76433 Skills for Solomon Islands women Opening new opportunities New economic opportunities are available to Solomon Islands, at home and overseas; but a serious skills deficit constrains Solomon Islanders from accessing them. Women, youth, and rural Solomon Islanders are disproportionately affected. Action on the mismatch between skills supplied and skills in demand Labour force participation in Pacific Island countries from employers, enterprise and economic opportunities, can be highly beneficial to Solomon Islands women. Solomon Islands has 100 a shortage of the skills needed for economic growth opportunities. Imported labour fills skills shortages, even while up to 80 percent of 80 youth are unemployed. Employers report a lack of key behavioural as well as technical skills, contributing to staff shortages which constrain enterprise growth. Formal job opportunities are limited. While informal- 60 and self-employment and enterprise are important income sources for most Solomon Islanders, these are also constrained by a lack of entrepreneurial, financial management and livelihood skills. There is 40 a widespread lack of basic skills needed to boost productivity in both formal and informal employment – such as literacy and numeracy. Capturing realities in the field, a significant literacy and educational 20 experience survey in Honiara, Malaita, Renbel and Isabel in 2007 and 20101 found rates of assessed functional literacy far lower than census- 0 based self-reported rates. The findings indicate a strong perceived value i G oa ds ga tu Fij PN of literacy and numeracy for livelihoods and employment: yet that too ua an m n To Sa n Isl Va few Solomon Islanders gain these skills from basic or even secondary on m education, or retain these skills after school. Functional literacy, not lo So ■ Male ■ Female educational attainment alone, is important for employment options for Solomon Islanders beyond subsistence activities. Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank, 2010. This Informal Briefing Note is extracted from the World Bank report, Skills for Solomon Islands: Opening New Opportunities, Stephen Close, World Bank Sydney, October 2012. Please see the full report for full references and copyright information. 1 Asia Pacific Basic Education Association and Coalition for Education Solomon Islands, Literacy and Educational Experience Survey, 2007 and 2010. 1 Skills for Solomon Islands women Employment and labour market participation is difficult held a paid job than women, and higher rates of participation to measure in the Pacific context, where people move in subsistence agriculture livelihoods among women. The between subsistence, formal and informal employment. survey indicates wide provincial variations. Meanwhile, rural Available statistics highlight particular disadvantages for Solomon Islands women moving to urban squatter settlements women in skills supply and in the labour market. The mostly in Honiara face particular challenges. Perhaps due to social and positive gender balance in basic education is not maintained economic pressures, already-high levels of intimate partner at higher levels. Disparities begin at primary school completion violence against women are higher again in Honiara. Of and in junior secondary, where limited dormitory facilities for household members in urban squatter settlements in full time girls present a barrier to access.2 At tertiary level, gender biases employment, only 18.2 percent were women. Many reported are more evident in access, award of scholarships and fields harsh working conditions with long hours, driving them to of study. Solomon Islands’ Rural Training Centres (RTCs) are of informal income-generating activities like selling betel-nuts particular relevance to employment and rural livelihoods, but and cigarettes, vegetables and root crops, and handicrafts.5 opportunities for women in RTCs are more limited to agriculture, home economics and typing subjects. These subjects are noted Key statistics by graduates as less job-relevant. Women often attend RTCs closer to home and are recalled for family obligations.3 Across Average annual population growth 2.3% all ages, girl’s and women’s participation in education, training Employed population (Census 2009): 81,194 and employment opportunities in Solomon Islands is likely – males 54,536 (67.2%) limited by high levels of violence against women in girls. In a – females 26,658 (32.8%) World Health Organization study, 64 percent of ever-partnered women had been subject to physical abuse, and 37 percent Employment to population, 15+ 64.4% of women and girls had been sexually abused before age 15.4 (Census 2009) Employment to population ratio 23.7% Skills supply imbalances are reflected in the workforce. As (Census 2009): in other Pacific Island Countries, labour force participation by Solomon Islands women is consistently around 10–20 percent – males 31.4% lower than men across age groups according to HIES data. – females 15.8% Although 2009 Census figures show labour force participation Subsistence workers (Census 2009): 87,913 close to equal at 63.3 percent for men and 62.1 percent for – males 35,248 women, census figures indicated that 67.2 percent of those in employment were men and only 32.8 percent were women. – females 52,665 The same literacy and education experience survey of Isabel Unpaid workers (Census 2009): 41,191 and Renbel in 2010 found a notable gender gap in rates for – males 17,861 primary school intake, transition, completion, literacy, and employment, with 20–30 percent more men reported having – females 23,330 Six recommendations for skills and economic opportunities for Solomon Islands women 1) Actions to reduce push out of girls at secondary level. 