50pc women vendors face violence, says official

By MOYA IOWA
Up to 50 per cent of women vendors have experienced violence in Port Moresby markets, according to the National Capital District Commission.
Commission gender officer Kay Kaugla revealed the alarming statistics at the first Safer Cities in the Pacific conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
She said women were subjected to violence at markets, bus stops and other public places, which led to great fear among both women vendors and market-goers.
Statistics collected by United Nations Women, in partnership with NCDC, showed that 22 per cent of women had experienced more than one form of violence against them at markets.
The statistics further showed that four per cent of male and female vendors had witnessed different forms of violence at markets.
Kaugla said violence was not limited to being sexual in nature.
Extortion from market security guards who demand money from vendors as a form of ‘tax’ for selling within the market space is rife.
She said theft of money and food crops, ethnic clashes among vendors, and police brutality on vendors was commonplace.
Kaugla said that violence perpetrated on vendors gave rise to them mobilising and forming the market vendors associations in 2012.
The associations addresses concerns of market vendors including safety, vending venues, health and sanitation. Kaugla said 11 assocations added that eleven associations had been formed at Gordon Market and one at Gerehu Market.