SOLOMON Islands hosted four Indigenous Australian women rangers last year as part of an Indigenous conservation knowledge exchange through a partnership between Worldwide Fund-Solomon Islands (WWF Solomon Islands), Worldwide Fund-Australia (WWF Australia) and Australian Volunteers Program.
The exchange was part of Indigenous Pathways, an Indigenous-led component of the Australian Government-funded Australian Volunteers Program. The aim was to strengthen locally led conservation in the Pacific and for Indigenous Australian and Pacific Island women working in conservation to identify common challenges and opportunities to support one another.
Rosie Goslett-King, from WWF-Australia, Azarnia Malay, from Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation, Cindy-Lou Togo, from @Girringun Aboriginal Corporation and Mary Blyth, from Northern Land Council, spent three weeks in Solomon Islands in September to October 2023.
The women met with Elders, community leaders and rangers in three communities in the Western Province – Pusiju, Nusatuva, and Sagheraghi. They shared their knowledge and experiences and learnt about local conservation efforts, traditional fishing methods and approaches to food security.
Rosei Goslett-King, Women Rangers Network Coordinator at WWF-Australia, says: ‘When women are involved in conservation, we know that it’s not just the environment that benefits. There are healthier people, healthier families, healthier communities, and that flows onto a healthier economy, and a healthier social landscape.’
The volunteers also took part in a Women’s Symposium arranged by WWF Solomon Islands in Gizo, promoting the role of women in conservation.
