Violence against women

And once again, Santos and the Santos Foundation have demonstrated ongoing commitment to end all forms of violence against women and girls by leading the annual Bel isi PNG organised EVAW walk in Port Moresby on Friday 24^th September.

In a show of solidarity were Bel isi PNG key donors, implementing partners and subscribing organisations who took part in the walk including the Australian High Commission, Steamships, Bank South Pacific, Femili PNG, Business Coalition for Women,G4S, National Capital District Commission,

One incident allegedly involved sustained violence against four school cleaners accused of sorcery in Porgera, Enga Province.

In a separate incident, it is alleged that a primary school girl was taken as a sex slave in the Fugwa area of Hela Province.

“These incidents must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. It is unacceptable that in the 21st Century, so many women and young girls are living in fear simply because of their gender,” said Richard Howard, the UN Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea.

His statement follows the brutal beating of one of PNG’s elite athletes.

Marape said we will struggle to reach our goal of taking back PNG, leaving no one behind and making PNG the richest black Christian nation on earth if the sons of this land do not respect and beat up our women and girls.

“This is not a Melanesian thing, this is not cultural; don’t use those excuses, this is real character we are talking,” stressed the PM.

East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said in Parliament yesterday that many cases posted on social media recently relate to violence against women where husbands kill wives; and boyfriends kill girlfriends without any actions taken by relevant agencies to punish those involved.

“People blo yumi, they must be able to operate freely without violence and intimidation from others. Na disla wok lo stat (to reach) ol epidemic proportions now. Pretty soon we’ll be dealing with violence like we are trying to deal with polyp.”

Close friend Hanley Logoso told Loop PNG the event, to be held at 6.30pm at Fort Banner, UPNG, is mostly to celebrate Laufa’s birthday with friends, families or anyone her life had impacted.

“It’s basically anyone and everyone who has been a victim of violence against women or may know of someone who may have died as a result of any form of violence,” says Logoso.

“Ultimately we want to use this as a platform to send a strong message on violence against women.

The workshop, run by the Australia Federal Police and the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, will also help them understand gender dynamics as well as laws relating to gender-based violence.

30 police are involved in what is the fourth Regional Police Training Program to be held since 2014.

The co-ordinator of the Crisis Centre, Shamima Ali, said with the high rates of violence against women in the Pacific, it is vital that officers understand its dynamics and how perpetrators operate, so they are better able to respond.