A new report “Women’s Experiences of Family Violence Services in Solomon Islands”  was launched today in Honiara as part of the celebrations for the 16 Days of Activism  Against Gender Based Violence. The Solomon Islands Government has taken a number  of measures including the gazetting of the Family Protection Act 2014 (FPA) in April  2016. … Read more →

A new report “Women’s Experiences of Family Violence Services in Solomon Islands”  was launched today in Honiara as part of the celebrations for the 16 Days of Activism  Against Gender Based Violence. The Solomon Islands Government has taken a number  of measures including the gazetting of the Family Protection Act 2014 (FPA) in April  2016. Three years later, this research discovers women’s sense of safety and satisfaction  with family violence services including courts, counselling and refuges, health services  and the most often used service: police. The findings are based on qualitative analysis  of approximately 10% of all service users: a total of 126 interviews with service users  across five provinces, plus 24 interviews with service provider staff. The findings  triangulate violence survivors’ perspectives on service provision, situational factors and  personal agency in order to provide recommendations for the future of the FPA system.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT ONLINE

Working for the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs of the Solomon Islands, Dr Anouk Ride collaborated with local researchers on the first social marketing research about attitudes to violence against women and girls to be conducted in the Pacific Islands region. The pilot study details the most appropriate messages to stop violence … Read more →

Working for the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs of the Solomon Islands, Dr Anouk Ride collaborated with local researchers on the first social marketing research about attitudes to violence against women and girls to be conducted in the Pacific Islands region. The pilot study details the most appropriate messages to stop violence against women and girls and how is best to deliver anti-violence messages. The research was conducted with women who have experienced violence, men who have perpetrated violence and are in prison, and male, female and youth representatives from different communities (in Guadalcanal, Malaita and Temotu provinces).

The research is intended to have a practical use – to increase the effectiveness of messages and communications materials, activities and events that the various government, church, women’s organisations, INGOs and refuge services conduct and/or to stimulate new actions that can lead to social change. A review of the previous violence against women policy (2010-2015) found that “greater coordination is required for key messaging” particularly for awareness raising about violence and the Family Protection Act and this research is intended to inform such joint efforts[i].

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT

The report was commissioned by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) with funding support by Oxfam Australia as part of the Safe Families Fund, an initiative funded by the Australian Aid Program aimed at eliminating violence against women in the Solomon Islands.

A new report “Enhancing the Economic Participation of Vulnerable Youth Women in Solomon Islands” financed by the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Umbrella Facility for Gender Equality was launched today. The study, including field research designed and overseen by Dr Anouk Ride, identifies constraints to, and effective measures for, increasing the economic participation of … Read more →

An analysis of the impact of the switch in bilateral relations from Taiwan to China is provided today in a new article by Dr Anouk Ride published in Australian Outlook, the online publication of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. An outline is given of implications of the switch for conflict, with some guidance about … Read more →

An analysis of the impact of the switch in bilateral relations from Taiwan to China is provided today in a new article by Dr Anouk Ride published in Australian Outlook, the online publication of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. An outline is given of implications of the switch for conflict, with some guidance about how donors can respond and encourage early intervention in conflicts which could arise in Solomon Islands in the next few years. Read the article online: http://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/after-the-switch-the-new-china-solomon-ties-conflict-and-international-aid/

In a recent article for the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Dr Anouk Ride argues that donors need to be more cognizant of, and responsive to, local conflict risks in where and how infrastructure is delivered. Using the example of Solomon Islands, she tracks the impacts of previous infrastructure decisions on conflict and gender equality … Read more →

In a recent article for the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Dr Anouk Ride argues that donors need to be more cognizant of, and responsive to, local conflict risks in where and how infrastructure is delivered. Using the example of Solomon Islands, she tracks the impacts of previous infrastructure decisions on conflict and gender equality in the local context. Read more: http://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/infrastructure-conflict-and-the-pacific-risks-and-realities/

“Herstory: Women working in corrections” book  tells the stories of pioneering women working in prisons in Solomon Islands and how collectively they fought for women to be considered equal to men in the male-dominated security sector. Sukwadi Media worked with the CSSI Women’s Network over nine months on this participatory research and media project to … Read more →

“Herstory: Women working in corrections” book  tells the stories of pioneering women working in prisons in Solomon Islands and how collectively they fought for women to be considered equal to men in the male-dominated security sector. Sukwadi Media worked with the CSSI Women’s Network over nine months on this participatory research and media project to bring the book and a film to fruition, with funding support from Australian Government.

