Family and sexual violence continues to impact businesses immensely in PNG.
This common issue reduces productivity, increases absenteeism and increases costs associated with employee turnover and security.
And again, women are more often the victims.
Because of this, the Business Coalition for Women (BCFW) has stepped in to help businesses address this issue.
Lesieli Taviri, chairperson of BCFW and CEO of PNG Origin, was part of a panel to discuss on FSV. This eventuated during a newly-introduced live question and answer program, aired by TVWan, last Wednesday.
“Our overall objective is to help grow businesses through finding opportunities for women and looking at the co-issues that actually affect women from being equal partners, or inclusive partners, of growth in businesses and in the private sector,” she said.
BCFW helps businesses tackle the issue of violence through a number of things:
- To be able to develop a culture with a zero tolerance to domestic violence which they do by helping businesses develop workplace policies and procedures within their businesses, and
- Help businesses connect with support facilities to be able to manage their cases and deal with/provide support for the victims and to be able to deal with perpetrators.
“We believe to grow business through empowering women and we believe that by focusing more on women, our businesses can really grow with positive returns,” Taviri added.
Understanding the economic case for women in business, the 50 member organisations are working to address violence, promote women’s leadership and develop gender smart workplaces.
(The group of panellists preparing for the newly-introduced program on TVWan. Chairperson of BCFW and CEO of PNG Origin, Lesieli Taviri, is pictured second left.)