Not just a rib, but the backbone

THE Vanuatu National Council of Women celebrated its 10th birth day in May - appropriately in advance of the country’s 10th anniver sary - with a women’s festival. The Women Ibildimap Vanuatu Nasonal Festivol, as one organiser Hilda Lini put it, was to show “it is the women of Vanuatu who are the backbone of building this nation”.

About 2000 women took part in the festival, which was so successful that May 15 - the founding date of the NCW - will now be observed as Vanuatu Women’s Day.

When the NCW was formed in 1980, it had already proven the backbone of the push for independence. Now it is the most organised and active national body in Vanuatu, with 77 local branches and 13 regional councils.

National co-ordinator Kathy Solomon says it took the first decade to establish

branches and island councils in the isolated areas. “Now we are looking to base more workers on each island to help

with income-generating projects.”

The plans took a backward step when the Vanuatu Government cut back female community workers from seven to three, all based in Port Vila. But Solomon says the Interchurch Organis

ation for Development Co-operation

agreed to fund three island community workers.

So far most women’s branches have identified their first project as getting their own building. This year the women of Malekula will have two Japanese women with them on handicraft pro duction and exports. A trial small business loan scheme, funded by the South Pacific Commission, is proving popular in Port Vila. The NCW is also lobbying the Government for legislation on domestic violence and rape. □

Kathy Solomon: organising and training women, and still time to lobby government