Solomon Islands Gender in Transport Profile 2026
Outline
SOLOMON ISLANDS
GENDER IN TRANSPORT PROFILE
Supported by:
Background
This 2026 edition of the Gender in Transport Profiles revisits and updates the initial release, transforming it into a more interactive and data-rich resource. Developed in partnership with the Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory, this edition offers a deeper perspective on how gender shapes transport systems across Asia-Pacific economies.
The profiles examine women's participation in the transport workforce, comparing representation across countries and relative to other economic sectors, while also assessing gender wage disparities and how these relate to national income levels. They further explore how road injuries and fatalities affect vulnerable groups differently, as well as how access to transport, mobility opportunities, and leadership roles in the sector vary by gender. Together, these dimensions provide a more comprehensive picture of structural gaps, safety risks, and areas of progress.
Released during Women's Month in March 2026, the profiles are designed for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. By consolidating official and vetted data into an accessible interactive format, they support evidence-based dialogue and the development of more inclusive, gender-responsive transport policies across Asia.
To complement the country profiles, ATO also presents three regional gender snapshots highlighting employment, wage patterns, and road safety trends across Asia-Pacific:
- Employment in Transport
- Gender Wage Patterns
- Road Safety and Vulnerability
Employment in the transport sector
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Road safety
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Global Gender Gap
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Other indicators
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Policy Landscape
Female economic empowerment and workforce participation
| Implement projects to raise awareness in schools, maritime training courses and in shipping companies and onboard vessels on gender-related issues, and support the Solomon Islands Women in Maritime Association. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| 1.5.Establish a core partnership between SIMA, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and Solomon Islands Maritime Transport Association (SIMTA) to implement strategic actions for safe, resilient, green, clean, digital, gender-just maritime transport in Solomon Islands under national strategies and action plans. 1.6.Coordinate partners support to the Maritime Development and Resilience Strategy. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Special consideration for women with additional 0.5% reduction in in GST and Custom duty (wherever tax is not exempted fully) Direct banks to include EV financing into their priority sector lending portfolio. Additionally special consideration for women with differential of 0.5% in financing rates. Reserve atleast 25% seats for women trainers and learners across the awareness and upskilling activities. | Policy Roadmap for E‐mobility in the Solomon Islands | 2022 |
| Planned projects will incorporate gender-responsive features in rehabilitated roads and other transport subprojects, such as resting and waiting areas, safe access to water, and laundry facilities. By 2020 it is planned to increase the length of unsealed roads rehabilitated or upgraded to sealed roads, including safety and gender-responsive design features for pedestrians, and public and private motorised vehicles from nil to 30 km. The number of wharves reconstructed for safe and gender-responsive access will also be increased from none to 4 by 2020. All upcoming projects are planned to include design of gender-responsive features, identify locations, explore and finalise operation and maintenance arrangements of toilets, and procure and supervise works. At least two foot paths/walkways will constructed as pilot projects in communities to address women's access to schools, health clinics & streams. A full-time safeguards team will be maintained covering social, community development and governance. Gender-responsive and safety design features will also include small boat access at major wharves using pontoons and ramps; pedestrian crossings, markings, signage, and traffic-calming measures (e.g., speed bumps) for roads and bridges near housing and markets. Other infrastructure features will be recommended for specific locations for design and implementation, such as lighting, waiting areas and stations, separate male and female toilets, pedestrian crossings, and easily available information on where to complain in case of violation of personal safety. | Solomon Islands National Transport Plan 2017-2036 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Increase women's labour force participation rate from less than half that of men in 2009 (48.4%) to at least 70% by 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Rating for Gender Equity increased from 3.0 in 2011 to at least 3.5 before 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
Gender consideration for transport development - General
| Implement projects to raise awareness in schools, maritime training courses and in shipping companies and onboard vessels on gender-related issues, and support the Solomon Islands Women in Maritime Association. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| 1.5.Establish a core partnership between SIMA, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and Solomon Islands Maritime Transport Association (SIMTA) to implement strategic actions for safe, resilient, green, clean, digital, gender-just maritime transport in Solomon Islands under national strategies and action plans. 1.6.Coordinate partners support to the Maritime Development and Resilience Strategy. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Special consideration for women with additional 0.5% reduction in in GST and Custom duty (wherever tax is not exempted fully) Direct banks to include EV financing into their priority sector lending portfolio. Additionally special consideration for women with differential of 0.5% in financing rates. Reserve atleast 25% seats for women trainers and learners across the awareness and upskilling activities. | Policy Roadmap for E‐mobility in the Solomon Islands | 2022 |
