INCREASING women participation enhances development in Solomon Islands.
Caretaker Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) Lanelle Tanaganda made the statement during her speech at the recent Sine Die motion in Parliament.
Mrs Tanaganda said she supports what the Caretaker Prime Minister Rick Hou said on the need to support women.
“I would like to support the Prime Minister in his motion speech that we need to support more women 100% in leadership position both on provincial and national level,” he said.
She said there needs to be a balance views in all the policies of the government and inclusive leadership is paramount.
“The society needs women in decision making and as a sovereign nation; we cannot achieve our national development goals without women being fully part of them,” she said.
Since increase women participation enhances development, Mrs Tanaganda said it is her genuine call to this nation is to see the potential in women, support them and allow them the opportunity to rightly be your voice and represents you.
“Let us both women and men work in partnership for the benefit of our nation.
“We have achieved much and just to name a few, in the women division, there are strong policies and legislative that enables the environment for the promotion of advancement of gender and women empowerment,” she added.
She said the gender equality and women’s development policy known as good policy 2016-2020 is purposely to advance gender equality and enhance women development.
“It also helps to show active contributions and meaningful participation of both Solomon Islands men and women in all spheres in all levels of development in decision making,” she said.
Mrs Tanaganda said her ministry has just concluded the 16 days of activism on the 10th December which is part of ending violence against women and girls National Policy 2016-2020.
“This policy has strongly emphasis that Solomon Islands thus not tolerate violence against women of any form in any context or in any circumstances.
“As the Minister responsible for this ministry, I am appealing to all citizens of this nation, have a respect for each other.
“We are all created in God’s image fearfully and wonderfully. Thus has not given us the right to harm another person, especially women,” she added.
She said women must be economically empowered to live in peace and be secured.
Mrs Tanaganda said the passage of the Family Protection Act 2014 was a mile stone achievement in the work of ending violence against women and girls.
She said it was the first piece of legislation that criminalises domestic violence.
By IAN MCDONALD
