When Support Falls Short

Despite legislative progress at local, regional and national level including the passing of the Family Protection Act in Solomon Islands and an increased commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, implementation is falling short. When it comes to enforcing regulations around violence against women, barriers remain.

Too often it is a lack of appropriate resource prioritisation that inhibits implementation. This is the primary factor that determines whether survivors utilise services and access their rights. Additional factors include; the content and interpretation of legislation, a lack of confidentiality and the cultural association of ‘shame and blame’ felt by survivors of violence.