BPW supports Kidu’s petition to Parliament

THE Port Moresby Business and Professional Women’s Club (BPW) have agreed to support Minister for Community Development and MP for Moresby-South Dame Carol Kidu’s petition to Parliament against violence.
At a monthly club meeting recently, members agreed that as a long serving women’s group with status in the community, BPW has the credibility and a responsibility to take action.
At the meeting, Winifred Kamit informed members about the background to Dame Carol’s petition on Oct 9 and explained that the petition was developed in response to recent media reports about horrific violent activities involving women as victims.
Mrs Kamit stated that the presentation of the petition to Parliament was appropriately non-violent and although there were disappointments that there was no debate, it was the parliamentary procedure for petitions.
Mrs Kamit said women and children were protected under the constitution and that violence was a criminal offence, not a private matter.
She said the Family Protection Bill, now with the Attorney-General, supported the Constitutional provision, which stated that customary or culturally repugnant practices against humanity should not be acceptable nor adopted as part of PNG’s Customary Law.