Solomon Islands Engages in the 3^rd Regional EVAW Symposium and RWG Sub-Committee Meetings in Fiji.

Nadi, Fiji, 1^st September 2026 – Regional efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV) and strengthen Family Protection Systems across the Pacific have taken a significant step forward following two back-to-back technical meetings convened at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji.  These critical sessions commenced with the 3^rd Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) Symposium from 27^th to 28^th August 2026, followed immediately by concurrent meetings of the specialised Sub-Committees of the Regional Working Group (RWG) on the Implementation of Family Protection/Domestic Violence Legislation from 31^st August to 1^st September 2026.

Ms. Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs (RWG Chair) alongside Pacific delegates at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji for the 3rd Ending Violence Against Women Symposium.

Headed by Ms. Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs and Chair of the RWG, the delegation also included Deputy Secretary Technical Ms. Kyla Venokana Sie and Senior Legal Policy Officer Ms. Verity Faradatolo Apaniai.  SAFENET Coordinator Miss Juliana Zutu attended as a representative of the RWG alternate member, Mr Aaron Pitaqae, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs.

Setting a Rigorous Technical Foundation: The 3^rd EVAW Symposium

The 3^rd Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) Symposium successfully convened on 27^th – 28^th August 2026 running under the theme “Strengthening GBV Data for Evidence-Based Law, Policy and Accountability in the Pacific,” the symposium provided a critical regional platform to address data fragmentation across the Pacific.

Ms Pauline Mcneil, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs (MJLA) (RWG Chair), with Kyla Venokana Sie, Deputy Secretary Technical, MJLA

Discussions focused on establishing safe, ethical and survivor centred data standards, as well as validating a draft regional Implementation Roadmap to unify and strengthen fragmented GBV administrative data systems.  The technical outcomes, situational analysis insights and key messages generated during the symposium will directly inform future regional policy and legislative deliberations.

Strengthening Strategic Actions: Concurrent RWG Sub-Committees Meetings

Following the EVAW symposium, high-level concurrent sessions were held by the specialised RWG Sub-Committees from 31^st August to 1^st September 2026. These included:

• The Legal & Institutional Strengthening Framework Sub-Committee
• The Data Collection, Monitoring and Evaluation Sub-Committee (of which the Solomon Islands was an active member)
• The Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Sub-Committee

Ms. Pauline Mcneil, Permanent Secretary, MJLA (RWG Chair) with Mr Livai Sovau (FR-L) Chair of the Data Sub-Committee along with Committee members

Sub-Committees representatives reviewed progress against major regional commitments endorsed at the 6^th Annual Meeting 2025 in Naoero. They assessed the implementation of their respective workplans and formulated key recommendations to improve national data systems, align legislative frameworks and address emerging digital safety concerns. The strategic frameworks and recommendations arising from these intensive sub-committee deliberations will be presented to the wider plenary for formal endorsement at the 7^th Annual RWG Meeting 2026.

The Solomon Islands delegation participated in both high-level forums.  The delegation was an active participant in the Data, Monitoring and Evaluation Sub-Committee, contributing directly to the technical discussions and the development of regional workplans.

Through these collaborative regional mechanisms, the Solomon Islands and its Pacific partners continue to build a cohesive, data-driven, and survivor-centred approach to Family Protection and Gender Justice.