Oil Search Foundation backs women in leadership course

OIL Search Foundation recognises the important role of women in achieving positive changes at community level and is supporting two women to participate in a leadership and management course in Port Moresby.
The two women are part of a group of women from Hela and Southern Highlands, who are attending a training programme organised by the Business Coalition for Women to help them become better leaders in the workplace.
Women in these provinces are challenged every day by the remoteness, the reality of gender imbalance in decision-making, violence, security issues and the need to develop good leaders, the foundation said.
The programme, in partnership with Wings Education PNG ,focuses on better communication, effective leadership, managing relationships, building networks, identifying risks and analysing and presenting information.
Pimaga Rural Hospital officer in charge of maternal child health Sr Pauline Nathan and Koroba-Lake-Kopiago health manager Rebecca Puruma are taking part in the training designed specifically for women in PNG.
Foundation head of gender and leadership Amanda Anderson said it was important to be supporting women to be effective leaders and managers. Anderson said having more women in leadership could improve innovation and decision-making.
“It was reported by Pacific Women that by mid-2014, 23 per cent of all senior management positions and 31 per cent of middle management positions in Papua New Guinea’s government agencies were occupied by women, but women were still poorly represented at provincial level,” she said.
“We want to support more women to take up senior leadership roles.”
The course includes three sets of week-long contact sessions in Port Moresby.
Apart from these, participants will complete their assignments at their place of employment.
Nathan and Puruma completed their first contact session last week were expected to complete the course in November.