Solomon Islands with a population of more than 500,000 people, is composed of ten large islands and many small ones. In terms of land area and population, it is one of the largest Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The country is well endowed with natural resources including fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, and nickel. The islands are vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters including cyclones, tsunamis and geological activity with frequent earthquakes, tremors and volcanic activity. Although the urban population is small, it has increased rapidly over the last two decades, largely as a result of out-migration from the rural areas. This urban drift has led to a rise in urban unemployment and contributed to the period of ethnic tensions between 1999 and 2003.
The Solomon Islands became a member State of the ILO in 1984. It’s Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for the period 2009-2012 was formulated together with the tripartite constituents. The four priorities in the programme being:
- Priority 1: Capacity building of tripartite partners and improvement of social dialogue;
- Priority 2: Promotion of decent employment opportunities, particularly for young women and men, and inclusive of persons with disabilities;
- Priority 3: Improvement of the labour market information and analysis system; and
- Priority 4: Increasing social protection.
By focusing on these four priorities, ILO’s DWCP is closely aligned with the other major development frameworks in Solomon Islands.