Women leaders in the Momase Region have gathered in Lae for the regional women’s advocacy workshop.
Facilitated by UN Women and the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion, the workshop discusses the challenges and priorities related to women’s political participation and leadership.
The workshop started on Tuesday, the 13th of July, at the Lae International Hotel.
Scheduled to end on Thursday, it gathers women leaders from the region, including 2022 intending candidates, to network and share their ideas and experiences in relation to PNG’s political landscape.
On Tuesday, participants discussed the status of women’s political participation in PNG, in the presence of panelists Dame Carol Kidu, a former politician, and the policy and legal division director of the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission, Emmanuel Pok.
The focus of the discussions was on the lack of women representation in PNG’s parliament. PNG is one of three countries that currently do not have women in parliament; the other two are the Federated States of Micronesia and Vanuatu.
In 2012, only three women were elected. Pok described it as a “worrying trend”.
“We as intellectual Papua New Guineans, we as a democratic country, mipla shud askim, ‘Wai na displa kamap?’ And political parties should ask the same question. Is this country made up of ol man tasol oh?”
Pok outlined that they did see a few changes during the 2017 elections where a good number of women were endorsed by political parties. However, they were not adequately supported because of lack of resources.
The panelists further discussed the proposed Temporary Special Measures, or TSM model, where seats are reserved for women.
While arguments may point towards discrimination against men, the facilitators emphasised the deeply-biased gender norms, deep-rooted social discrimination and the threat of violence against women that prevents them from having a voice in decision-making.
Dame Carol, who was the Parliament’s Opposition Leader in 2012 and leader of the Melanesian Alliance Party, said a bird cannot fly with only just one wing.
“Otherwise this country will never fly without making decisions with women in partnership,” she said via a Zoom call. “So I encourage you to just keep going; keep at it, keep at it, keep at it.”
The advocacy workshop will close on Thursday with the presentation of position statements or recommendations to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion.