Parkop wants more awareness on harassment of women, girls

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NATIONAL Capital District Governor Powes Parkop says there is a need to raise the awareness level to prevent or stop harassment of women and girls in Port Moresby (and nationwide).
“We are making a big statement to say no to street harassment and this is just the beginning,” he said at the Active City Walk and Yoga for Life on Saturday.
The walk, hosted by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) Active City Development Programme and UNWomen, was themed “Take Back the Street – End Street Harassment against Women and Girls”.
The walk was the official closing of a week-long programme based on the theme.
Philip Sibo, 21, from Chimbu said harassment of women and girls had worsened in the streets, “it’s happening in communities, bus stops, buses, markets and everywhere”.
“I am not only hearing about it, I have also seen it happening. Bags are snatched and men inappropriately talking to women and girls.
“Women and girls move around in fear of verbal and physical abuse. They do not have the freedom,” he added. Sibo said mothers, sisters and aunties must be allowed to walk around freely because “it’s their right”.
Sibo walks on Sundays to be updated with the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) scholarship announcements because he believed in the weekly awareness programmes.
“The harassments can end but for that to happen, the mindset of men has to change first. That can be achieved through such intense programmes,” he said.