Advocate against gender-based violence (GBV), National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop is calling for effective implementation of the recently launched National GBV Strategy.
The strategy aims to strengthen the work on GBV in order to achieve zero-tolerance towards GBV by 2025 and as per PNG Vision 2050.
Parkop said NCD has taken the lead in working with stakeholders including the Family and Sexual Violence Committee to help survivors of GBV.
He said wonderful work has been done so far but sadly more needs to be done to reduce the level of prevalence of GBV.
Parkop stressed that with the strategy now in place, PNG does not need statistics to prove that GBV is an issue as it is happening every day in homes, on the streets and in communities.
“We don’t need statistics anymore but we need action for the strategy to be rolled out and effectively enforced.
“We have to start implementing the strategy immediately in NCD because unlike in the provinces, our quality of life, standard of living and the economy of our city depend on us having a good, safe, secured and peaceful environment.
“We won’t have a sustainable economy, attract investment, grow our businesses and opportunities won’t be created when GBV is not addressed,” Parkop said.
Parkop added that it’s about giving dignity to the women and children who have been subjected to so much harassment, violence, fear and intimidation.
He said statistics show nearly 80-90 percent of women in PNG are subjected to violence in their homes but in Port Moresby they’re also harassed in public places.
Parkop welcomed the GBV strategy and said resources and efforts must be put in place to effectively enforce the strategy.
It will cost the Government and partners K112 million to implement the strategy over a 10 year period.