Keeping with a theme of events this week to mark International Day of Democracy (15 September), British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Naoero, Paul Turner, gave the keynote speech at a Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) seminar in Honiara.
At the event, Turner called for greater participation of women in Solomon Islands’ democratic processes. He stated that democracy was only as strong as it was diverse.
The WFD event focused on increasing women’s engagement in Parliament. Since 2022, WFD has been operating in the Solomon Islands, with a primary focus on strengthening the National Parliament’s committee system and enhancing budget oversight.
While this work will continue, WFD will increasingly engage with groups outside Parliament to help promote a more inclusive and representative National Parliament.
The Participatory Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and Inclusive Democracy Working Group (IDWG) workshop is running for three days this week with a wide range of participants including MPs, women’s rights groups, youth groups, parliamentary staff and the media.
The aim is to identify the blockages to women’s participation in the political process in Solomon Islands and set out a series of measures to address them. This will include forming new coalitions in and outside Parliament to strengthen advocacy and advance women’s political participation.
Turner quoted the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, who had said earlier that week that democracy is about more than election day; it is also about individual responsibility. Turner echoed this point saying that the international community was sometimes too focused on the organisation of the specific election day and not enough on the wider democratic processes such as enhancing the prospects of women to have a voice and take their place.
He remarked that for Solomon Islands’ democracy to be vibrant and resilient it needed far more women engaged in its institutions.
Using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methods, participants will engage in collaborative discussions, reflective exercises and practical planning sessions designed to generate locally-owned solutions and deepen understanding of the challenges and opportunities for inclusion in politics.