QUEENS VISITED PM, DISCUSSED WOMEN LEADERSHIP

The six pageants vying for this year’s Miss Solomon Islands crown have visited Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare this week.

They spent an hour discussing what motivated them to join this year’s contest and other issues affecting women in Solomon Islands today.

Their discussions involved sports, family and gender violence, empowerment of women and being role models in society.

Prime Minister Sogavare told the pageant contestants he was impressed by their level of knowledge on the issues discussed and was equally impressed by the level of competence, aptitude and enthusiasm shown during their discussions.

He said these are very important issues, saying they are ‘challenges’ that women in Solomon Islands face, especially equal opportunities for both genders, particularly in the rural communities.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told the contestants the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government also faces similar challenges when working on legal frameworks that would enable more women to be elected to Parliament.

He said issues pertaining to women’s leadership and political participation continues to be a challenge, even in the Government.

The Prime Minister encouraged the pageant contestants to believe in themselves and where possible, to be agents of change in their communities and the society as a whole.

Director of the Miss Solomon Islands Pageant 2016, Ms Joyce Konofilia thanked the Prime Minister for availing time to meet and greet the pageant contestants.