New NCW Act ‘a way forward for women’

THE amended National Council of Women (NCW) Act will require all new and existing small women’s organisations to be affiliated to their provincial women’s council network instead of the NCW.
According to the draft amendments bill, the NCW’s role would be to oversee organisations at the national level, like churches and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
At the fourth NCW conference last Friday, NCW president Schola Kakas and her executives discussed the review of draft amendments.
Mrs Kakas told a media briefing that the departments of Community Development and National Planning were working with NCW to finalise the draft for Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu to present to the National Executive Council in March.
“When the bill is passed by Parliament, there will be an official election for office bearers because the entire NCW network is currently interim,” she said.
 “The new Act tightens up everything that women today encounter and many changes will follow. It’s a way forward, strengthening the legalities and network of women in Papua New Guinea.
“Everything is made transparent and the old strategic plan has been shifted to strengthen the capacity of the 22 NCWs in PNG,” Mrs Kakas said.
She said all NCWs would be reorganised and the women’s network nationwide restructured to provide regular trainings and workshops in a short-term plan.
“If the short-term plan is successful, the long-term plan is to look at the different department policies affecting women’s roles in today’s society,” she said.
Mrs Kakas said gender and planning had been issues in PNG since the council was enacted in 1979 with much debate on gender equality but nothing about gender budgeting.
“NCW will want these issues to be addressed accordingly after the bill is passed,” she added.