Dear Editor – I wish to raise SINCW’s appeal for adequate funding to implement women’s programmers in line with the SIG’s reprioritisation agenda.
Last December, in a meeting with the Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, the executive members of the Solomon Islands National Council of Women, led by the SINCW President, Ms Ella Kauhue, informed the Prime Minister that SINCW wanted more adequate funding to enable it to implement women’s programmes and activities that would fall in line with the SIG’s national reprioritisation programme.
Ms Kauhue was reported to have said to the Prime Minister that the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs had not been inclusive of SINCW in its planning and coordination processes, but more so had not adequately budgeted for the implementation of women’s programs and activities to enable SINCW 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.
Ms Kauhue wanted to align SINCW’s 2021 priorities and strategies in-line with the National Government’s reprioritisation program, making the following recommendations for consideration.
Increasing the 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.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare reportedly congratulated the Non-Government Organisation for striding through the past more than 30 years with minimal government support.
Prime Minister Sogavare was also said to have 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.
Thus, I wish to comment on the above news:
Since the December meeting between the SINCW executive and the Prime Minister has there been any further developments on the recommendations put forward to Prime Minister Sogavare?
The Australian Government most recently announced a new gender policy for the Solomon Island and I am wondering if that ost welcomed initiative might have been beneficial, if at all, to the SINCW.
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.
Frank Short
solomonislandsinfocus