Dr Rebecca Monson

Australian National University College of Law

rebecca.monson@anu.edu.au

Who speaks for the land?

Commercialisation and the transformation

of customary land tenure in Solomon

Islands

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Solomon Islands’ legal system

• Influence of kastom (custom), Christianity and

the state

– Immense variation in kastom due to cultural diversity

– Variation in Christianity, particularly across

denominations

• 85% of land is customary land, held according to

“current customary usage”

• Remaining land is freehold land or public land

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Kakabona

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Where are women active in decision-

making and dispute-resolution?

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Recommendations

• Improved legal literacy

• Improved information dissemination

(ie. of acquisition hearings,

distribution of royalties)

• Improved knowledge of kastom

(custom)

• Separate hearings for a range of

groups (ie chiefs, ‘other men’,

women…)

• Encourage (mandate?) women

trustees (particularly in matrilineal

systems)

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