Anna Solomon

The Community Development and Religion Secretary, Anna Solomon, made this statement during the opening of a media sensitisation workshop in Port Moresby today.

This was the message from the Secretary for Community Development and Religion, Anna Solomon.

Secretary Solomon was speaking during the opening of the inaugural disciplinary forces’ wives friendly games.

She said the topic of gender-based violence usually dominates women’s conversations, where it is perceived that a man shows his love by assaulting his partner.

“That is bull****. That’s not true,” she said.

The Secretary outlined that attitude problems, including cultural and religious differences, were some of the factors behind this issue.

The event was attended by stakeholders including representatives from disability organisations and persons living with disability.

With the theme ‘Remove barriers, build resilient societies, create an opportunity that leaves no one behind’, the event also included a panel discussion by heads of various stakeholders including secretary for Community Development Anna Solomon.

Laws, regulations and work opportunities were some of the objectives discussed during this event.

In a consultative meeting Secretary Anna Solomon, highlighted how this in is now posing challenges on the future of the project in PNG.

Solomon reiterated that the Government must ensure their commitment towards youth oriented projects.

Attended by Secretaries Anna Solomon and Dairi Vele, together with representatives from Forestry and National Youth Development Authority the meeting focussed on the Urban Youth Employment Project II Design and how government agencies can collaborate to facilitate improvements that can benefit the country’s Youth Population.

Secretary Anna Solomon says a collective effort will be put towards making sure that the PLWDs are on par with the rest of the population.

And this includes access to information.

She says this is where the media also plays a part in the inclusion of this population.

“If we can reach this part of population, we are leaving no one behind. So in everything we do, they have to move with us. If we leave them behind, we’re not achieving the SDGs and the goals and objectives for the vision of this country,” she added.

This is part of its strategic direction to address particularly gender-based violence, including sorcery.

And the department aims to drive this further into communities using all forms of media and communication tools.

Announcing this today during its first press conference for the year, the Minister for Youth, Religion and Community Development, Soroi Eoe, and the Secretary for the Department for Community Development and Religion, Anna Solomon, called on the media to strengthen their partnership for this purpose.

Public servants from all departments and agencies, as well as the National Executive Council, will be attending the ceremony at the Sir Join Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

In a statement, Community Development and Religion Department Secretary, Anna Solomon, said the Dedication Service will set the foundation for our country to successfully host the 2018 APEC with the wisdom and guidance from God. 

Despite being one of the lowest funded agency, Solomon says it has seen a lot of achievements in the year.

The department has seen many inaugural programs, including; the first public service dedication service, the first men’s forum which saw men establishing their role in addressing gender-based violence and the first Children’s forum where representatives from top schools in PNG talked about their (children’s) social challenges.

The amount is the government allocated grant as per the church state partnership program.

The program is under the office of religion, previously under the Department of National Planning.

Since its shift to the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion, the occasion today was the first formal gathering of such under the new department.

Minister Soroi Eoe and Secretary Anna Solomon presented the cheques to various churches, represented by each church leader.

However, they still lack the voice on a national platform, says Anna Solomon, secretary for Religion, Youth and Community Development 

Solomon said ending violence was important for the benefit of the children.

“Focus on children now,” she said.

“Mothers, stand strong…we have a right to a safe home and the children have a right to a healthy mother,” she added.

She noted too many school fights, systems and alcohol abuse affecting the whole nation.