Outgoing SG Taylor says PIF leaders need stronger voice against GBV

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Outing Secretary General of Pacific Islands Forum Dame Meg Taylor says Pacific leaders need to come out with a much stronger voice in ending Gender Based Violence in the Pacific, including the Solomon Islands.

Solomon Islands has this year already recorded increased number of rape cases against females and only last weekend— a young girl had her life cut-short after she was reported to be killed by her boyfriend.

Against that backdrop, SBMOnline, which joined other selected media houses in her final online conference with regional journalists on Friday raised the issue with the outgoing SG and what needs to be done about it.

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She highlights the need to take serious efforts by all stakeholders in dealing with the issue.

“I think that will be a serious commitment on how we educate our sons, educate our brothers, how we educate the male members in our families to understand the situation,” she told this magazine.

Taylor adds: “It is about the partnerships we built— about what we do to contribute and violence is not the answer. And this is the tragedy of the violence that kills women in many of our countries.”

Speaking about what PIF has done, she said: “I think work has to continue, the Leaders (Pacific Islands Leaders) declaration has been reviewed now and I think they need to come up with a much stronger voice on what we do to end this violence. I don’t think it is overnight.”

Taylor said GBV is a burden and a burden that “we all are going to carry”.

“I don’t think it is the women alone are going to do it,” she said.

Dame Meg Taylor has completed her six years as the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum just over a week ago.

From Papua New Guinean politician served as Secretary General to the Pacific Islands Forum from 2014-2021. She is replaced by Cook Islands Henry Puna.