Women need financial support: Marape

STUDIES show that investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth, Rachel Marape, wife of Prime Minister James Marape, says.
She was speaking at the first ever meeting of spouses of parliamentarians in Port Moresby on Tuesday.
She said gender-based violence was a problem in the Papua New Guinea society that needed to be stopped.
“We, as women, know we can make enormous contributions to our families as spouses, mothers and caregivers,” she said.
“We also contribute to the economy whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home.
“We know that often. Women are disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation.
“Women have limited economic opportunities and lower levels of literacy than men.
“As a result, they have limited awareness of how to improve economic opportunities for themselves and their households.”
She said to help address the issue, women’s economic empowerment needed to be driven through improving their access to financial services and products.
“An economically empowered women means an empowered household,” she said.
“Just like when you educate a woman, you educate a family, community, village or society.”
She thanked the Government for the K8 million small to medium enterprise (SME) assistance given, particularly to assist women to expand their businesses.
She said the challenge was to empower women in the informal sector and at the micro level.
She said there was a need to provide startup capital and other financial literacy programmes.