All eyes on parliament’s move on women’s bill

MINISTER for Community Development Dame Carol Kidu said the international community and women advocators on gender issues were watching with interest PNG parliament’s deliberations on Equality and Participation Bill in this session.
“We would like to remind our politicians that we have support from very high profile people around the world who are watching and supporting the cause of women in PNG.
“It will be a shame for us women and the country if our men do not support us,” Dame Carol said.
She said the Green Party in Australia, the former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton were among members of the international community who are keeping a close watch on the progress of the bill.
“The change must be effected in 2012. It cannot be delayed until 2017 because we all know that in the next term of parliament there’s going to be finances available to bring enormous change to our nation in the form of the LNG project proceeds.
“Women must be part of the decision making of how the money will be used,” Dame Carol said.
The minister believed that if women are part of the decision making of how that windfall of money is spent then children, men, disable, women and youths and families will see greater benefits.
“As one woman, I have not had much success in raising the budget for those areas.
“But I believe if we can have more women leaders, then they can quietly and systematically change some of the priorities in the budget to make sure that the human resource development gets the attention it needs.
“That has to happen in 2012.
“It is a critical time in the history of PNG,” Dame Carol said.