Committing To A Brighter Future For Women

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL COORDINATOR

REGIONAL ASSISTANCE MISSION TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

MEDIA RELEASE Friday 9 March 2007

Committing To A Brighter Future For Women

Women and men working with the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands have come together to sing, talk and celebrate a brighter future for women in the Solomon Islands.

Penny Bond, who works in RAMSI’s Economic Governance Program, coordinated the special event the day after International Women’s Day to provide a forum for people to come together to talk about issues affecting women in the Solomon Islands.

“RAMSI is committed to promoting equal rights for both women and men. Equal participation and equal opportunity for women and men makes good sense given that they each make up one half the population”, Ms Bond said.

Georgina Ariki, guest speaker at the event, is a busy woman: mother, active community and church leader, studying a Diploma of Business Studies part-time, member of the Solomon Islands Government ‘Women in Uniform’ group, and Team Leader in the Customs Division of the Department of Finance and Treasury.

“Events like International Women’s Day are important to help women ‘rise up’ in whatever they do - from housewife to professional”, she said.

“Women need to be heard by their family, community and their politicians”, she said.

“In particular, we need to prepare young women to take up new opportunities that are becoming available to them.”

Ms Ariki said that for women to change, men needed to change to.

“We have seen progress. Women today are in many important roles that 20 years ago they would never have been working in.

Blair Exell, RAMSI Development Coordinator said RAMSI is working across all its programs to empower women.

“The RAMSI Machinery of Government Program is working with Solomon Islands Government to improve the status of women in government”, he said.

RAMSI funded the National Council of Women to provide training to enhance their leadership skills.

“Women’s participation in public life promotes good governance. Women’s needs and interests are reflected better, and better policies for women and children can be expected”, Mr Exell said.

“In the last National Elections, 26 women stood throughout the country – more than had ever stood before, and people were very excited about it. But not one of them got elected although in Honiara, one of the candidates got close”, he said.

Mr Exell said RAMSI supported women in the justice system by funding female advisors such as Amelia Faasau, a Tongan Public Defender and through activities such as Women Lawyers Association.

“It’s vital that women as equal partners in the development of Solomon Islands have a strong voice in all decision making processes”, he said.

ENDS

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