Solomon Islands Gender Equality and Climate Resilience

Gender equality and climate resilience are cross-cutting issues that affect all aspects of life in Solomon Islands. Climate resilience project activities equip church leaders and communities to prepare for environmental disasters in practical, spiritual and pastoral ways. Gender equality project activities challenge churches and communities to value and empower women as equals and transform communities into places where they are safe from violence.

Our partner, United Church in Solomon Islands (UCSI), is developing this project to further previous work on both Gender Equality Theology (GET) and building resilience to climate-change impacts.

For gender equality, a priority is to spread the GET messaging to the grass-roots level in churches and communities.

Workshops and practical activities will help farmers learn innovative farming techniques to improve livelihoods and to become more resilient to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. Bible studies and topics on Climate Change Resilience will be developed by the Director of Theology.

A particular focus of this project is young people, both as recipients of the awareness messaging, and in training them to be active agents in implementing and promoting gender equality and climate resilience. It is planned to pilot youth-led community awareness campaigns in the areas of food security, water and sanitation with respect to reducing climate change impacts.

This project also supports organisational strengthening, including Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy Awareness in UCSI schools, and the development of feedback and complaints mechanisms for project participants.