BY MIKE TUA
SOLOMON Islands over the years have taken the leading role among other Regional Pacific Island countries in promoting gender equality in its tuna industry.
The country has set its standard with the inclusive participation of women in its tuna fisheries sector, previous studies have shown that both men and women are involved in the tuna industry with women found to play a prominent role in the commercial cannery processing.
SolTuna Limited cannery facility in Noro Western Province currently employs a total workforce of 1,860 of which approximately 1,186 are women.
The country’s current trend of promoting gender equality in the private sector of tuna development through enhancing women’s participation and opportunities in the tuna industry is seen to have provided a major economic benefit for women in society.
SolTuna Limited Human Resource Manager Cain Kaieti told Solomon Women that they have a good record of gender requirements at the Cannery facility in Noro, Western Province.
“The cannery facility in Noro currently employs a majority of women compared to men. Therefore, women have played a major role in cannery processing and packing job activities.
“The nature of the work requires mostly females based on the qualities of tenderness and perseverance that women normally possess in the line of duty,” Kaieti said.
He said men have the same qualities but women always have the upper hand when it comes to such work.
“Although both men and women played the same role in the cannery processing facility, women are more potential to gain employment in that sector of the tuna industry,” he said.
The majority of women at the cannery facility have obtained specific training in the areas of processing in tuna canning production.
He said the entry-level to secure an employment status as a female at the cannery facility is to have a minimum educational level of form three and above.
“The majority of women employed at the cannery facility must obtain a minimum secondary educational background of form three and above; women must be able to have the ability to read and write because they have to undergo specific career training,” the human resource manager said.
SolTuna Limited is the largest private-sector employer of the tuna industry in the Solomon Islands; it provides almost 100% of employment for Solomon Islanders.
He said this year, of the total 1,860 staff employed in the cannery facility, about 90% were women, most of them work in the processing and packing jobs, making up 90% of the staff (or 1186 women).
“Out of the total 1, 860 staff employed in the cannery facility, about 10% are men, making up approximately 666 of the staff,” he said.
In a recent climate change and disaster workshop held at the Forum Fisheries Agencies (FFA) conference room in Honiara, FFA media officer, Lisa Williams Lahari told local news reporters that the Solomon Islands should be proud of the current trend the country has achieved over the years until now.
“The development of the tuna industry in the country has provided more opportunities for women to participate in the workforce, and the Solomon Islands should be proud for prioritizing their women in that direction,” the FFA media officer said.
According to the UNPFA website, gender equality implies a society in which women and men enjoy the same opportunities, outcomes rights, and obligations in all spheres of life.
“Equality between men and women exists when both sexes can share equally in the distribution of power and influence; have equal opportunities for financial independence through work or through setting up businesses; enjoy equal access to education and the opportunity to develop personal ambitions.”
