The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children, and Family Affairs, Dr. Cedric Alependava, represented the Government of Solomon Islands at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Care Forum in Kathmandu, Nepal, recently.
The forum, attended by 200 representatives from 20 countries, focused on best practices in child, elderly, and disability care.
Dr. Alependava’s presentation, “Climate Change in the Pacific,” highlighted the impact of climate change on caregivers, particularly women and girls.
He noted that Solomon Islands may need a paradigm shift from traditional “cultural family care” to paid elderly care in the future, saying, “With our youth bulge and increasing number of women and girls engaging in informal and formal employment, we may need to discuss a shift from cultural family care to paid elderly care.”
EU Ambassador to Nepal, Veronique Lorenzo, emphasized the importance of investing in care, stating, “Investing in care is a smart economic decision”.
“It eases the disproportionate burden on women, unlocks their potential, creates jobs, and builds resilient economies. This is a key to achieving equality and prosperity,” Ambassador Lorenzo added.
The Transform Care initiative aims to build resilient care systems, promoting caring societies and inclusive economies.
It aligns with SDGs 1, 4, 5, and 8, as well as Solomon Islands’ national policies on gender equality and economic empowerment.
The Ministry of Women, Youth, Children, and Family Affairs recognizes the need to strengthen childcare services and explore public-private partnerships for elderly and disability care.
The government also acknowledges the emerging need for specialized care centers for mental illness and homeless youth.
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[MWYCFA Media]
