BY JUNELYN KELLY
The Government of Solomon Islands is actively participating in the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday this week said Solomon Islands is representing both itself and the Pacific Islands Forum by delivering a joint statement.
Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Cathy Nori, emphasised the importance of this year’s CSW70 theme: “Access to Justice for Women and Girls.”
She described access to justice as fundamental to achieving gender equality and empowerment, a commitment consistently reaffirmed by Pacific Islands Forum leaders.
Minister Nori highlighted that this commitment is central to the region’s collective progress towards a resilient, inclusive, and peaceful Pacific, a sentiment echoed during the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Summit in Honiara.
She noted that governments across the Pacific have strengthened legal protections and improved access to justice through legislative, policy, and practice reforms, including the enactment of family protection and domestic violence laws in many Forum member countries.
Nori also spoke on the complex realities affecting access to justice for women in the Pacific, citing challenges such as geographic isolation, dispersed populations, limited legal services, linguistic and cultural diversity, and the interplay between formal and customary justice systems. She emphasized the need for context-specific, culturally grounded, and respectful approaches that honor Pacific customs.
The statement also said that according to the importance of gender-transformative and socially inclusive strategies, Minister Nori stressed the need to focus on women and girls residing in rural and remote areas.
In terms of significant development, the Solomon Islands is also piloting Gender-Responsive Budgeting.
Photo: Supplied
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