasanau and board members Amos Oscar Watesau and Desmond Oraiola. The trio are also marine and terrestrial rangers for their organisation in their conservation efforts in the Waitoto community of Small Malaita.

The 2019 national census puts the population of Small Malaita at more than 16,000, with around 50 percent being females, and 22 percent being youths (15-29 years old).

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By Loretta B Manele

UN Women through the Markets for Change (M4C) project hosted an International Women’s Day breakfast event on 7th March, Friday at the Heritage Park Hotel.

The theme of the program was “Accelerate Action for all women and girls; Rights, Equality, Empowerment.”

They kicked off the program with opening remarks from Tristan Armstrong, Councillor from the Australian High Commission which was the followed a speech from Vaela Ngai, the Director for Women’s Development Division of MWYCFA.

The women then gathered for a group photo session to mark the special day before having their breakfast.

During breakfast, there was a panel discussion.

Patricia Maike, Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) officer from MWYCFA (Ministry of Women, Youth, Children & Family Affairs) was one of the panellists who contributed to the discussion.

The question asked to the panel was “How can MWYCFA enhance its collaboration with UN Women to implement more effective and targeted strategies that accelerate gender equality and empower women market vendors in Solomon Islands?”

Maike said the market for change program which market vendors come under is nicely aligned with MWYCFA policy under National Strategy on Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls.

This market for change program is an UN Women project and multi-country initiative with the aim to ensure that marketplaces in Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Meanwhile MWYCFA’s has a policy called the Gender Equality and Women’s Development (GEWD) Policy 2016-2020 which aims to promote gender equality and women’s human rights, with a vision of women and men as equal partners in development.

Maike stated that the ministry continues to work with its partners and stakeholders, government and even the private sector to make sure that this policy works.

She mentioned that MWYCFA is also working with financial institutions and CBSI is working closely with the ministry through platforms like YouSave that helps women in the rural areas to save money and other schemes like M-Selen.

Maike said one of the big things the ministry continues to roll out in our provinces through the provincial women development officers, is the Savings Club.

She stressed that UN Women and MWYCFA need to collaborate more on this because not everyone is involved in the Savings Club program.

“We need to make sure that all women come on board on this program.”

She added that MWYCFA and UN Women should also work together in terms of capacity building like training.

Maike expressed that this is important so that women can empowered and move on to take up bigger roles in life such as executive and leadership roles.

According to UN Women, they are implementing the Markets for Change (M4C) project, which is aimed at ensuring marketplaces in rural and urban areas in Solomon Islands are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory environments, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The birth of International Women’s Day (IWD) came a long way.

As stated in an IWD website, it was back in 1910 that a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen.

It was during this time when a woman by the name of Clara Zetkin, the leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany tabled the idea to have an International Women’s Day.

Her proposal was that every year in every country, there should be a celebration on the same day, a Women’s Day to press for their demands.

A conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women’s clubs and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament welcomed Zetkin’s suggestion with unanimous approval which led to the birth of International Women’s Day.

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BY NED GAGAHE

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Peter Shanel Agovaka, on Friday, signed an amended Grant Agreement for the Kilu’ufi Hospital Expansion Project with the Ambassador of Japan to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Keiichi Higuchi.

The original Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement for the improvement and expansion of Kilu’ufi Hospital in Malaita Province was signed in June 2023, with Japan providing an initial grant of 2.011 billion yen (SBD $120 million).

However, due to global price escalations and the depreciation of the Japanese yen, work on installing medical equipment and facilities was suspended following the project’s commencement in October 2024.

The amended agreement now provides additional grant aid to resume the suspended components of the project. An additional 356 million yen (SBD $20 million) has been allocated, bringing the total project value to 2.367 billion yen (SBD $130 million).

Minister Agovaka expressed his deep gratitude to the Government of Japan for its continued support and emphasized the significance of this collaboration.

“I am so honored to have you all here this morning to witness the signing of the amended Grant Agreement regarding the Kilu’ufi Hospital Expansion Project. Excellency, such a kind gesture shown by the Government of Japan is again one of those obvious indicators of the unwavering friendship between our two countries.

“Allow me to express our heartfelt and deepest acknowledgement and appreciation to the Government of Japan for the invaluable support extended to the Solomon Islands over the years,” Minister Agovaka said.

The Minister further highlighted that once completed, Kilu’ufi Hospital will serve at least 24% of the country’s population. He added that Kilu’ufi is the only public hospital in Malaita Province, which is the most densely populated province in the country.

“Given its accessibility by boats and aircraft, patients from neighboring provinces can also opt to seek medical treatments and services there once the Kilu’ufi Hospital Expansion Project is completed,” Agovaka said.

Ambassador Higuchi also expressed his appreciation to everyone involved in advancing the project and reaffirmed Japan’s continued commitment to the Solomon Islands.

He stated that the recent visit by Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to the hospital site, noting that it reflects the enthusiasm surrounding the initiative.

“Although I have not yet traveled to Malaita Province, I would like to visit the hospital and explore Malaita at an early opportunity. This project responds to the calls made by Prime Minister Hon. Manele during the Tenth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) held last year in Japan.

“Lastly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who have been working for this project, including officials of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, officials of the Malaita Provincial Government, staff at Kilu’ufi, consultants, and contractors,” Ambassador Higuchi said.

The newly improved Kilu’ufi Hospital is set to open next year.

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