2) NHRDTP actions and incentives increasing women’s education, training and employment. 3) Expanded and effective second-chance education and training. 4) More non-formal, livelihood and mobile village skills training. 5) Reduced barriers to entrepreneurship and business skills. 6) School curriculum integration of gender equity and violence prevention programmes. 2 Solomon Islands Government and UNICEF, Barriers to Education Study, 2011. 3 Labour Market Study, European Union, 2012. 4 Solomon Islands Family Health and Safety Study, Report prepared by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs, 2009. 5 Maebuta, H.E., and Maebuta, J, ‘Generating Livelihoods: A Study of Urban Squatter Settlements in Solomon Islands’, in Pacific Economic Bulletin, Australian National University, Volume 24, Number 3, 2009. 2 New growth opportunities will be accessible for more Solomon Islanders if the skills needed to explore them are built in the growing and youthful population. Actions across the life transitions from early childhood to labour force matching are needed. Solomon Islands can build on current initiatives, turn concepts into action, and make new partnerships across sectors, employers and provinces, to expand opportunities for Solomon Islands women. Six practical and achievable recommendations include: 1) Actions to reduce push out of girls at secondary level. Water and sanitation facilities ensuring schools cater for girls, assurance of continued access to education for pregnant young women, safe accommodation for boarding students, and access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health services, and safety from violence and sexual abuse, all contribute to girls proceeding to higher levels of education beyond primary. 2) Implementing Solomon Islands’ demand-oriented skills plan will increase women’s participation in education, Photo: Alison Ofolatau, World Bank. training and employment. The Cabinet-approved National Human Resources Development & Training Plan (NHRDTP) prioritises actions to increase women’s education, training, chance focus on literacy, life and work skills, targeting those and employment participation. The plan prioritises women’s excluded from formal schooling, especially girls and youth in participation in skills training to increase productivity and remote areas.8 Many literacy classes are attended (and taught rural, subsistence and non-formal livelihoods, in which on a volunteer basis) by women, often by community faith they are active. The plan proposes incentives for women groups (see back page). Women could benefit greatly from to participate in higher levels of formal education and expanded literacy classes through the proposed ‘National training, including pathways and competency recognition Literacy Project’. Combining second-chance education with for non-traditional occupations in which more Solomon sexual and reproductive health services would improve life Islanders may be active as they diversify income sources outcomes for women, given linked teenage pregnancy and from subsistence agriculture and fishing. A training system school dropout. oriented to demand would include funding formula 4) Expand access to short-courses, non-formal training, incentivising learning options, to increase the numbers of and mobile village skills training, to expand women participating in literacy courses, TVET courses, and opportunities for girls and women, and for those enterprise-related courses, and motivating providers to needing second chances and who cannot access increase women’s enrolment of women.6 formal vocational training. Allocating RTC courses by 3) More second chances and non-formal learning gender with a focus on domestic skills prevents women opportunities are needed to expand learning for all; developing skills to participate in labour market and benefiting women’s life outcomes. An effective second informal economic activity. Rural parents are also reluctant chances system can give people hope and incentive to to send girls to board at RTCs9 for safety reasons. Informal catch up from bad luck or bad choices.7 Solomon Islanders sector training can link better to workplaces, as it works face challenges accessing quality education relevant to best when based on existing economic and employment the economic and employment opportunities available, activities, thus increasing motivation and productivity.10 including in gaining functional literacy and numeracy from Unemployed and lower-skilled workers, and those who basic education. The ASPBAE/COESI survey results highlight have dropped out of education, need second chances and the need for SIG and its development partners to provide non-formal training. Internationally, ‘Active Labour Market second-chance learning opportunities for out-of-school Programmes’ (ALMPs) provide a further channel beyond youth and adults. The ASPBAE/COESI results suggest a second- formal TVET or on-the-job-training.11 6 SIG, National Human Resource Development and Training Plan, 2011. 