Justice Wawun-Kuvi stepping up to new role

By JINA AMBA
AFTER she was sworn in yesterday with five other women as acting judges of the Supreme Court and National Court, Justice Laura Wawun-Kuvi felt that the judiciary and the country as a whole had taken another important step forward.
“For six women to be appointed as acting judges is a milestone for women in the judiciary (and country).”
Her dad is from Manus and her mother from East New Britain. She is married with six children.
She began her primary school education at St Paul’s Primary School in Gerehu, Port Moresby, where she was one of the pioneer students selected for Grade Seven and Grade Eight there. She then attended Marianville Secondary School.
Later, she was among the first students to be selected from Della Selle and Marianville Secondary to attend the Jubilee Catholic Secondary School at Hohola.
“So I was a pioneer student there as well.”
From there, she went to the University of PNG to study law.
“I completed at UPNG a Bachelor in Law (degree) Honours in 2005, and went to the Legal Training Institute to be admitted as a lawyer.”
She also later acquired a Diploma in Management at UPNG.
She started her career at the Office of the Public Prosecutor as a prosecutor.
“I have both civil and criminal law background.”
She then served as a magistrate before deciding to go a step higher into the judiciary and serve as a judge.
“I have been in the system now for 15 going 16 years.”
Justice Wawun-Kuvi understands fully the onus and duty she has chosen for herself in her new judicial role.
“There is a serious backlog in the criminal case list in various provinces in PNG. I hope to be able to contribute to reducing that list, especially the remand list.
“A lot of our people are being kept in remand and there is a cry for them to have their cases heard. I hope 12 months is enough to do that.”
She is confident in and committed to her new career path.
“People have seen from the media (that) we (women) are not very visible in the higher judiciary. In the district court, I was just a magistrate.
“(So) I went up to the high court (because) we (women) are not very visible in the high court.
“This is the same in the Pacific (island nations) as well, and the broader jurisdictions in the other countries.
“Women in the higher judiciary are very few. So to see that many of us have now being appointed, it’s a significant milestone for women not only in PNG but in the Pacific (island nations) as well.”
Looking back on her career so far, Justice Wawun-Kuvi is happy that she had managed to overcome difficulties along the way. The key lies in hard work, humility and loyalty.
“My advice to especially young girls is to stick their head down and work hard. They will face a lot of challenges but as long as they are humble and loyal, they will get there.”
She and her five colleagues – acting judges Nerrie Eliakim, Tracy Ganaii, Irene Ann Mugugia, Emma Wurr and Gertrude Tamade – are leading the way.