Bridging Peoples Podcast 1 features a discussion with Dr Anouk Ride on participatory research with women about gender equality and the challenges of living locally and doing research with friends and colleagues. Listen here: http://bridgingpeoples.com/podcast-episode-1-her-story-experiences-of-women-working-in-solomon-islands-prisons/

Dr Anouk Ride contributed one of many articles on research methodology to the new Springer title: Methodologies in Peace Psychology: Peace Research by Peaceful Means. The article “Involving Participants in Data Analysis” discusses the researcher’s experience with different methodologies in which participants conduct analysis and includes a checklist of things to consider if you are designing participatory research. As it states in the introduction to Methodologies in Peace Psychology its relevance is broader than just psychologists: “Much of the work on peace psychology exhorts researchers to be peaceful but does not provide ideas as to how one might proceed in practice. This book offers a range of creative and sound ideas as to how to go about conducting research with people whose worldview might differ considerably from that of the researchers.” It is available online here: http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319183947 and at most book resellers.

TALEMAOT: Solomon stories of peace and conflict” is a collection of creative writing on the topical issues facing the country today by Solomon Islands writers and includes poems, short stories and short film scripts now printed and available for sale at University of South Pacific. TALEMAOT includes stories about everything from politics to disasters, family disputes to enduring friendships and humour to tragedy.

The publication began with a participatory writing workshop conducted by Anouk Ride in 2013. It enjoyed a sold-out first print run, republication in the curriculum and by UNDP and now is in its second edition, with new stories added.

ORDER BOOK ONLINE HERE: http://uspbookcentre.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=UBC&Product_Code=9789820109513

Told through the voices of local community leaders, “Community Resilience in Natural Disasters” by Dr Anouk Ride and Prof. Diane Bretherton analyzes how communities respond to natural disasters and how outsiders contribute positively – or negatively – to their response, promoting debate on the role of aid and the media in times of crisis. A critical read for those working in development, peace and community mobilisation, the book  is available in a Kindle edition: https://www.amazon.com/Community-Resilience-Natural-Disasters-Anouk-ebook/dp/B009AYK610/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478737229&sr=8-1&keywords=%22community+resilience+in+natural+disasters%22

Working for the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs of the Solomon Islands, Dr Anouk Ride is collaborating with local researchers on the first social marketing research about attitudes to violence against women and girls to be conducted in the Pacific Islands region. The pilot study will be complete in March 2018, and detail messages that are used to reinforce or stop violence against women and girls. What attitudes allow violence to take place unchecked, and what attitudes would support intervention prior to and after violence is the central research question.

The research will be conducted with women who have experienced violence, men who have perpetrated violence, and male, female and youth representatives from different communities (in Guadalcanal, Malaita and Temotu provinces).

The research is intended to have a practical use – to increase the effectiveness of messages and communications materials, activities and events that the various government, church, women’s organisations, INGOs and refuge services conduct and/or to stimulate new actions that can lead to social change. A review of the previous violence against women policy (2010-2015) found that “greater coordination is required for key messaging” particularly for awareness raising about violence and the Family Protection Act and this research is intended to inform such joint efforts[i].

The report is commissioned by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) which will be the first to read the report recommendations and then share this with other organisations working on this issue. This project is supported by Oxfam Australia as part of the Safe Families Fund, an initiative funded by the Australian Aid Program aimed at eliminating violence against women in the Solomon Islands.

Dr Anouk Ride and Professor Diane Bretherton presented to the Peace Psychology Conference at University of Notre Dame, Indiana, on “Peace Research by Peaceful Means’, each putting forward principles, approaches and examples of doing research in a peaceful way that advances peace in various different contexts. The session drew on chapters from the book “Methodologies in Peace Psychology: Peace Research by Peaceful Means” released in the Springer Peace Psychology series edited by Daniel J. Christie.

The significance of community markets, in terms of economic and social benefits and  women’s security, has been highlighted in a series of short reports about informal markets in  Honiara, Solomon Islands. Dr Meg Keen and Dr Anouk Ride recently published three publications in the InBrief series of the Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National  University: an introduction to the research project and one on vendor livelihoods and one on  women, security and social inclusion.

The research is the first to survey roadside food markets to detail the value of the markets,  women’s livelihoods and perceptions of security and market management at White River,  Henderson and Fishing Village markets. Surveys and focus groups were conducted by a team  of local researchers including Dr Anouk Ride, Melinda Ki’i and Miriam Resture. The research  was conducted with funding support  from by UN Women and the Canadian  Fund for Local Initiatives and access permission from  the Guadalcanal Provincial Government and Honiara City Council.

“Herstory: Women working in corrections” book  tells the stories of pioneering women working in prisons in Solomon Islands and how collectively they fought for women to be considered equal to men in the male-dominated security sector. Sukwadi Media worked with the CSSI Women’s Network over nine months on this participatory research and media project to bring the book and a film to fruition, with funding support from Australian Government.

The book HerStoryis the collective story of 24 women who worked in prisons and correctional services from 1986 to the present day. These women have a combined total of 377 years of service to CSSI. It is the first time Pacific correctional officers have published their own history of service.

Free download e-version is available: http://d1009381.my.ozhosting.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Herstory-Booklet-FINAL_BLEED2.pdf

Political discourse and parliament in Solomon Islands are dominated by older men, making it easy to forget that this cohort of influential people are, in fact, the minority of the population. With seven in 10 Solomon Islanders under age 34 (UNDP 2018:6), Solomon Islands’ youth population is particularly visible on the streets of Honiara, where large groups of youth can be seen in public spaces and at events.

There are, however, few youths in positions of influence or formal decision-making structures in Solomon Islands. Youths are rarely seen in politics and government, and are less likely to be employed (Solomon Islands National Statistical Office 2014:75). This In Brief examines present exclusion of youths from decision-making and highlights where change is emerging and policy support could be most effective.

http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/6627/ib-201901-youth-inclusive-development-challenges-and

An opinion on the benefits of focusing on what women and girls do, rather than how they look, using social media sites: http://www.anoukride.com/2018/10/22/why-linkedin-is-better-for-girls-and-women-than-facebook/

Dr Anouk Ride was recently engaged as a specialist by the World Bank to conduct gender and social inclusion analysis for their upcoming fisheries projects in Tonga and Kiribati. In each of these locations, while women collect the majority of seafood from coastal areas for family consumption (a practice referred to as gleaning), they are often excluded from participation in catch and sale of higher value species and relevant decision-making about natural resources. Identifying gendered work in fisheries and obstacles women and youth face todevelop sustainable livelihoods in fisheries is just one of many steps needed to broaden the benefits of fisheries to all.

Riots broke out in Solomon Islands on 24 April following the parliament’s controversial election of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Despite the country peacefully holding its first elections since the end of the regional assistance mission earlier this month, frustration with the political system has been fomenting for some time and the riots were targeted with political meaning, as argued in a submission for the Australian Institute of International Affairs “Australian Outlook”: https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/riots-solomon-islands-day-after/