Island stages peaceful march against violence

 LIHIR Island hosted its third stop-work peaceful protest march as part of the National Haus Krai initiative last Friday.

More men joined the march which about 2000 people attended in Londolovit.

The inaugural event was held in 2013 as a protest against gender-based violence and to remember those who lost their lives as a result of domestic violence, assault, rape and sorcery.

Two in three Papua New Guinean women have been beaten or raped. 

With the country’s population at seven million, this equates to more than 2.5 million women and children being abused.

The 2015 Lihir Ailan Haus Krai’s primary objectives are to raise awareness on gender-based violence and to provide information on referral pathways for victims and their families. Stakeholders Anitua, Lihir Business Services, Tutorme Women’s Group, Red Cross Lihir, LMDS, FSVAC and Newcrest Mining Limited, Lihir Island can provide programmes, counselling services and education for victims of violence.