Putting women’s rights first

By JIMMY KALEBE
LAE is standing up for women and has seen the formation of a strategic group to address issues important to both women and young people.
The Lae Women’s Strategic Group (LWSG) is a multi-cultural organisation started by like-minded women for women throughout the country who have lived in Lae and other parts of Morobe for decades and regard themselves as Morobeans.
Coordinator and chairwoman Josephine Buri said the group was formed after issues like financial problems and a lack of basic business knowledge were identified. She said many women and youths lack the ability and skills for personal development and have been suffering because of difficulties in accessing basic services.
LWSG aims to associate and network with the government, stakeholders, NGOs and other established agencies to find funding for training, workshops, seminars and counseling services for women in all walks of life.
Pastor Susan Kingal, the wife of the late evangelist Joseph Kingal, said the champion in a woman can only be known when she is exposed.
She said there are many women out there with hidden talents who need to be exposed, and LWSG is the platform for that.
“The gift of making things happen is within us and we need to identify that and share it with other women as not all women know everything,” said Kingal.
Fredah Siaguru, a senior lecturer with the business department of University of Technology, told women in one of their gatherings at the Lae Special Education Centre in Eriku that community service is one important thing that they should engage in. She said women in Morobe province, through LWSG, will now have to work together to help, share and support each other. She suggests that a resource centre be built for that purpose.
The women’s group aims also to promote gender equity and women’s rights, promote activities for the key affected population and improve the status of women. By doing these, the LWSG can create job opportunities and sustainability, improve lifestyles, provide hope and opportunity to marginalised women and youths, create friendly and safe environments and develop a positive mindset that can maintain a happy healthy family.
Buri said that women should be supported by leaders in parliament as well as those in positions that can make a difference or an impact in the community.  “It is only us that will make our issues seen by those in authority and we must not wait for that to happen.”
Buri said that this period of general election campaigning is “the right time to highlight women’s priorities and mark good leaders that can really represent us at the national level”.
LWSG believes that all PNG women should be developed physically, mentally, socially and spiritually and must be able to participate meaningfully in the family, community, province and the nation as a whole.