A call to protect women’s rights in Solomon Islands’ forestry legislation, policy and practice

Abstract

Key messages • Gender inequality and gender-based violence are major development issues throughout Solomon Islands. • Injustices against women and girls are particularly pronounced in the logging sector. • Solomon Islands is making important advances towards designing policies that aim to achieve gender equity, but these advances are yet to become visible within the forestry sector. • This info brief summarizes research on the impacts of logging operations on Solomon Islands’ women and girls. • It calls for the development of legislation, policy and practice that ensures gender equity in logging operations and offers recommendations for doing so. • The National Forest Policy and ongoing review of the Forest Resources and Timber Utilization Act provide important opportunities to address the gender injustices that characterize the Solomon Islands’ logging sector.