Between State and Nonstate Systems: Access to Justice in Rural Solomon Islands

With almost 1,000 islands spread over tens of thousands of square kilometers and over 80 per cent of people living in remote and rural communities, the Solomon Islands face challenges in delivering law and order. Police presence on some islands is limited or non-existent, breeding mistrust around governance. With support from the World Bank and the Australian government, the Solomon Islands Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening has established Community Officers and Village Peace Wardens to connect remote islanders to the state, and thereby gain local trust with authorities by using a tailored community-based approach. This case study examines how this community-led project has seen a significant improvement in grievance management systems and highlights how community officers operate within a restorative justice framework to manage grievances and conflict within communities. Although the project is currently limited to four provinces, it provides a useful framework for justice delivery in other resource-poor and remote communities and a promising solution for expansion across the entire country.