Embassy Awards 3 Grants to Combat Gender Based Violence

The United States Embassy awarded funding to three organizations to support their work in the country.

A total of S45, 000 (K125, 000) was allocated to Port Moresby base, PNG Cancer Foundation and Women Doctors Association of PNG and Laswara Rural Women’s Project in Kundiawa, Simbu Province.   

The funding falls under the Ambassador’s small grants program and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for community-based projects that combat gender based violence in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Women Doctors and Laswara will use the funding to continue its awareness on HIV/AIDS, Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI), cervical cancer, and PAP smear testing clinics and awareness training programs.

And Cancer Foundation will do training for secondary schools on cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS, and STI as a lead up to the vaccination launch for the human papillomavirus vaccine.

The vaccine can protect women against cervical cancer.

 The three funded projects support the priorities of PNG’s National HIV and AIDS Strategy 2011-2015 which states that gender inequality and the reduction of vulnerability to HIV as a result of sexual violence against women and girls is a key issue that cuts across all sectors of PNG society.

Author: 
Charles Yapumi