A Manual on Elections Processes for Solomon Islands in the Making
February 21, 2024
Honiara, Solomon Islands - With the Solomon Islands General Election to take place on 17 April, the electoral engine has already kicked into gear. This week, 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 civil society organizations (CSOs) have been selected to conduct awareness 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 said, “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 behavior in this collective process.
“These messages are empowering and will help everyone to make informed decisions when they vote," she said.
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) supported by the European Union and the Government of Australia.
Michael Burke, UNDP Project Manager, added:
“This 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.”
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.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
Daniel C. Gonzalez , Strategic Communications Specialist, UNDP Solomon Islands Office, daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org, +677 7740 740/ +34. 65 65 65 270