Gender-based violence committee to set up community centres

THE National Committee on Gender-based Violence (GBV) plans to set up GBV departments in urban and rural centres with the aim of advocating change in behaviours and attitude towards GBV, violence and other women’s issues at a community level.
National Capital District Governor and member of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV, Powes Parkop, said the department would be set up with competent people who were passionate, understanding and well educated, and who could work with people to address GBV and women’s issues.
“Women of Papua New Guinea live in an open prison,” Parkop said.
“Always thinking about security, they cannot move around safely.
“This is why we need a National GBV secretariat in place to demand accountability. We need it funded and staffed with well-qualified GBV experts with senior standing within the public service to drive this agenda.”
Governor Parkop said his committee alone could not drive the agenda and it was role of the National GBV secretariat.
He said this was all aimed at reducing GBV in PNG.
Committee chairman Charles Abel said the establishment of a GBV secretariat within the Department of Community Affairs was part of a 10-year GBV strategy.