BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
THE chairlady of Women’s Right Action Movement (WRAM) Mrs Anika Kingmele highlighted that the absence of women in leadership and decision making restricts half of the country’s voice from being heard.
She revealed this at the weeklong Solomon Islands Practice Parliament for Women (SIPPFW) in Honiara.
Kingmele said only half of the country’s voice is heard in discussions on various developments that impact women’s lives, many of which end in negative results for women which are also major violations of women’s rights.
“I would say we need more women in village and community committees, we need more women in the provincial governments, non-governmental organisations and church governing bodies, we need more women in the provincial assemblies and in the round house.
“Because of this very fact WRAM and other women organizations are established to address violation of women’s rights in this country which stems from gender inequality due to the imbalance of power between women and men.”
Kingmele furthered, much of this is to do with ignorance but many times it is also to do with reluctance, insecurity on people’s part to want know about women’s rights.
She said WRAM’s work now and into the future will continue to address gender inequality brought about by the power and control that men have over women and which have resulted in many violations of the rights of women and girls of this country.
