BY JOY OFASIA
Four women from Solomon Islands took part in the 4th Pacific Feminist Forum in Fiji, bringing the experiences, concerns and priorities of women and girls in Solomon Islands to a wider regional discussion.
The Solomon Islands participants were Diana Ma’ahoro of the Disability Women’s Empowerment Association (DWEA), Patricia Orihao of the Young Women in Parliamentary Group (YWPG), Zaneta Kafa of the Solomon Islands Women in Law Association (SIWLA), and Sera Sade of the Women’s Rights Action Movement (WRAM).
Speaking about the forum, Sera Sade from WRAM said the Solomon Islands delegation highlighted a number of issues affecting women and girls, particularly gender stereotypes that continue to restrict women’s participation and leadership in employment, politics, churches, families and decision-making.
Sade also raised concerns about violence against women, family violence, workplace safety, bodily autonomy and the fear many women experience when speaking out about discrimination and abuse.
She said women’s contributions to peacebuilding, land, community welfare, caregiving, food security and national development are often overlooked or undervalued.
Other concerns included limited leadership and decision-making opportunities for women and girls, weak intergenerational mentorship, inadequate accessibility for women with disabilities, and unsafe environments in homes, communities and workplaces.
She also stressed the importance of creating stronger pathways for young women and girls into leadership, civic participation, feminist spaces and school-level empowerment.
According to the delegation, the forum provided an opportunity to strengthen collective action among women’s rights organizations across the Pacific. However, funding, coordination and accountability gaps continue to affect the ability of feminist organizations to work collectively and sustainably.
The Solomon Islands delegation said its collective vision is for a country where women and girls of all backgrounds can live with dignity, safety, justice, bodily autonomy, voice and freedom.
This includes recognizing the leadership of women in families, churches, communities, workplaces, customary spaces, land governance, provincial structures and national decision-making.
She said it left the forum with a renewed commitment to feminist solidarity, justice and collective action. It will also share Solomon Islands’ feminist priorities and recommendations with the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM), We Rise Coalition and the wider regional feminist movement.
Sade said the experiences of Solomon Islands women must continue to inform regional discussions and contribute to a stronger, more inclusive and accountable feminist movement across the Pacific.
