Poverty worries group

 By TONY PALME KIP 

PAPUA New Guinea’s ranking below the poverty line in terms of human development  raised serious concerns during the recent Leaders’ Summit and among other  organisations.

The PNG Widows’ Association hailed the  Government for launching the small to medium enterprise scheme, a positive approach to move the country up the rank.

The association, a non-governmental organisation, set up to fight for widows’ rights across the country and believes that human development is vital to national development.

The association noted that there were over 200,000 widows suffering from neglect and were rejected, secluded and seen as the invisible women in PNG.

Founder and president Maria Unde, a widow, stressed that if the women were empowered through meaningful interventions, they could close that gap with the adage “if you empower a woman, you empower a nation,” Unde said. 

She said the association had offices in six provinces – Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Central, National Capital District, East Sepik and Western – and were looking forward to set up offices in all 22 provinces and 111 districts.

“We are here to partner the Government to achieve its Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2050.”