TSM task force established to advance women’s political participation

Honiara, Solomon Islands – The Cabinet, at its meeting on 25 September 2025, endorsed the establishment of the Solomon Islands Government Temporary Special Measures (TSM) Taskforce to strengthen women’s political participation and representation in Provincial Assemblies.

This is a milestone in the ongoing work led by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children, and Family Affairs and the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, supported by key partners, including the Women’s Rights Action Movement, the Solomon Islands National Council of Women and other national women’s organisations, over the past 8 years to address the systemic under-representation of women in Provincial Assemblies.

The Taskforce, comprising approximately 14 members from government, civil society, national women’s organisations and key stakeholders, has been mandated to identify the most viable legal pathway to adopt and apply temporary special measures to address the low participation and representation of women in Provincial Assemblies.

A key achievement of the Taskforce is the completion of a comparative legal analysis that will now guide the next step: developing the policy paper on the TSM legal pathway.

Preparations are underway for national and provincial strategic consultations and literature reviews to inform the TSM policy paper, reflecting the Task force’s commitment to ensuring a clear, effective, and sustainable legal framework for women’s political representation and participation at the provincial government level.

Since its formation, the TSM Taskforce has convened three meetings.

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