Gender and Media in Solomon Islands

By Lisa Horiwapu, Vois Blong Mere Solomon, Solomon’s Island.

Vois Blong Mere Solomon is a women’s media NGO established in 2001. Vois works to advance the status of women through radio programmes and radio campaigns, the publication of a newsletter and the dissemination of information through networks such the regional women’s media network coordinated by femLINKPACIFIC on UNSC resolution 1325.

Radio remains the most popular and influential media in Solomon Islands and Vois Blong Mere has conducted radio campaigns on issues such as HIV/AIDS and the 16 days of activism on gender based violence especially on the national radio station – Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.

These campaigns are a way to remind the government of its commitments to gender equality especially the implementation of CEDAW.

Radio campaigns are produced in collaboration with other NGOs, especially women’s NGOs. This has created a broader awareness of the annual campaign, as well as a general acceptance of the issues raised in these campaigns. A critical challenge is outreach and feedback from the rural and the outlying islands and provinces.

The three most urgent issues for gender and the media in Solomon Islands are:

·The inclusion of women in decision making positions within the media, as well as broader society

·Access to scholarships for women’s media professionals especially to enhance their capacity to advocate for women’s issues

·The unfair representation of women’s issues in the media – yousee women’s issues in the backpages or relegated to the women’s page unless it is promoting a government policy. Not much is being covered on women’s issues unless it is controversial.

There are no standards defining codes of conduct and there are limited opportunities for women working within the media. From a civil society perspective, there is a greater need for in-depth discussion and informed commentary on developments.