Gender-Based Violence remains a major challenge in Papua New Guinea. Addressing it requires efficient action and coordination at all levels.

The United Nations and other development partners in Papua New Guinea met this month with the Parliamentarians to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Committee to discuss the Inquiry Report recently tabled in the National Parliament.

Chair of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV, Hon. Charles Abel, partnered with the Co-Chairs of the Coalition of Parliamentarians to End GBV, Governor Hon. Allan Bird and Governor Hon. Powes Parkop. Discussions included next steps to ensure parliamentarians are supported to continue to advocate for gender equality and an end to gender-based violence.

“Our Committee has provided concrete recommendations in the GBV Report and we now need to see action. We have called on the Treasurer to provide appropriate and sustainable funding for the National GBV Strategy,” said Hon. Abel.

A common challenge facing government and non-government stakeholders alike working to end violence against women and girls, is the lack of funding. The successful implementation of a National GBV Strategy requires funding for effective results.

To date, the national and provincial authorities have faced funding shortfalls that have hampered critical prevention and response services. In a step towards addressing this, UNDP in partnership with the Department for Community Development and Religion, this month also conducted a technical three-day workshop to support provincial governments cost GBV Strategies in line with 2022 budgets.

Addressing provincial participants at the workshop, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr Edward Vrkic, said the work is vitally important to ensure that Papua New Guinea, “can harness its development potential and improve the lives of ordinary people across the entire country."

“The United Nations is committed to assist through efforts such as the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative for Ending Violence Against Women and Children. Such violence is one of the most serious challenges Papua New Guinea faces to ensuring continued and sustainable national development for its people,” said Mr Vrkic.