The Solomon Islands National Council of Women (SINCW) wants more adequate funding to enable it to implement women’s programs and activities that are in-line with the national government’s reprioritization program.
SINCW President Ella Kauhue on behalf of her executive and members personally conveyed this to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during a courtesy call on Friday.
Ms. Kauhue told the Prime Minister that the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs has not been inclusive of SINCW in its planning and coordination processes.
“…but more so has not adequately budgeted for the implementation of women’s programs and activities to enable us to complement the implementation of government policies such as the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, Policy on Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the Gender Equality Policy,” the president said.
The president said to align SINCW’s 2021 priorities and strategies in-line with the national government’s reprioritization program, NCW is an engaging young male and female youth leaders and training them for leadership roles.
“We will be conducting two series of training for 50 Youth Leaders of Western and Malaita Provinces in the weeks to come,” she told the Prime Minister.
The SINCW President further submitted a number of recommendations to further align SINCW’s 2021 priorities and strategies in-line with the National Government’s reprioritization program.
Recommendations include;
- increasing budgetary allocations for women’s development in the country through the relevant ministry to complement the overall budgetary support to the National Council of Women for capacity building and empowerment of women’s programs and projects.
- the establishment of a parliamentary committee for women and gender to inform Parliament on gender-related issues faced by men and women in the country.
- the government to establish a new government task force on gender development to oversee development resolutions as a result of the National Dialogue outcomes.
- Receiving the Solomon Islands National Council of Women’s submission, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare congratulated the Non-Government Organisation for striding through the past more than 30 years. with minimal government support.
The Prime Minister is happy to hear that the National Council of Women has expanded into the provinces with a Women Resource Centre in each of the provinces including Honiara City.
“The SINCW’s provincial reach has been an area of criticism in the past,” the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Sogavare further encouraged SINCW to consult with the Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs and have some inputs into the ministry’s work plans.
In terms of training the Prime Minister said, instead of waiting for the next general election, leadership training programs must continue across the country.
The Solomon Islands National Council of Women was established in 1983 as a non-government organization to represent women and address issues of concern to them. SINCW is the umbrella NGO body for women and the political forum for the advancement of women within which they can speak out on issues that affect them.
