The women of RAMSI joined their Solomon Island sisters today to celebrate National Women's Week.
Women members of RAMSI's police and military joined with local women's groups to chat together, read brochures and look at the high quality handicrafts that were on display.The wife of the Commander of the Participating Police Force Commander, Beth McDermott, who recently arrived in the Solomon Islands, was very impressed with the number of women's groups from Honiara and the provinces that are represented at the week-long celebration at Town Ground in Honiara.
"I was very interested to find out about all of the different styles of handicraft that the women of Solomon Islands produce, they are very creative and of a very high quality," Mrs McDermott said.
Female members of RAMSI's police and military have set up a popular RAMSI Outreach stall where members of the public can get information about the work of RAMSI as well as having the chance to write postcards to friends and relatives in the provinces and give feedback at a special Talem RAMSI desk.
A member of the PPF's community relations team, Melinda Lenders, said the celebration was a good opportunity for the women of RAMSI to support the efforts of Solomon Islands women during National Women's Week.
"We've all really enjoyed meeting and mixing with our Solomon Islands sisters, supporting their efforts, and buying their handicrafts," she said.
Civilian women working with RAMSI's law and justice, economic governance and machinery of government programs will also be available this weekend at the stall to talk about the work RAMSI is doing in partnership with the Government.
The MC of this annual event, Mr Mathius Mebir, encouraged visitors to talk to the RAMSI people and thanked everyone for making a big effort with their stalls.
The event is organised by the Honiara Council of Women, which works together with the National Council of Women.