Identifying barriers to gender equality and proposing actions to overcome them is the focus of a weeklong forum now underway in Solomon Islands.
More than 80 representatives from rural communities around the country have gathered in the capital Honiara to add their voices to the series of discussions and learn from the various workshops being conducted throughout the week.
A co-convenor of the forum, the Director of Vois Blong Mere Solomon Islands, Josephine Teakeni told Koroi Hawkins it is an important opportunity to present a united voice on issues facing women in the country.
Women in Solomon Islands Malaita Province harvest Taro.
Photo: RNZI Courtesy of SPC
Transcript
JOSEPHINE TEAKENI: Many of the women who are coming to this meeting are rural based women. Who many of them for the first time will be exposed to such information and so it is important that there be an approach taken so that they will have this information, leading into real life situations, linking into rural women's stories and understandings. And that will form the understanding by the women to look and identify issues, common issues. As I said domestic violence is one of the main issues and of course women in political leadership, women's economic empowerment emerging issues like impacts of climate change.
KOROI HAWKINS: And having the rural women's representation is significant is it?
JT: It is very significant because we are looking at the disconnect which cuts across every area including information, access to information and so it is important that the rural women actually come for face to face meetings in this kind of approach. Because they are qualified women leaders in their own right in their communities as well as young women leaders from communities. So they are coming to this meeting and they will be getting all this information and they will be going back to the home communities and villages and from the outcome statement there will be plans of action areas to be addressed. Which I think this forum will be an annual event now as from this 2016, next year the next forum they will be coming to review and to re-look at what has been done what has been achieved so it will be an annual event.
KH: And do you feel personally in your work and what you are seeing that you are moving forward in terms of the fight for gender equality and women's rights in Solomon Islands?
JT: We are moving forward, yes we are moving forward in terms of support for the work we do, however there are also many barriers that are happening which we have to also realise that these things are around us. We are working in those kinds of environment and to see how we can go around those type of issues and work along areas that we can overcome these barriers. One example would be to do a lot of kind of transformational leadership training. It will be more about behaviour change and attitudes all those type of things. We realise it is a big job it is a long process but we have to start somewhere and that is why this forum is held this year.
The inaugural National Women's Forum will conclude on Friday with an outcome statement being presented to the government and its donor partners with the aim of guiding future policy.
It was organised by several women's advocacy groups and organisations in collaboration with the ministry of women.
The intention is for it to become an annual event to inform government and international donor agencies about the issues facing women in the Solomon Islands.
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