Papua New Guinea

Gender

Institutional capacities of the government and NGOs over the years to address gender discrimination and gender biases remains weak, despite the existence of legislation both international conventions and national laws. It is in the framework of the National Constitution on equality and participation and the United Nations Human Rights Declaration in strengthening the institutional framework of Government and civil society mechanisms to increase the levels and competencies of women in leadership and advocate for reduction in the violence against women/girls that UN places emphasis its support under the UNCP 2008-2012. Although women make up 50% of the total PNG population, there voices are not heard in decision making since there laws and policies are gender neutral and the male dominated Parliament refuses to accept affirmative action to increase the quota of women by law. Despite PNG being a signatory to a number of international conventions and treaties such as CEDAW and the MDGs, the uphill battle is insurmountable without added support from development partners to push the agenda forward. Whilst women are denied opportunities such as the Reserved Seats for women MPs with only 0.9% of women representation in Parliament, gender based violence affecting women and girls has reached unprecedented levels making them vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS.

The national estimated prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS is 0.9% with over 60% of the infected being women and girls. The net effect of women's underrepresentation in decision making coupled with the weak institutional support, means that Government is unable to implement its polices and laws for the benefit of women's advancement and hence the lack of achievement of MDG 3 indicator of increasing women's representation in decision making by 2015.