Outcome SLB_D_1.2

Women are perceived as equally legitimate and effective political leaders as men (FPI WPEL Outcome 3)

Women are slowing being recognised and their voices on national policies and legislations have increasing being sought after by both national and provincial governments. The Traditional Governance, Customs and Facilitation Bill is an example where the Bills and Legislative Committee recommended that further consultation be made and that women need to be consulted meaningfully. 223 women representatives from all nine provinces and Honiara participated in a consultative process on the Traditional Governance Bill which led to the submission of more than 50 specific gender sensitive recommendations which was put forward to Ministry of Women, Youth Children and Family Affairs and The Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs for consideration . Women have demonstrated their effective political participation within these spaces to ensure their voices are heard. They have also effectively mobilized to advocate and push for gender responsive approaches to policy and legislative changes including recognition of principle of equality including gender equality and social inclusion within draft Traditional Governance, Customs and Facilitation Bill.

Women are perceived as equally legitimate and effective political leaders as men (FPI WPEL Outcome 3)

With the support of women-led organisations, and Provincial and National government bodies, women in rural and remote areas in Solomon Islands are now better informed of their civic and political rights and have enhanced leadership skills and increased agency to engage with formal and informal justice systems. The Access to Justice Project engaged communities in Guadalcanal and Malaita Provinces to recognize deeply entrenched discriminatory and gender-biased attitudes, norms and practices that exist in their communities. These communities were able to dissect the rules, practices and situations that directly or indirectly discriminate against women and girls, including recognising how women and girls in their communities have internalized harmful gender norms, which has over the years limited their leadership and justice-seeking behaviour. In addition, the Project is also working to build a cadre of rural women leaders who can promote women’s rights and access to justice in their communities, in tandem with traditional governance systems. This work has led to rural communities in Guadalcanal and Malaita Provinces now having more information and skills on how to access formal and informal justice systems, the latter through prescribed persons in the communities. These women leaders have also led engagements to voice their concerns on issues that directly concern them such as climate change and gender-based violence with the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs (MJLA), Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Solomon Islands National Council of Women (SINCW), Women’s Rights Action Movement (WRAM), Guadalcanal and Malaita Provincial Council of Women (GPCW), Guadalcanal and Malaita Provincial Government Women’s Desk, facilitated by UN Women. It the first time for the majority of the rural communities were able to learn and connect gendered roles and perspectives to issues like climate change and women’s participation in traditional governance, and how these issues exacerbate participation and decision making of marginalized and vulnerable groups in their community.