UNDP

UNDP Resident Representative, Nicholas Booth said in recent years, UNDP’s various initiatives have provided trainings and other forms of support to more than 300 women-led businesses and 2000 businesswomen.

“Our new Blue Economy Accelerator, which we will be launching in Kimbe in the coming months with support from the United Kingdom, will provide financial and technical support to women-led businesses who will play a key role in strengthening Papua New Guinea’s sustainable blue and green economies.

UNDP Resident Representative, Nicholas Booth said in Papua New Guinea, their message couldn’t be simpler.

“We need to invest in all of Papua New Guinea’s citizens equally so that they can fully participate in the social and economic life of the country and move it forward. Experts predict that equal participation by women in Papua New Guinea’s economy would boost GDP per capita by 20% within a generation, while reversing the productivity losses from gender-based violence would increase GDP by another 0.5%.

The programme, funded by the Governments of Japan, Solomon Islands, and the United Kingdom and supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), aims to foster cooperation and information exchange between the two Financial Intelligence Units and strengthen SIFIU's analysis, supervision, and management capacities.

The two-week intensive programme will benefit four senior and newly recruited staff personnel within the intelligence, policy, and supervision divisions of SIFIU.

Originally from Rigo District in Central Province, Lydia’s interest in climate change started when she joined UNDP in 2012.

She saw first-hand the challenges of identifying different climate change impacts and solutions for different communities and regions.

She applied for an Australia Award on impulse when she was working with the PNG Climate Change Authority, with the full support of her employer.

The terrestrial environment underpins the country’s productive sectors and supports the livelihoods of 80 percent of PNG’s population who live in rural areas.

A recent ‘Analysis Report: Making Nature’s Value Visible’, released by the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme’s Global Environment Facility, stressed on the need to maintain the natural environment.

The participants represent a diversity of roles within their communities that are necessary for conflict mediation and prevention.

Participants, including women, youth and church leaders, schoolteachers, police reservists and village court magistrates, attended this 10-day peacebuilding course to raise capacities in conflict-sensitive leadership, conflict transformation and conflict analysis tools.

The first roadshows, held during March, connected key conservation stakeholders in West New Britain, Madang and in the country’s Highlands region.

The roadshows aim to provide updates on the status of protected areas legislation, management tools, detailed analyses on biodiversity financing solutions and outreach towards the 2022 Protected Area Forum – to be held in Port Moresby in June.

Upcoming roadshow events are also scheduled in the Highlands region and Port Moresby during April 2022.

UN agencies, development partners, and national government representatives were part of the joint mission.

“Without peace, there can be no development and without development there cannot be peace”, noted Mr. Wagener, as he led the joint mission comprised of heads of UN Highlands Joint Programme, UNDP, UNFAO, UNFPA, UN Women and IOM.

Unreliable power supplies affecting delivery of critical services have become the norm, with communities in the provinces suffering the most.

The United Nations Development Programme, under the EU-STREIT programme, recently visited several public institutions in Vanimo, Sandaun Province, with the aim to notify and seek consent for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems (Solar PVs).

This was part of the European Union (EU) funded Support to Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment and Trade (STREIT) Programme.

Due to constant power supply issues, the Baro Community Health Post relies on a backup generator that serves a population of approximately 11,000 people, for Baro and the surrounding communities.

“Currently, we do not have full time or constant electricity, which affects our ability to provide essential services to our patients,” said officer-in-charge (OIC) of the health post, Mark Bandi.