2019-20
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Solomon Islands Between State and Nonstate Systems: Access to Justice in Rural Solomon Islands
With almost 1,000 islands spread over tens of thousands of square kilometres and over 80 per cent of people living in remote and rural communities, delivery of law and order has been challenging in the Solomon Islands. Police presence on some islands is limited or even 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, gain local trust with authorities using a tailored community-based approach. Reach Alliance researchers are examining how this community-led project has seen a significant improvement in grievance management systems (over 77 per cent) and linkages to the government (over 68 per cent).