The Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs will soon submit to Cabinet a concept paper on the issue of reserved seats for women in parliament.
The paper is seeking that "Temporary Special Measures" be enshrined in the Solomon Islands' Constitution to fast track the political representation of women in Parliament and at national and provincial level.The recommendations in the concept paper were adopted after comprehensive consultations by the Ministry and the Temporary Special Measures taskforce were held with stakeholders last week.
The paper also seeks an additional 10 seats in Parliament to be temporary reserved for women for the 2010 elections.
It says that those seats be allocated in such a way that one is allocated to each Province.
The paper also seeks to establish a long-term strategy to ensure that 30 percent of parliament seats be reserved for women.
It says that these Temporary Special Measures be used up until such time that internationally recognized levels of minimum number or percentage of women's representation has been achieved.
The concept papers also seeks that the introduction of Temporary Special Measures be introduced for the next national parliamentary election in 2010.
The paper also seeks that the candidates for the reserved seats be elected by all registered, eligible voters in Solomon Islands.
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