As PNG continues to celebrate 20 Days of Human Rights Activism campaign, five members of the new Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) are sworn in at the National Parliament.
Governor Powes Parkop (Chairman), Governor Allan Bird (Deputy Chairman) and Committee members Marsh Narewec, Ricky Morris and Lohia Boe Samuel took their oath of office on November 30 2022.
They all committed to use their mandate to progress women’s empowerment and to continue previous efforts to tackle gender-based violence.
Chair, Governor Parkop thanked the Members for joining their Committee and using their power as MPs to take action to improve the lives of women and girls.
He acknowledged former MP, Charles Abel, for his invaluable contribution to addressing GBV, in his role as the former Chair.
“We need to translate our words into deeds which is why I am happy the Government committed to converting the previous ad hoc committee into a permanent committee and showing a strong commitment to this important agenda for our country.
“I am also happy the scope of the committee has been broadened to address not only GBV, but also gender equality and women’s empowerment. We have made many commitments globally and nationally in the past but have not made much progress,” Parkop said.
He admitted the committee could not solve everything because it is not their jobs to do the work. However, they do have the power to oversee what the government agencies at the national, sub-national and local levels to use it.
“I want to tell the people that we will be a proactive committee. We will call government agencies before our committee to tell us what and what they are not doing to ensure this important human rights issue is addressed properly,” he added.
The new Committee has a broader term of reference than the previous Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV.
In addition to examining all aspects related to addressing GBV, the Committee has been empowered to examine other issues that impact on gender equality, including women’s leadership, women’s economic empowerment and related GEWE reforms.
The new Committee has seven members in total: Governor Rufina Peter (Central Province) and William Bando will be sworn in on a later date.
The Committee has a quorum of four people and can now commence its work.