Parts of the city came to a standstill on Sunday morning when residents joined NCD Governor Powes Parkop and United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Jane Mohammed, to commemorate International Women’s Day.
They made a commitment as a city and the country to promote gender equality and end violence against women and girls.
Speaking during a stop-over at Hohola Burns Peak during the walk, Governor Parkop urged male city residents and other citizens nationwide to subscribe to high values so they respect women and girls as equal partners and stop inflicting gender-based violence and other forms of violence on them.
He said these values underpin development.
“The country’s UN-compiled Human Development Index, especially gender equality and gender-based violence, is still poor,” said the Governor.
“They cannot get any better until the menfolk respect women and girls as equal partners and not second-class citizens.
“We have lost our way. We have lost what is important. It is not just bridges, schools, hospitals and other developments that will give us a better future.
“It is what’s guiding all these infrastructure and services. Today, we must start to get our nation to see what is important. Promoting gender equality and respecting women and girls is what is important to secure a greater future.”
Parkop continued that out of respect, every day women and girls do everything for men and boys so it is about time they reciprocate the treatment.
Parkop made a commitment to lead men and boys to disrupt what is considered a “nom” in the city and entire country.
“Our country will become better when we start to get it right,” he said.
Speaking to the huge crowd, UN Deputy Secretary General Mohammed said she was speechless, seeing the amazing crowd committing to end gender-based violence and promote gender equality in the country.
“It is such a privilege and honour to be with you today, especially because it is a day of women and coming here speak to us, sing to us, it is really humbling.
“The UN is about you. It is about the people of the world. PNG today is the centre of the world. Welcome to this gathering you have every Sunday. I am so honoured. I am speechless.
“We are here on International Women’s Day where every woman needs to be an equal partner of every man.”
With the National Government, she officially co-launched the Spotlight Initiative at Gordon’s Market to end violence against women and girls in the city and the entire country.
For the first time ever, the city and the entire country is hosting Mohammed and her delegation for a three-day visit that ends today.