The book HerStoryis the collective story of 24 women who worked in prisons and correctional services from 1986 to the present day. These women have a combined total of 377 years of service to CSSI. It is the first time Pacific correctional officers have published their own history of service.

Free download e-version is available: http://anoukride.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Herstory-Booklet-FINAL_BLEED2.pdf

Riots broke out in Solomon Islands on 24 April following the parliament’s controversial election of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Despite the country peacefully holding its first elections since the end of the regional assistance mission earlier this month, frustration with the political system has been fomenting for some time and the riots were targeted with … Read more →

Riots broke out in Solomon Islands on 24 April following the parliament’s controversial election of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Despite the country peacefully holding its first elections since the end of the regional assistance mission earlier this month, frustration with the political system has been fomenting for some time and the riots were targeted with political meaning, as argued in a submission for the Australian Institute of International Affairs “Australian Outlook”: https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/riots-solomon-islands-day-after/

Dr Anouk Ride was recently engaged as a specialist by the World Bank to conduct gender and social inclusion analysis for their upcoming fisheries projects in Tonga and Kiribati. In each of these locations, while women collect the majority of seafood from coastal areas for family consumption (a practice referred to as gleaning), they are … Read more →

Dr Anouk Ride was recently engaged as a specialist by the World Bank to conduct gender and social inclusion analysis for their upcoming fisheries projects in Tonga and Kiribati. In each of these locations, while women collect the majority of seafood from coastal areas for family consumption (a practice referred to as gleaning), they are often excluded from participation in catch and sale of higher value species and relevant decision-making about natural resources. Identifying gendered work in fisheries and obstacles women and youth face todevelop sustainable livelihoods in fisheries is just one of many steps needed to broaden the benefits of fisheries to all.

In March 2019 a stakeholder workshop was held to confirm the findings of research on young women’s livelihoods in vulnerable urban areas. The research conducted by Dr Anouk Ride and Sukwadi Media and Research involved interviews and workshops with 151 young women not engaged in full time study or work in communities considered disadvantaged in … Read more →

In March 2019 a stakeholder workshop was held to confirm the findings of research on young women’s livelihoods in vulnerable urban areas. The research conducted by Dr Anouk Ride and Sukwadi Media and Research involved interviews and workshops with 151 young women not engaged in full time study or work in communities considered disadvantaged in terms of access to services, land tenure and incomes. The report was commissioned by the World Bank to inform the Community Access & Urban Services Enhancement Project (CAUSE), a World Bank financed project implemented by the Honiara City Council (HCC) (in coordination with the Guadalcanal, Malaita and Western Provincial Governments) and the Ministry for Infrastructure Development (this was formerly known as Rapid Employment Project). The report is being finalised and will be available later in 2019.

Political discourse and parliament in Solomon Islands are dominated by older men, making it easy to forget that this cohort of influential people are, in fact, the minority of the population. With seven in 10 Solomon Islanders under age 34 (UNDP 2018:6), Solomon Islands’ youth population is particularly visible on the streets of Honiara, where … Read more →

Political discourse and parliament in Solomon Islands are dominated by older men, making it easy to forget that this cohort of influential people are, in fact, the minority of the population. With seven in 10 Solomon Islanders under age 34 (UNDP 2018:6), Solomon Islands’ youth population is particularly visible on the streets of Honiara, where large groups of youth can be seen in public spaces and at events.

There are, however, few youths in positions of influence or formal decision-making structures in Solomon Islands. Youths are rarely seen in politics and government, and are less likely to be employed (Solomon Islands National Statistical Office 2014:75). This In Brief examines present exclusion of youths from decision-making and highlights where change is emerging and policy support could be most effective.

http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/6627/ib-201901-youth-inclusive-development-challenges-and