The EU-STREIT PNG Programme organized two capacity development workshops in East and West Sepik provinces.
This aims to support government officers and private sector counterparts to mainstream gender perspectives and youth inclusion in the public sector as well as in the agri-food value chains and businesses,
Under the theme, ‘Institutional Gender and Youth Capacity Development’ for Provincial Government and local NGO partners and community leaders, the workshops brought together 27 females and 48 males from provincial, district and LLG government offices and private sector counterparts as well as civil society organizations.
The highlight of the training in East Sepik, hosted at the Maprik Resource Centre, was the first official visit of the European Union Ambassador to PNG, His Excellency Jacques Fradin to the host Province of EU’s biggest funded project in PNG and the region, the EU-STREIT PNG Programme.
While addressing the participants, the EU Ambassador said, “I welcome this workshop and all participants as it is a demonstration that gender balance is taken seriously by the authorities, I also welcome the spirit in which this event is taking place. PNG population is made up of both men and women and almost everywhere in the world men and women have equal opportunities, so why not in PNG?”
The EU Ambassador further stated that if only men were in charge and took the lead, the PNG society will miss the chance of benefitting from all its human values and resources, referring to the women of PNG.
He urged the participants to support each other and work together to create a peaceful and smart society adding that the European Union will continue to support the necessary evolution of the PNG society, in cooperation with the national, regional and local authorities.
Angela Gossiba, a senior female Provincial DAL officer, said “We have come to learn a lot of things from this gender and youth inclusion workshop. Meaning that there are so many things we should have known earlier that we didn’t know.
Therefore, we’re so thankful that the EU financed this Programme and workshop that where we have come to understand and realize that gender mainstreaming has been lacking in many of our programs in the country.”
Speaking on the PNG’s ranking on the Global Gender Gap, Ms Gossiba added, “We’re placed at the very low level 135 out of 156 countries in 2021. In the Human Development Index, we are ranked 156 out of 191 countries in the 2021/2022 report, which we wouldn’t know if it wasn’t for this training.”
She also highlighted that in the Gender Inequality Index, PNG is ranked 169 out of 191 countries.
“And at the present pace, it will take two to three generations to close this huge gap, meaning that we have so much work to do in this county to narrow the gaps. This training has come at a much needed time for us to advocate for gender mainstreaming.”