By CHRIS ALEX

A landmark Post-Colloquium Learning Exchange hosted by the Pacific Women Mediators Network is underway in Honiara this week, bringing together a dynamic inter-generational group of Solomon Islands women leaders.

The event is being held in partnership with Vois Blong Mere Solomon, the Solomon Islands National Council of Women and the Young Women’s Parliamentary Group (YWPG).

The gathering serves as a key step toward developing a national women-led mediators’ network, focusing on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and gender equality efforts in the Solomon Islands.

Participants represent a diverse cross-section of the country, including leaders from Guadalcanal, and Outer Islands, Isabel, Malaita, Western Province, Choiseul and Rennell & Bellona.

Key sessions include Legacy Mapping and in-depth discussions linking gender equality, peace, and human security priorities to local realities.

The exchange emphasises the importance of grounding national peacebuilding efforts in community experiences, giving participants the chance to share insights and strategies from their provinces.

“This is not just a meeting it’s a movement to embed women’s voices and leadership into peace and security conversations across the country,” said one organiser.

The program also delves into the regional and global frameworks shaping gender equality and peace in the Pacific. Discussions explore how national action can align with commitments such as the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Boe Declaration, the Revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (2023), the Blue Pacific Strategy to 2050 and the Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights.

Participants are also exploring how these regional visions intersect with national policy commitments and international treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and relevant national legislation.

As the Learning Exchange continues, the hope is to build a resilient, women-led network of mediators capable of influencing peacebuilding and policy from the ground up. Organisers and participants alike recognize this initiative as a vital contribution to creating more inclusive, secure and gender-equal communities across Solomon Islands.

For feedback, contact:[email protected]