Papua New Guinea

UNDP Programme on Community Security in Papua New Guinea

With a population of approximately 7.0 million, speaking over 800 languages, PNG is one of the most diverse countries in the world. While this cultural diversity is one of PNG's biggest wealth, it can result in particular challenges in terms of human security. There are tensions along clan lines over resources and land-ownership which often turn violent. In cities, gangs oriented around ethnicity or clan identity commit routine acts of violence and create a pervasive climate of fear. In addition, socio-economic inequalities are growing, with a small percentage of the population profiting from the benefits of mineral wealth and forestry, whilst 85 percent of the people are subsistence farmers. The armed conflict over the status of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) has, to some extent, been resolved with the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001 and the election of an autonomous government (ABG). However, episodes of violence are frequent across the country.

This insecurity led to UNDP's support to the Government of PNG for Nation Building through effective national crisis management and prevention. Peace Building and Community Security - next to Gender Based Violence and Disaster Risk Reduction - is a central pillar of this commitment.

The programme takes account of the different forms and overlapping nature of violence in the country. The increased availability and widespread use of small arms and light weapons (SALW) has increased the intensity of tribal conflicts, fuelled violent crimes, and increased vulnerability to other forms of violence, especially affecting women and girls. This conflict profile has impacted on development and the ability of provincial and central governments to provide resources and services (including law and order) to the population.

Initially the programmatic activities on small arms and community security were undertaken in ARB where weapons disposal and reconciliation were priorities. During the course of 2009, activities were initiated in the Eastern Highlands and Oro provinces. Due to the sensitivities surrounding the small arms issue - especially in the Highlands - particular attention is being paid to creating the necessary partnerships and political space to develop initiatives on community security and small arms control. The peace building and community security strategy has three key components:

1. Developing local capacities to enhance nation building and social cohesion: A range of actors working on peace building is currently involved in or with the potential for local level peace building and dispute resolution. Civil society stakeholders include women's organizations, youth councils, parish councils, private sector and civic leaders. The public sector stakeholders range from village court officers to police and government servants working in different ministries. The programme component recognizes that by developing, nurturing and networking these local capacities, a peace infrastructure (peace skills, institutional capacity, peace network and synergies) can be developed at the community level, thereby enhancing social cohesion.
2. Developing local government capacities for conflict-sensitive planning: Instituting capacities within local government to undertake conflict-sensitive development planning at the provincial level and establishing accountability mechanisms is a long term process. Therefore, the programme uses existing entry points (such as ARB) to work with local level planning officials with the objective of making local development plans conflict and gender sensitive.
3. Developing national and provincial-level strategies for community security and small arms control: In light of the important role played by SALW in fuelling and exacerbating conflict and criminal violence, the programme supports government and civil society stakeholders to develop and implement comprehensive strategies to reduce the availability and use of SALW and enhance community security. Broad-based ownership and political will amongst PNG's political leadership is crucial and expected to be nourished by a number of awareness raising activities (radio shows, adverts, leaflets, theatre and dance) to reach out to a wide range of stakeholders.

To be successful, the above strategies need to address the range of factors driving the demand for these weapons, as well as involve a wide variety of stakeholders in their design. The programme supports the government of PNG and ABG to reach out to a broad-range of actors through a series of consultative workshops involving local government officials, police, churches, women's groups, Council of Elders, Council of Chiefs, ex-combatants and their associations (in the case of ARB).

UNDP is finalizing the recruitment of a new project manager for the Community Security Programme in Eastern Highland Province. Together with a more integrated Nation Building Annual Work Plan 2011, this represents a major push for the ongoing work on community security and peace building.