BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE launch ofGender Responsive Peacebuilding in Extractive Industries in Isabel Province marks significant progress in national government’s commitment to advancing gender equality.
Thompson Araia, women development division training co-ordinator, Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs echoed this on behalf of the ministry.
“Today’s launching of the project Gender Responsive Peacebuilding in Extractive Industries in Isabel Province marks a significant progress in the Solomon Islands Government’s commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly for women and girls in the rural areas of Isabel Province,” Araia said.
He adds by thanking the Isabel Provincial Government and Isabel Council of Chiefs for recognising the importance of addressing the issue of human violations related to the logging companies operating in the province.
Araia stressed the ministry is looking forward to this partnership including with the other line ministries and Civil Society Organizations.
“I cannot overemphasise the importance of this project’s aim and objectives. Women are proven peace builders, evident in the critical role they played in bringing back peace to the Solomon Islands during our dark history of the social unrest, sadly they were not involved or any engaged in any of the peace procedures and processes that followed,” he said.
On the note the Ministry sincerely thanked and commend UN Agency International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations Fund (UNFPA), UN Women through UN peacebuilding fund for support to government in promoting human rights and women empowerment.
The project aims to create an enabling environment support women’s human right and participation of women in community-based peace-building process, ensuring women and young women are able to drive change within their communities through peace building dialogues and to improve the quality of services provision to women who faces violates in terms of programming the services between CSOs and government to community-based women.
The project was launched yesterday at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara.