7 World Bank, World Development Report, 2007. 8 ASPBAE/COESI, 2010. 9 Asian Development Bank, Skilling the Pacific, 2008. 10 ADB, Skilling the Pacific, 2008. 11 World Bank, The Right, Skills for the Job, 2012. 3 Skills for Solomon Islands women 5) Reducing barriers to entrepreneurship, including skills in technical and vocational training, apprenticeships barriers, will benefit individuals, the economy; and and scholarships to similar contexts, business training, women entrepreneurs in particular. High-impact and entrepreneurial skills, market analysis, and research and immediately-implementable actions for SIG and donors development. Further actions to support expansion of are available. Updated websites and communication business by women entrepreneurs include increasing materials could improve access to accurate information access to finance, reducing processes for land registration on donor and government procurement practices, and and other obstacles to using customary land as collateral training for suppliers. Funding for expanded business for accessing finance, and reducing immigration barriers mentoring services through training institutions or to expatriate contributions to business growth (including business associations. Business associations could filling immediate skills gaps).12 establish an online publicly accessible database for accessing procurement information and contacts of 6) Integration of gender equality, women’s and children’s available suppliers. Addressing skills gaps, gender- rights and violence prevention into the school review of scholarships and business mentoring could be curriculum to create the societal conditions for girls and undertaken. For the medium-term skills training could be women to equitably and safely access education, training expanded relevant to women entrepreneurs, including and employment opportunities without fear of violence. ‘Hem No Leit Tumas’ Second chances for women to read Solomon Islands women often want to learn to read and write so that they can lead bible-reading, feel part of the community, or know what is going on around them. Without basic literacy and numeracy, women feel they are less able to stand up for themselves, stand up to their husbands, take a leading role in meeting community needs such as improved hygiene and water access, or fulfill their traditional role as community peacemakers. In a country with a fertility rate of 4.6, they are unable to read family planning materials or count a contraceptive pill cycle. Perpetuating the problem, illiterate women are not able to actively support their children’s education. While recognised as important to livelihoods, rates of functional literacy in major provinces are as low as seven percent. Most commonly it is women, of all ages, who seek a second chance at reading and writing. This may be because of the historic impact of gender imbalances in basic Holy Cross literacy school in Honiara: a volunteer teacher with an intermediate level English class. Photo: Stephen Close, World Bank. education – imbalances persisting in some provinces and at higher levels of education. Finding ways to retain children in better quality education is better – and more cost-effective set entry or exit points, it takes about 6–12 months to learn – than trying to catch them later. But Solomon Islanders – basic literacy and numeracy, but many drop out early. Unpaid women especially – need Second Chances. volunteer teachers stop and start classes, and students lack learning materials or stationery. When Government budget NGOs such as ADRA, World Vision and Church of Melanesia is available, it has been around SBD70,000 a year (around run literacy schools across the country to give those who USD10,000); quickly spent printing learning materials. Selina have missed out a second chance. The schools are mostly run Berah of LASI said that women’s strong demand for literacy by unpaid volunteers trained in workshops by the Literacy is sometimes countered by neighbours who say there’s no Association of Solomon Islands (LASI). LASI provides learning point. Women say, ‘Mifela leit pinis na’ – (‘it’s too late for me’). materials in English, Pijin, and ten local languages. With no But we say ‘Hem no leit tumas’ (‘it’s not too late’). Sources: UNDP, ASPBAE/COESI 2007 and 2010; World Bank discussion with Reuben Molli and visit to Fiu RTC, February 2009. 12 World Bank, Increasing the Participation of Women Entrepreneurs in the Solomon Islands Aid Economy, 2011. 4