More partnership needed: Kidu

THE Department of Community Development and Religion signed a memorandum of agreement with the Australian government’s Incentive Fund programme yesterday in Port Moresby.
The MOA was signed by department secretary Anna Solomon and the chairperson of Incentive Fund, Dame Carol Kidu.
The Incentive Fund is a key development partner of the department in enhancing community initiatives through Phase 4 (IF4) of its programme.
During the MOA signing, Solomon thanked the Incentive Fund for continuing its partnership with the department on social inclusion matters which started in 2010.
“The IF4 commitment is to implement its social inclusion strategy as informed by Government of PNG social inclusion policies on gender equality, child protection, disability and HIV/Aids administered by the department,” Solomon said.
She also highlighted some of the successes of bridging policy and development practice and achievements through the Incentive Fund Phase 3 programme.
“Some of the successful examples include; formation of the social inclusion working group, development of an inclusion checklist manual, social inclusion training on gender and child protection for 15 funded organisations, development of a provincial integration strategy, development of an engagement strategy and publications of booklets on IF3 social inclusion success stories.”
Dame Carol supported the secretary’s call on developing a stronger collaboration with development partners and said more development partners should do the same and work closely with government agencies for development purposes in contributing to a better PNG.