The nation cannot progress in terms of economic growth and development if women continue to be left out from the government polices, Dr. Alice Pollard stressed this during the 40th Anniversary celebration of Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) on Tuesday.
Presenting her remarks among the speakers of the event Dr. Pollard said women are very active figures in the informal sector of the economy, which contributed a lot to the livelihoods of every household in Solomon Islands.
She pointed out that the most valued development index of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) does not capture women’s economic contribution to Solomon Islands.
“If all women in informal sector go on strike definitely there will be widespread starvation in our homes,” she asserted.
She added women are active economic agent from where they are, but policies excluded them from being recognised in terms of their contribution to the well being of the society.
She reiterated that it is time CBSI must embrace women’s active participation in economic development of Solomon Islands, because without women this country cannot move forward.
Dr. Pollard stressed that women want recognition in their role of the participation in the economy.
“Therefore it is time CBSI and the government must recheck their policies and laws to see where women missing and included them in the system, so that their participation could be accounted in the economic growth of the nation,” she concluded.
By AATAI JOHN