Solomon women want their rights protected under new Federal Constitution

Solomon Islands women want their rights protected under the new proposed Federal Constitution.

This was among the main issues discussed during a two-day forum held last week in Honiara to look at the draft federal constitution.

The Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs and the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team, Triple R-T, were among those who helped organised the forum.

Triple R-T is a Fiji-based non-profit training and technical resource organisation specialising in human rights advocacy, law and education tailored specifically to the Pacific region.

A lawyer with Triple R-T, Imarana Jalal, says that during the forum the women among other things expressed what they wanted to see included in the Federal Constitution.

"They wanted it to be very clear, that where there is a conflict between customs and women's rights, that women's right would take precedence. That it would be the main thing to look at. They've also very keen on having quotas in Parliament. They want to see reserve seats for women in Parliament."

Source: SIBC