State, bank to address violence

 The Government and World Bank announced an initiative in Port Moresby last Friday to address violence associated with PNG’s extractive industries. 

The US$ 2.63 million project (about K7.8 million) will focus on addressing family, sexual, and gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea’s extractive industry impacted areas by improving access to care for survivors of violence and working to change attitudes toward FSV and prevention in communities.

The project will help to build the capacity of local advocacy organisations and help government, civil society, and extractives companies to work together on these issues.

“The extractives industry plays an important role in the PNG economy, and so the industry has a key role to play in helping to reduce family, gender, and sexual-based violence,” World Bank’s country manager Stefanie Stallmeister said.

“We look forward to supporting the Government of PNG to deliver this critical project that aims to improve the lives of women, children, and families whose lives are impacted.”

The initiative will involve government-level policy discussions between the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) who will manage the project, Family Sexual Violence Action Committee, and Business Coalition for Women, with the aim of developing an industry charter that includes clear engagement from the extractive industry.

MRA managing director Philip Samar says PNG has witnessed far too much violence against women.