Project profile — Markets for Change: Empowerment of Women in the Pacific Islands

• Fiji (35.00%)
• Vanuatu (35.00%)
• Solomon Islands (30.00%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (50.00%)
• Business And Other Services: Business support services and institutions (25010) (50.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)

The project aims to promote gender equality and the social and economic empowerment of women vendors across Pacific Island markets. It is designed to ensure that selected marketplaces in rural and urban areas in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory environments, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. Project activities include: (1) working with market vendors to support inclusive market vendors associations ; (2) delivering training on basic financial literacy and business skills tailored to the specific needs of the identified women market vendors; (3) providing training to local government and market management to improve market management structures and processes; (4) assessing the needs of women and children in regard to childcare and nursing facilities, health and safety; and (5) improving infrastructure through the renovation and development of market facilities such as washrooms and dormitories.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) created and supported inclusive, effective and representative marketplace groups; (2) improved socio-economic security of women market vendors; (3) supported local government and market management to be effective and accountable to women market vendor needs; and (4) improved physical infrastructure and operating systems to make markets more sustainable, more resilient to disaster risks and climate change, safer and more accessible. sustainable, more resilient to disaster risks and climate change, safer and more accessible.

Results achieved as of March 2021 include: (1) supported economic and leadership opportunities for 7,041 members (of which 90% are women) of 17 Market Vendor Associations across Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; (2) improved economic security through better financial and agricultural management and increased access to services for 1,662 market vendors (of which 1,117 are women) in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; (3) improved record keeping and business management skills for 566 market vendors (of which 383 are women) in markets across Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; (4) 582 vendors (of which 397 are women) acquired skills in improved and sustainable agricultural practices across Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; (5) completed major infrastructural improvements in 9 markets across Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands; and (6) procured Personal Protective Equipment, including 157,000 face masks and 93,000 gloves and delivered to 17 markets across Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

• Proactive disclosure