Do No Harm Research Project Report: Women in Formal Employment Survey

With support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program, the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia program at the Australian National University and the International Women’s Development Agency undertook the Do No Harm research project in Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to understand whether and in what ways economic inclusion and empowerment initiatives affect women’s experience of violence.

As part of the Do No Harm Research project, a quantitative survey was conducted to document priorities and experiences of women working in full or part-time formal employment in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The survey sought to focus specifically on women engaged in formal employment, to supplement the Do No Harm qualitative research previously conducted by Eves et. al. which primarily focused on women in informal employment.

This report draws on the responses to this survey and aims to be a useful resource for DFAT staff and civil society organisations working to deliver formal-sector economic empowerment programming in Solomon Islands and PNG. Through the inclusion of quotes from survey responses throughout, this report also aims to give voice to the perspectives and experiences of women in formal employment in PNG and Solomon Islands. These individual responses demonstrate the importance of consultation with women to understand perspectives, priorities and experiences to inform all economic empowerment approaches.

Download the report here: https://iwda.org.au/assets/files/Do-No-Harm-Professional-Womens-Finding-Report.pdf or visit the IWDA website here: https://iwda.org.au/