Transcript
RUTH MAETALA: I can first speak as a Solomon Islands woman. Based on the research conducted around 2009 by SPC and the Ministry of Women. The research points out that two out of every three women have experienced violence from an intimate partner or family member. So, based on that research, which is not too long ago, it makes me, a Solomon Islands woman, wonder how many women are out there that have not experienced violence. So that is my question in the forefront, but then speaking from my project point of view, we would then ask how many women in the work places have experienced violence, maybe at home and do not have supportive employers or businesses to help them get through and still be working. So that is the two sides that I am coming from.
DON WISEMAN: Yes you are involved with a World Bank agency, the International Finance Corporation and working with the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce to bring or make businesses aware of the benefits for them and the benefits for society in general if they help in this work to overcome domestic violence. So what is it you are saying to businesses?
RM: Well as partners in this work - this is a small part of our work, that we focus on violence. It is only one part of it. The other part is to help women in the private sector to become strong leaders in their businesses . But what we are saying, is that if businesses can recognise that domestic violence affects their employees and therefore it affects their business. Then it would benefit them to take a stand and commit to building safe and supportive workplaces. So that is what we are saying and I think the IFC and Chamber of Commerce partnership is a good model because we are working as partners and we are not working alone. So I feel that it is a good model that can be replicated anywhere in the Pacific. We are learning from the IFC and the coalition of Women in Business in Papua New Guinea. So some lessons have been learned from that project but in Solomons it is quite small and I think partnership is the best way to go.
DW: Today to mark White Ribbon Day and this is marking the first of the 16 days to focus on gender violence. You have staged a parade through Honiara involving businesses. Now did you get good support from the businesses?
RM: Actually we have two big businesses. This is the first time that businesses have committed this engagement and participation in the White Ribbon Day day. So it is a very good turn out we had Solomon Islands NPF and also Bank South Pacific with all the CEOs and managers and a lot of people out there with their corporate uniforms. So that is really good and we also have other small businesses like HKL and Solrice and a few more small businesses. So for the first time it is really good, we have 13 businesses that supported a statement saying that they are against violence against women including Our Telekom, ANZ Bank, Forum Fisheries [Agency], Bank South Pacific, SINPF [Solomon Islands National Provident Fund], Solbrew, Tower Insurance, AJ&G Blum, NOFOKA construction, APTC [Australian Pacific Technical College] and skills for economic growth program so those are all members of the Chamber of Cmmerce.
DW: And do you have a sense that this effort is going to have an immediate impact?
RM: I think so, I believe that everything has a small beginning, and for big businesses like SINPF and BSP to come out and join the march this morning is a great start for - not only for the image of the Chamber but also for businesses. Like I am thinking good citizenship. So it is a good thing, especially for the country and also for the work environment so that women in workplaces can see that yes, 'our managers are supporting safe workplaces' so that is good.
