MARKET vendors in Honiara and Auki have been working with UN Women and the National Disaster Management Office to inform research about the impacts of climate change on the markets and livelihoods.
The Solomon Islands markets, as part of the Markets for Change project, are the first in the Pacific to have participated in the research, which was inspired by recent disasters in the Pacific region and the impact these and climate change are having on food producers, markets and market vendors.
“Pacific nations regularly experience the impacts of climate change and disasters,”says UN Women Climate Change Programme Officer, Allanah Kidd.
“There are significant flow on effects from these for the community and on livelihoods, especially those of women who tend to be market vendors,” Ms Kidd added.
“What we hope to achieve with this research is a better understanding of how climate change and disasters impact the markets, which are crucial part of the Solomon Islands’ economy.
“The findings will give us a better understanding of how we need to strengthen the markets and the vendors to prepare for the impacts of climate change and disasters.”
Over the past two weeks staff from UN Women have partnered with the National Disaster Management Office and their provincial counterparts along with market managers and vendors, to understand how susceptible Auki and Honiara markets are to climate change.
“Working together we have been able to learn more about the challenges our market places, vendors and food growers are facing because of climate change and disasters,” says Provincial Disaster Management Officer,Pearson Simi.
As part of the research the facilities and infrastructure of both markets were assessed and focus groups along with one to one interviews with market vendors were also undertaken.
Sixteen vendors attended the focus group in Auki, 13 of which were women market vendors and from this group five were interviewed one on one.
In Honiara 16 people attended the focus groups, also with 13 women, five of whom were interviewed one on one.
“It is only through talking with those affected we can get a clear picture of what is happening.
“It also builds a sense of ownership between us and our partners to work together to find sustainable solutions for the markets, food producers and market vendors,” says Ms Kidd.
“What we are hearing from market vendors is they are aware of climate change and they were able to give us some insight into how it is affecting them.
“They have confirmed vulnerabilities exist and we hope to take this information and address these vulnerabilities by working together with stakeholders and market vendors to make Auki and Honiara markets more resilient and prepared.”
The data produced through the research will now be collated and produced in a report with recommendations about how to better prepare and protect the markets, vendors and food producers from the impacts of climate change and disasters.
UN Women’s Markets for Change project
UN Women’s Markets for Change project is a key component of its Women’s Economic Empowerment programme.
The six-year, multi-country initiative aims to ensure that marketplaces in rural and urban areas in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Between 75% and 90% of vendors working at Pacific marketplaces are women and their earnings often make up a significant portion of the incomes of many poor households.
Despite this, women are often excluded from market governance and decision-making.
M4C works with stakeholders, service providers and the market vendors themselves to: build and support inclusive, effective and representative advocacy groups; deliver appropriate services, training and interventions; ensure women’s voices are heard and taken into account at the decision-making level; and to improve physical infrastructure and operating systems.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has provided AU$10 million to support the implementation of the Markets for Change project.
UN Women Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction
As a collection of small, isolated and low-lying island nations, the Pacific region is among the first to feel the effects of disasters and climate change.
The UN Women Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction programme is designed to ensure that Pacific women become full, equal partners in, and beneficiaries of, all disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as overall sustainable development.
Through the programme, UN Women collaborates with and helps coordinate regional development partners, governments and NGOs in efforts to increase the understanding of, and effective response to, the gender implications of disasters and climate change.
UN Women also provides capacity building in disaster response and has deployed specialist staff to support government partners and UN agencies in mainstreaming gender in humanitarian needs assessment processes in the aftermath of disasters. – Source: UN Women