Outcome SLB_D_2.1

By 2027, more people, particularly those at risk of being left behind, benefit from more equitable access to resilient, and gender-responsive, quality basic services, food security/nutrition and social protection systems. [PCF Strategic Priority 2: People]

In 2025, women and girls experiencing violence in the Solomon Islands continued to access coordinated, gender-responsive protection and support services through established national response mechanisms. During the reporting period , Seif Ples admitted 113 survivors for emergency shelter and medical assistance, and the national toll-free line (#132) received 906 calls, including 260 genuine calls from women and girls. These figures demonstrate sustained use of protection and referral services through existing systems. Access to services was facilitated through ongoing coordination under the SafeNet referral mechanism, led by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) and implemented in partnership with police, health, social welfare and civil society actors. Referrals from police and other security actors to crisis centre services continued during the reporting period, and Seif Ples maintained coordination with other service providers for medical, psychosocial and longer-term support. This indicates continued functioning of multi-sector referral pathways enabling women to move between services. Service delivery was maintained despite operational constraints, including staffing transitions and delayed activity implementation. Although the development of a formal case management protocol was postponed following the resignation of the Case Manager, crisis centre operations, hotline services, accommodation, referrals and basic survivor support (including repatriation and essential supplies) continued. This continuity reflects operational resilience within the existing EVAWG response system. Access extended beyond individual crisis response to public information pathways. Awareness activities and information dissemination, including engagement with institutional stakeholders and public visibility campaigns, supported women’s knowledge of available reporting and referral mechanisms, reinforcing access to services through established systems. While the programme does not claim a verified increase in national service uptake during 2025, evidence indicates that coordinated access to essential services was sustained across urban and provincial contexts despite logistical and resource constraints. Women experiencing violence were able to access emergency accommodation, hotline support, referrals and basic assistance through functioning institutional platforms. This outcome contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 5.2, specifically SDG indicator 5.2.1, by strengthening institutional systems that enable women and girls subjected to violence to access protection and support services. It aligns with the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016–2035, the Family Protection Act (2014), and the National Policy on Eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls, which prioritise coordinated, survivor-centred service delivery. The outcome also aligns with UNSDCF Pillar 2: People, by supporting inclusive justice, health and social protection systems that respond to the needs of women and girls experiencing violence. UN Women, through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls Programme, supported this outcome by providing technical assistance, facilitation and financial support to national coordination mechanisms, crisis centres, data system strengthening and institutional capacity-building activities. UN Women worked in partnership with MWYCFA, SafeNet member agencies, crisis centres and community leaders to strengthen institutional practices that enable coordinated access to EVAWG services. Donors: Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; European Union.

By 2027, more people, particularly those at risk of being left behind, benefit from more equitable access to resilient, and gender-responsive, quality basic services, food security/nutrition and social protection systems. [PCF Strategic Priority 2: People]

