BY MAVIS NISIHIMURA PODOKOLO
In Bougainville
SOLOMON Islands young women together with other Pacific nation women are part of a weeklong Bougainville Women’s Federation Young Women’s Leadership forum.
The forum is hosted purposely to develop young women’s confidence and leadership skills, and provides the opportunity for young women leaders to take on leadership roles in their communities, initiate business and livelihoods projects.
Also a platform where their (young women) voices, needs and concerns can be heard directly by decision-makers in communities and in all levels of government in Bougainville and across the participating Pacific nations.
It’s an opportunity for them (young women) to as well share how they have incorporated the leadership training in economic empowerment, human rights, sexual and reproductive health and financial inclusion in their lives and in their communities.
May Palatatru on behalf of the Solomon Islands delegations said having this wonderful opportunity to be part of the forum has been a milestone for young women leaders in Solomon Islands.
Palataru said it’s a space in which Solomon Islands young women leaders will share experiences with Bougainville and other Pacific nation young women leaders.
She uttered beside it’s a gathering in which Solomon Islands will learn from the participated countries as well.
“Hence I am very proud to represent Solomon Islands Young women leaders in this forum, what my team will get out from this forum will be taken home to share with other young women leaders in Solomon Islands,” said Palataru.
Moreover, Solomon Islands young women leaders have been part of this event through the Women’s Right Action Movement (WRAM) under the Women’s Action for Voice and Empowerment (WAVE) programme.
The forum starts yesterday and has brought together up to 200 young women leaders from Bougainville and across, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Timo Lester.
The theme of the Forum is “Break The Silence, Hear Our Voice”.
It’s a weeklong Forum which was held in Arawa at Marimari House, Central Bougainville and was hosted by the Bougainville Women’s Federation’s Young Women’s Leadership Project.
And is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea as part of the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program, and supported by the International Women’s Development Agency.
