⬅ SECTORS

Women's Economic Empowerment

Increasing gender equity and opportunities for women to access and take advantage of resources to create and obtain jobs and move into senior roles throughout the market.

Women have important roles across the whole value chain and produce positive, long-lasting economic results. However, in the Solomon Islands, women are vulnerable to many challenges and risks including: violence, sexual assault, black magic practices (vele), decision making rights, and access to finance. Strongim Bisnis is committed to working with the public and private sectors to help strengthen Women’s Economic Empowerment through interventions that promote equal opportunities. Achieving greater gender equality, rarely happens in isolation and requires support through the broader enabling environment.

Increasing gender equity and opportunities for women to access and take advantage of resources to create and obtain jobs and move into senior roles throughout the market.

  • Mainstream women’s economic empowerment and youth inclusion into Strongim Bisnis activities in the coconut, cocoa and tourism sectors.
  • Develop activities that target and address barriers relating to women and youth. Our objective is that at least 80% of all project activities demonstrate benefits for women and youth.
  • Act on recommendations from our Gender Norms and Economic Opportunity study, such as engaging in activities targeting gender norms and women’s unpaid care burden.
  • Act on recommendations from our Gender Norms and Economic Opportunity study, such as engaging in activities targeting gender norms and women’s unpaid care burden.
  • Pilot solutions to address relating to women and youth and begin to scale-up successful models to create the right conditions for women to improve their access and control over productive resources.

  • The West AreÁre Rokotanikeni Association (WARA), a leading women’s savings organisation, has partnered with Strongim Bisnis to help grow rural women’s businesses and incomes.
  • Strongim Bisnis and Oxfam in Solomon Islands published a joint study into the gender norms that impact the economic empowerment of women and young people in rural communities in the Solomon Islands. The report was launched by the Minister of Women Youth, Children and Family Affairs and civil society, government and private sector.
  • Strongim Bisnis has brokered a partnership with WARA and SunPower, a local distributor of solar energy solutions, piloting the distribution of small-scale solar panels through women entrepreneurs in a network of saving clubs reaching around 3,000 women.
  • Strongim Bisnis conducts awareness raising activities during key events such as International Women’s Day, International Rural Women’s Day and 16 days of activism, and engages in public dialogue with government, business and key development partners.
  • Supporting DreamCast Theatre in awareness raising in two communities in Guadalcanal around Gender Based Violence through drama, music, quiz and games.
  • Supporting the Consumers’ Empowerment Working Group at the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) in a study of sustainability of saving clubs.

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OUR Women's Economic Empowerment NEWS

Media release

August 16, 2022

Solomon Islands and Australia join together to promote women in business

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Media release

May 14, 2021

Creating Childcare Facilities For Soltuna Workers To Improve Productivity

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Media release

May 12, 2021

Helping To Clean Seas And Recycle In Western Province

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LATEST

News

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Media release
September 7, 2022

From local plantation timber to high-end furniture

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Media release
August 16, 2022

Solomon Islands and Australia join together to promote women in business

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Media release
August 9, 2022

Jobseekers with disabilities boosted by new employment database

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Our

Women's Economic Empowerment

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Explore Our Programs

Tackling the nation’s trade and investment challenges, we work to provide solutions for businesses and investors in the coconut, cocoa, tourism, waste management, timber, financial services and horticulture industries, while empowering women, youth and people living with disability.

Women's Economic Empowerment

Increasing gender equity and opportunities for women to access and take advantage of resources to create and obtain jobs and move into senior roles throughout the market.

Cocoa

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is revolutionising the Solomon Islands cocoa sector through investments in local enterprises and extensive marketing efforts, stimulating in-country value addition and generating an increased demand for local cocoa products.

Coconut

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is strengthening growth of the coconut industry through marketing and diversification of the product range of existing producers, bringing sustainability and resilience to businesses.

GEDSI

Strongim Bisnis is working to create more inclusive economic opportunities by actively supporting Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). Through targeted interventions and partnerships, the program helps remove barriers to participation, such as limited access to resources and decision-making. By promoting inclusiveness across sectors, Strongim Bisnis aims to build a more equitable economy that benefits everyone.

Horticulture

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is expanding its support for smallholder farmers in Guadalcanal Province by improving access to essential resources and services. By partnering with food processing companies, the program continues to open market opportunities.

Timber

The Solomon Islands timber sector relies heavily on round log exports, with only a small fraction of wood exports processed locally. As the natural forest logging industry declines, there is a critical need to expand plantation timber and enhance domestic processing capabilities. Strongim Bisnis is focusing on improving plantation timber value chains and downstream processing to ensure the sector's long-term sustainability.

Tourism

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the Solomon Islands' economy, contributing 10.5% to GDP and generating USD 132.8 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a goal of reaching 50,000 international visitors per year by 2025, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with high-potential businesses to help the tourism industry grow.

Waste Management

Strongim Bisnis is working on waste streams (initially within Guadalcanal, Central and Western provinces) with the objective of finding sustainable and commercially viable solutions for recycling and waste removal/disposal services. This is aimed at driving economic growth and creating private sector jobs.

Youth & Disability Inclusion

Addressing the vulnerability of unemployed young women and men and the barriers for youth to be included in the economy – especially those who live with disabilities.