‘At 15 she should be in school, not married’: Pasifika push Solomon Islands to protect youth

“At 15, she should be in school, not married.”

These words, spoken by a young girl in the Solomon Islands, have become a rallying cry for civil society groups calling for urgent action to protect children’s rights.

The call comes as the Solomons faces scrutiny under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process that examines the human rights records of all UN member states every 4.5 years.

Advocates say the review pre-sessions this week are an opportunity to push for meaningful reforms that could change the lives of thousands of children across the Solomon Islands.

Fredrick Seni from Save the Children Solomon Islands says the organisation will push for stronger protections for children. This includes enforcement of laws to end child marriage and violence, and increased investment in education, health, and social services.

Child consultations held during the Make it 18 campaign, aiming to end child marriage in the Solomon Islands. Photo/Supplied

Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Seni says child marriage is illegal under international law, but a local loophole is keeping young girls at risk in the Solomons.

“National law in Solomon Islands still allows girls to marry under 18, and one in five girls marries before 18, some as young as 15. Only seven per cent of girls complete secondary school. These numbers tell us the system is failing them.”

Under the 1945, girls can legally marry at 15 with parental consent. Seni warns early marriage fuels cycles of poverty and preventable harm while undermining the country’s development.

Watch Fredrick Seni's full interview below.

“Theresa, age 14, told me that at 15 she should be in school, not married. It’s high time that children’s voices drive urgent change,” Seni says. “It not only affects children in the Solomon Islands, but it also undermines child rights, future human capital productivity, and sustainable development.”

In an earlier interview, Prema Maeato, the Executive Programme Director of Homes of Peace and Empowerment (HOPE) Trust, said girls are sometimes forced to marry workers at domestic logging camps to support their families.

“Sometimes there are up to seven children in one family, so only one or two are allowed to go to school,” Maeato said. “The rest stay home or get married early where the consent comes from the parents, not the child.”

There are hopes young women will soon be able to complete their schooling without the fear of being forced into marriage. Photo/Save the Children Solomon Islands/Collin Leafasia

Seni says advocacy campaigns, including Make It 18, have already led to progress, but challenges remain before Parliament can approve reforms.

“Child marriage is culturally and traditionally practised,” he said. “It requires collective effort from civil society organisations, communities, schools, and government to continue awareness around why it’s important that girls marry at 18.”

The Solomon Islands review comes as several Pacific nations have already completed their UPR cycles this year.

Nauru’s January review raised concerns about gaps between law and practice, while the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia received recommendations on healthcare, social protection, and children’s rights.

Seni says the UPR process must result in real action on the ground. “After this review is done, there is a need to facilitate community awareness across the country.”

The call is supported by the Development Services Exchange, Solomon Islands’ civil society network. Jennifer Wate, General Secretary of the DSE, says this reform reinforces the work from previous review cycles.

“We strongly support raising the minimum age of marriage to 18, as one in five girls in Solomon Islands are married before reaching adulthood,” Wate says in a statement.

Palau is the next Pacific nation due for its review, with Sāmoa and Papua New Guinea scheduled in August.

Advocates hope lessons from the UPR will drive reforms that give all children in the Solomon Islands the chance to learn, grow, and thrive.