AS Solomon Islands awaits the official confirmation of this year’s elections date, tentatively slated for this April, the electoral engine has already kicked into gear.
This month, Civil Society representatives from all nine provinces of Solomon Islands and Honiara City Council have convened at a workshop in the capital to identify key topics for a voter awareness manual that their organizations will soon use to conduct face-to-face consultations with communities across all corners of the country.
Participant CSOs have been selected to conduct awareness raising campaigns throughout the country with the goal of effectively communicating and promoting the democratic process throughout Solomon Islands. These CSOs are collaborating on the manual that they will use to educate voters on the new, joint election process and how to be a good citizen by wisely exercising their right to vote.
The manual will be structured in three critical parts: Pre-Election, Election and Post-Election. It plans to encompass key topics around democracy (highlighting the rights and responsibilities within a democratic system), citizenship (defining the attributes of a good citizen), the governmental system, the essence of good leadership, the electoral process, voting procedures, election offenses and anti-corruption measures, correcting misconceptions, and post-election responsibilities. It will also address the role of citizens and leaders after elections and the importance of inclusive democracy.
As Rebecca Awa from Malaita Provincial Council of Women manifests: “This is an extraordinary opportunity to gather information on challenges experienced during former elections as well as best practices and put that together to eventually covey the message to the community”.
Ruth Maetala from the Dignity PasifiK organization who has just return from work duties in Munda, Western Province, considers “this workshop is very important to cater the right of information of every Solomon Islander that will practice their right to vote in this year´s elections.”
Selina Berah from the Guadalcanal Council of Women expressed how she is expanding her knowledge with experiences shared by colleagues from other regions of the country while also contributing the experience of her region to the group. She is convinced that the manual will be a valued tool to spread the message of a well-functioning democracy and increase people’s understanding of their rights and expected behaviour in this collective process. “These messages are empowering and will help everyone to make informed decisions when they vote.
Greyham Tahu, from Ahnra (Apunepara Haamwaora Natural Resource Association), based in South Malaita, is grateful to contribute inputs from his community to the manual.
Theresa Keninakua, of the National Youth Congress, considers “the workshop and resulting manual to be particularly relevant to the youth of Solomon Islands, as it educates young voters of their rights and obligations, which will motivate youth to make well-informed decisions.”
This initiative is organized under UNDP´s Strengthening the Electoral Cycle in Solomon Islands Project (SECSIP) funded by the European Union and the Australia High Commission and “is a collaborative effort that integrates the hands-on experiences of CSOs from previous elections with the expertise of UNDP electoral assistance practitioners. Together, they aim to compile a manual that aligns with the legal framework and constitutional provisions of Solomon Islands, as well as the Electoral Commission’s voter awareness guidelines,” as declares Michael Burke, UNDP´s Project Manager
The awareness outreach campaign delivered by the CSOs is scheduled for March and will lead up to the joint parliamentary and provincial council elections in April 2024. The initiative underlines the importance of informed participation in the electoral process, aiming to empower individuals with knowledge and encourage active engagement in the democratic process, one of the main objectives of SECSIP project.