Strengthened Coordination and Service Delivery Networks The Solomon Islands continues to progress towards interconnected, resilient systems that provide gender-responsive basic services and social protection. SAFENET has emerged as a cornerstone of this effort, operating under a legally binding Memorandum of Understanding with established protocols for data management, confidentiality, and information sharing. This network coordinates 11 organizations that collectively deliver a continuum of survivor-centred services, demonstrating a 62% technical capacity rating following critical reflection exercises involving 34 representatives (26 women, 8 men). The network's comprehensive membership—spanning government ministries, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and civil society organizations—ensures consistent, high-quality service delivery through formalized protocols. The integration of government institutions (Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Ministry of Health), justice sector organizations (Public Solicitor's Office, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions), and specialized service providers (Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association, Homes of Hope, Seif Ples, Family Support Center, and Christian Care Center) creates multiple access points for vulnerable populations. Geographic Expansion and Rural Access Institutional capacity building has expanded geographically, advancing equitable access to services in rural and remote areas. In particular: The Malaita Christian Counselling Center has strengthened its service delivery in rural areas, providing counseling and shelter services to 128 survivors of gender-based violence (70 women, 58 children) while conducting awareness campaigns reaching 9,076 individuals in traditionally underserved areas of Malaita Province. In Choiseul and Western Provinces, focused capacity building in Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) has localized national disaster coordination structures and strengthened provincial-level implementation of protection policies. This resulted in improvements in institutional knowledge—from 19% to 73% in Choiseul, and 54% to 75% in Western Province. Policy Implementation and Alignment Four institutions—the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Seif Ples, Family Support Centre, and Malaita Christian Care Centre—are receiving specialized assistance in developing robust programme documents through Phase II of the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (PPEVAWG). This process is aligning institutional practices with multiple frameworks: The National Policy to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls The Solomon Islands Domestic Violence Counselling Guideline The Regional Gender-Based Violence/Violence Against Women and Girls Counselling Framework SafeNet Response and Referral Pathway The Family Protection Act The National Child Protection Policy The Child and Family Act The Solomon Islands Inter-Agency Child Protection Referral Network This alignment ensures that institutions are implementing policies in ways that are responsive to diverse needs, including age-appropriate services for children and young people. Strengthened Emergency Response Systems Institutional capacity for gender-responsive emergency response has been enhanced. Provincial and National Protection Committees now ensure services reach vulnerable populations during emergencies. Sixty-three participants from the 11 SAFENET members collaborated to develop: Customized cyclone preparedness plans Standardized coordination protocols GBViE-aligned messaging These mechanisms ensure service continuity during disasters when communities are most vulnerable. The National Protection Committee, operating within the National Disaster Management Plan and under the National Disaster Operations Committee, is led by the Ministry of Women, Children, Youth and Family Affairs, ensuring gender mainstreaming remains central to disaster management. Data Systems for Evidence-Based Responses SAFENET’s confidential data management system continues to be maintained, balancing accountability needs with survivor privacy. The eleven SAFENET member organizations have built capacity for gathering and analysing gender-disaggregated data, creating a maturing data ecosystem that increasingly supports evidence-based policy development while reinforcing accountability mechanisms for gender-responsive service delivery. CHANGES IN INDIVIDUAL/GROUP BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES Increased Multi-Sectoral Collaboration Stakeholders across sectors have demonstrated increased collaboration in coordinated service delivery. Training initiatives in 2024 brought together diverse participants including provincial governments, disaster offices, police forces, health and medical services, education ministries, and immigration departments, ensuring multi-sectoral engagement in policy implementation. Western Province specifically expanded protection services to persons with disabilities through Social Welfare and Community Based Rehabilitation representation. Improved Knowledge and Application of Gender-Responsive Approaches There has been a measurable increase in knowledge and application of gender-responsive approaches among service providers: In Choiseul Province, Protection Committee members demonstrated an increase in knowledge from 19% to 73%. In Western Province, committee members improved their scores from 54% to 75%. These improvements indicate that provincial duty bearers are better equipped to identify, respond to, and prevent gender-based violence, including during emergencies. Transformation of Male-Dominated Spaces Three sporting bodies—the Solomon Islands Football Federation, Oceania Football Confederation, and No2ndPlace—have begun transforming traditionally male-dominated sporting spaces into inclusive environments where women can safely participate. With support from Project Golkipa and coordination with SAFENET, these organizations now demonstrate improved capacity to identify risks, respond to concerns, and create reliable pathways for sportswomen to access essential services. Enhanced Rights-Based Approaches Service providers have increasingly adopted rights-based approaches that ensure equal rights and opportunities. The process of incorporating mechanisms for meaningful participation of rights holders and duty bearers has revealed opportunities to enhance policy guidance on protection and safety protocols for survivors. Additionally, awareness campaigns have enabled thousands of individuals to access culturally-contextualized information about prevention, services, and rights under the Family Protection Act. Adoption of Global Best Practices Knowledge transfer from international forums is influencing local practice. UN Women in Solomon Islands has strengthened national capacity through participation in the Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum, gaining comprehensive knowledge in multi-sectoral responses and emerging solutions. This exposure to global best practices from 112 countries is being adapted to the local context by national experts who are supporting service providers to strengthen their institutional responses and service delivery. Through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence against Women and Girls, UN Women is providing technical support to SAFENET, theMinistry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Seif Ples, Family Support Centre, and Malaita Christian Care Centre.

By 2027, more people, particularly those at risk of being left behind, benefit from more equitable access to resilient, and gender-responsive, quality basic services, food security/nutrition and social protection systems. [PCF Strategic Priority 2: People]

