A new Civil Society organization committee to monitor the progress of the Concluding Observations on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was formed last week.
The Solomon Islands Civil Society Organizations CEDAW Committee (SICSOCC) was formed after a one day workshop on the CEDAW which was attended by women representatives from NGOs, Church groups and other groups working on gender and women’s issues at the Rock Haven Inn conference room on Wednesday the 1st of April.
This committee was made up of representatives from both NGOs and faith based groups, namely the National Council of Women (SINCW), the Women’s Rights Action Movement (WRAM), the Family Support Center, Vois Blong Mere Solomons (VBMS), SDA Women, SSEC Women, Catholic Women, Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA) and People living with Disability.
The CSO CEDAW committee will be responsible to develop and approve a general work program for CSOs to advocate and lobby for the full and effective implementation of the CEDAW Concluding Observations in the country.
The committee will also provide and assist in sourcing expertise to assist with lobbying and advocacy activities including capacity building for CSOs. It will also support the CSO coalition by providing technical expertise and input to the next CSO CEDAW Shadow report, provide information on Submissions and Reports when required, and liaise with relevant groups to fulfil the purpose of this committee.
Through these, the Committee will ensure that it consolidates the work of the CSOs to further the situation of women also holding the Government accountable to fulfilling CEDAW in the Solomon Islands.
The committee will have its first meeting this month to map out its work plan for the next two years. This committee will be reviewed after two years, in 2017.
The Solomon Islands is due to submit a written report on certain sections of the 2014 CEDAW Concluding Observations to the UN CEDAW Committee in 2017, and the next country periodic CEDAW report will be due in 2018.