| Planned projects will incorporate gender-responsive features in rehabilitated roads and other transport subprojects, such as resting and waiting areas, safe access to water, and laundry facilities. By 2020 it is planned to increase the length of unsealed roads rehabilitated or upgraded to sealed roads, including safety and gender-responsive design features for pedestrians, and public and private motorised vehicles from nil to 30 km. The number of wharves reconstructed for safe and gender-responsive access will also be increased from none to 4 by 2020. All upcoming projects are planned to include design of gender-responsive features, identify locations, explore and finalise operation and maintenance arrangements of toilets, and procure and supervise works. At least two foot paths/walkways will constructed as pilot projects in communities to address women's access to schools, health clinics & streams. A full-time safeguards team will be maintained covering social, community development and governance. Gender-responsive and safety design features will also include small boat access at major wharves using pontoons and ramps; pedestrian crossings, markings, signage, and traffic-calming measures (e.g., speed bumps) for roads and bridges near housing and markets. Other infrastructure features will be recommended for specific locations for design and implementation, such as lighting, waiting areas and stations, separate male and female toilets, pedestrian crossings, and easily available information on where to complain in case of violation of personal safety. | Solomon Islands National Transport Plan 2017-2036 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Increase women's labour force participation rate from less than half that of men in 2009 (48.4%) to at least 70% by 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Rating for Gender Equity increased from 3.0 in 2011 to at least 3.5 before 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
Gender inclusive infrastructure and service design
| Implement projects to raise awareness in schools, maritime training courses and in shipping companies and onboard vessels on gender-related issues, and support the Solomon Islands Women in Maritime Association. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| 1.5.Establish a core partnership between SIMA, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and Solomon Islands Maritime Transport Association (SIMTA) to implement strategic actions for safe, resilient, green, clean, digital, gender-just maritime transport in Solomon Islands under national strategies and action plans. 1.6.Coordinate partners support to the Maritime Development and Resilience Strategy. | Solomon Islands Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024-2030 | 2024 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Advocate and progress gender equality & youth involvement within SIMA and the Solomon Islands maritime sector | SOLOMON ISLANDS MARITIME AUTHORITY CORPORATE PLAN 2024- 2027 | 2023 |
| Special consideration for women with additional 0.5% reduction in in GST and Custom duty (wherever tax is not exempted fully) Direct banks to include EV financing into their priority sector lending portfolio. Additionally special consideration for women with differential of 0.5% in financing rates. Reserve atleast 25% seats for women trainers and learners across the awareness and upskilling activities. | Policy Roadmap for E‐mobility in the Solomon Islands | 2022 |
| Planned projects will incorporate gender-responsive features in rehabilitated roads and other transport subprojects, such as resting and waiting areas, safe access to water, and laundry facilities. By 2020 it is planned to increase the length of unsealed roads rehabilitated or upgraded to sealed roads, including safety and gender-responsive design features for pedestrians, and public and private motorised vehicles from nil to 30 km. The number of wharves reconstructed for safe and gender-responsive access will also be increased from none to 4 by 2020. All upcoming projects are planned to include design of gender-responsive features, identify locations, explore and finalise operation and maintenance arrangements of toilets, and procure and supervise works. At least two foot paths/walkways will constructed as pilot projects in communities to address women's access to schools, health clinics & streams. A full-time safeguards team will be maintained covering social, community development and governance. Gender-responsive and safety design features will also include small boat access at major wharves using pontoons and ramps; pedestrian crossings, markings, signage, and traffic-calming measures (e.g., speed bumps) for roads and bridges near housing and markets. Other infrastructure features will be recommended for specific locations for design and implementation, such as lighting, waiting areas and stations, separate male and female toilets, pedestrian crossings, and easily available information on where to complain in case of violation of personal safety. | Solomon Islands National Transport Plan 2017-2036 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Increase women's labour force participation rate from less than half that of men in 2009 (48.4%) to at least 70% by 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
| Economy-wide: Rating for Gender Equity increased from 3.0 in 2011 to at least 3.5 before 2020. | National Development Strategy 2016 - 2035 | 2016 |
References
ESMAP. (2024). Gender and Energy Indicators. https://energydata.info/dataset/esmap-gender-and-energy-indicators
IHME. (2026). GBD Compare. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/
ILO. (2026). Data tools to find and download labour statistics. ILOSTAT. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/
ITU. (2025). Individuals using the Internet [Dataset]. https://www.itu.int:443/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx
World Bank. (2025). GDP per capita, PPP (current international $) [Dataset]. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD
World Economic Forum. (2025). Gender Gap Report 2025. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/digest/