Afu Billy, leading human rights defender shares lifelong journey to try and make life better for all

BY IRWIN ANGIKI

Wanting fairness for everyone, justice for everyone, people’s rights upheld, selfless – these are some of the many ways used to describe Afu Billy.

Afu is one of Solomon Islands’ human rights defenders, a calling she has devoted most of her life towards.

Hailing from picturesque Kwai Island in the East Malaita region, Afu is seen as a senior leading figure in the push for human rights spectrum both locally and abroad.

Whether its women’s rights, children’s rights, indigenous people’s rights or persons with disability rights, Afu will be there leading the way for people to have their rights recognised and accepted.

She shares with Island Sun her journey as a human rights defender, a profession and passion which is often not an easy task in Solomon Islands and most parts of the world.

What is your earliest memory standing up for the rights of others?

I assisted the President of the Guadalcanal Provincial Council of Women at that time to get the Guadalcanal Provincial Government’s Water and Sanitation Division to pipe clean water to one big rural community on Guadalcanal. Women were able to access water right in their village. Before that they had to walk many miles to get water and to carry heavy containers of water back to the village. With water now available in the village, women and girls do not have to walk many miles anymore to fetch water.

How long have you been involved in this work – as a human rights defender?

May be when I was in my primary school, but not realising that what I was doing was fighting for my own right. E.g. my parents wanted me to select one of the provincial secondary schools to be my first choice. I know at that time that any school I put down as my first choice, will be the school that I will go to as I knew my academic performance was strong.

On what type of social problems do you work?

I work in women’s rights, child rights and the rights of people with disabilities, the vulnerable, the disadvantaged and minority groups.

Why do you think they are important?

Because they are seen as second class citizens but they are human beings and all human beings have rights. When I see their rights being abused, I step in and try to advocate for their rights. An example, the husband of one woman died without documenting who in his family will take his NPF. As is the case in our culture, the relatives of the husband wanted to take his NPF. His wife came and saw me and was very worried as they had 6 children. I took the woman to a lawyer and we got the NPF to divert the NPF funds to the wife for the future of the children. The money enabled the wife to build a house for her and her children and to pay for the children’s school fees.

Why do you think these problems exist?

In the case of the above example, custom practices are at play as wives are assumed to marry someone else if their husbands die, so the relatives should be the ones taking the NPF funds. In many cases the relatives who are usually the men, will misuse the funds resulting in nothing left for the wife and the children.

How did you become involved in this type of work? What inspired you to continue working for social change?

My mother and father were local missionaries. At an early age I was left with caretakers while my parents toured the provinces to spread the word of God. I had to look after myself at a very early age so became resilient and because I suffered, I could relate to other people’s plights so wanted to help other people whose rights are abused. I did not know at that time that I was actually a human rights defender.

How much time do you spend on your personal life and on your work as a human rights defender?

Defending human rights is part of my life so there is no separation as such. If I see someone’s rights or a group’s rights being abused, I will step in and try to address that person or groups to address the human rights abuse.

Do you talk about religion or politics?

Yes in terms of human rights e.g. the rights of individuals to whatever religion they want to affiliate with or the rights of individuals to participate in political activities including to stand for elections or to affiliate to political parties. This is part of a person’s civil and political rights. I do not talk against any religion or any church because people have their right to join any church they want to. But if a church abuses the rights of women or any group of human beings, then I will step in. For example if a church preaches that violence against women is alright, then I will step in.

What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?

As a human rights defender it is satisfying and fulfilling to see people being helped to claim their rights. Like the woman who was able to access her dead husband’s NPF, she was so grateful.

How would you like to be remembered?

Nothing. People can remember me by the way they know me. 

What are you currently doing or are engaged in?

I am the current President of the Solomon Islands National Council of Women, working for the rights of women and girls. I am also working closely with women with disabilities, trying to connect them to resources to support their work; I am also working in women’s political participation, to promote the right of women to leadership including political leadership. I also work part time for an overseas company that supports the government to push for tourism development in some provinces of the country. In half of the provinces, women are the landowners however during these discussions, women are not invited to participate in these. So my role is to ensure that I get women to come and join the meetings and to also voice out their views on the tourism development and to question how women will benefit from these developments.