This outcome is on track. Women and girls in the Solomon Islands benefited from improved access to quality services addressing gender-based violence, through reinforced capacities of institutions, enhanced cooperative initiatives, and increased community participation. This was evidenced by two capacity assessments which were conducted with Honiara SAFENET members which indicated a 19 percent increase in the overall technical capacity of SAFENET members. Members capacity was highest in having a common understanding about SAFENET’s mission and GBV followed by good understanding of referral systems in place data systems for data collection in place. This increased quality was also supported by the implementation of key initiatives such as the Solomon Islands SAFENET Guidebook, Domestic Violence (DV ) counselling guidelines, and the Family Support Centre (FSC ) Supervision Guidelines advanced the standardization and quality of Gender Based Violence (GBV) response services. The Solomon Islands SAFENET is a referral network made up of organisations (government ministries and NGOs) that provide essential services to victims/survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. SAFENET's Role in Data Management SAFENET's commitment to ethical data management has strengthened trust and coordination among GBV service providers, enhancing decision-making and policy development. The establishment and adherence to the SAFENET Data Management Protocol underscored a commitment to ethical and responsible data handling, promoting privacy, trust, and coordination among service providers. The protocol’s emphasis on sharing and utilizing anonymous, aggregated data facilitated informed decision-making and policy development, demonstrating the critical role of data in enhancing GBV response services. UN Women funded the consultant who provide the analysis and review of the Solomon Islands GBV Administration Data, and who supported the development of the new forms, tools and systems as well as GBV admin data training sessions. Enhanced Institutional Capacities and Service Quality The SAFENET Guidebook implementation ensured the adherence to standards across organizations involved in addressing GBV , fostering a consistent and effective approach to supporting survivors. UN Women staff attended and assisted with these meetings providing technical support. The accreditation of eight GBV counsellors following the DV counselling guidelines training marked a significant improvement in the quality of counselling services and adherence to national standards. UN Women provided essential technical support in GBV counselling training and assisted the government in assessing the technical skills of the GBV counsellors, determining their eligibility for accreditation. Furthermore, the implementation of the FSC Supervision Guidelines through monitoring and refresher training enhanced the overall GBV service delivery and supervision quality. Integration of Service Referral Pathways SAFENET's decision to integrate standard service referral pathways with those for human trafficking has streamlined support for survivors, ensuring cohesive and comprehensive care. This approach, facilitated by the inclusion of the Immigration Department in SAFENET, underscores a unified and effective response system for all survivors of violence. The Immigration Department, a new SAFENET member focusing on human trafficking, explored the integration of SAFENET referral pathway with the human trafficking referral pathway. This consolidation avoids confusion caused by having two separate referral systems. This approach ensures that services provided to trafficked women and girls are cohesive, working in a ‘do no harm’ manner and promoting a comprehensive and unified support system. Sub-national Mechanisms for Enhanced Safety The establishment of sub-national mechanisms, such as the Honiara and Guadalcanal Protection Committees, and the training provided to their members, reflected a proactive approach to ensuring safer responses during national emergencies and disasters. The GBV in Emergencies Subcommittee comprises all SAFENET members. The training aimed to enhance their capacity to respond effectively during emergencies. The focus was on reviewing their referral pathways to ensure their robustness in emergency situations. Additionally, the data system was thoroughly reviewed to ensure its effectiveness in emergencies. The training included preparations for response plans that might be necessary during the Games, ensuring that the committees were well-equipped to handle any emergencies that could arise during the event. During the GBViE Training from 16-19 October 2023, there was a notable improvement in participants' understanding of GBV topics, with knowledge on the definition of Gender Based Violence increasing from 60 percent to 80 percent and understanding of its root cause growing from 40 percent to 85 percent. Awareness of SAFENET rose from 85 percent to 95 percent, knowledge of at least one GBV rapid assessment tool improved from 40 percent to 70 percent and understanding of sexual exploitation increased from 40 percent to 80 percent. In the subsequent session from 23-26 October 2023, similar gains were observed: comprehension of Gender Based Violence rose from 40 percent to 75 percent, insight into its root cause increased from 35% to 80%, familiarity with SAFENET grew from 65 percent to 90 percent, knowledge of a GBV rapid assessment tool went from 25 percent to 65 percent and understanding of sexual exploitation improved from 25 percent to 70 percent. UN Women provided financial and technical support towards both training events, including facilitating at sessions. Regional Collaboration The Directors of Women Learning Exchange, a platform for professionals across the Pacific working in GBV services, supported and grew regional collaboration and learning, showcasing the Solomon Islands’ commitment to not only addressing GBV within its borders but also contributing to regional efforts. The active participation of new SAFENET members in training and support sessions underscored the network's dedication to expanding its reach and enhancing the capabilities of its members. UN Women funded and supported the facilitation and logistics for this event. Response and Readiness During the 2023 Pacific Games The strategic actions of SAFENET during the Sol2023 Pacific Games showcased an advanced institutional response and community protection against GBV. The network's preparedness provided immediate support to participants and attendees, marking a significant improvement in rapid response and service accessibility. Acknowledging the increased risk of GBV due to the substantial gathering, SAFENET 's strategic presence and comprehensive planning ensured that participants and attendees had immediate access to support services, underlining a performance change in rapid response and service delivery. The establishment of the SAFENET stall within the Games village, coupled with the effective distribution of informational materials, exemplified a proactive and preventive approach to GBV . This initiative not only provided immediate assistance and awareness but also underscored SAFENET 's commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment during large-scale events, marking a significant shift towards more resilient and responsive GBV service structures in the Solomon Islands. The ToC and strategy remain unchanged for 2024. In summary, the year's achievements in the Solomon Islands represent a comprehensive and coordinated effort to combat GBV , strengthen institutional capacities, foster collaboration, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, survivor-centred services. These efforts not only reflect a commitment to addressing immediate needs but also demonstrate a strategic vision for long-term improvement and regional influence in the progress to end GBV .