Papua New Guinea

More women than men have HIV/AIDS in PNG

vika — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:49:14 +0800

A Papua New Guinea health department report reveals that more women than men are being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Of the eight hundred and thirty-two newly diagnosed cases, 515 are female. The Papua New Guinea coalition on HIV/AIDS is a not profit organisation representing the private sector.

BAHA coordinator Erica Ogoba is working with managers to develop HIV policies for the workplace.

Source:http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201007/s2965740.htm

Flower show by PNG women could generate income for households

vika — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:34:56 +0800

Women in East New Britain have successfully hosted a two-day flower show in Papua New Guinea to promote floriculture that could generate additional income for households.

As a result, the Women and Youth in Agriculture Development group was formed with the help of the National Agriculture Research Institute, a division of Primary Industries and female farmers.

The National newspaper reports the Institute’s research associate scientist, Kiteni Kurika said floriculture was one of the new endeavours to motivate women not only to plant but to make money out of it.

Kiteni Kurika says the move benefits landscaping and will help develop the local hotel and tourism industries.

Source:http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=54788

PNG women present to UN their case for end to violence

vika — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:03:15 +0800

A delegation from Papua New Guinea has told a United Nations committee they want their government held accountable for the high rate of violence against women in the country.

Presentations to the United Nations by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, have demanded an end to violence against women in PNG.

Amnesty International Australia raised the funds to send Tapora Isorua and Sarah Garap, local experts in the field of gender-based violence in PNG, to speak before the UN committee.

Tapora Isorua has just completed her presentation at the UN in New York.

Source:http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201007/s2960827.htm

Carol Kidu claims strong support for PNG women MP bill

yinghan — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:12:31 +0800

Papua New Guinea's Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu says the Opposition leader and his deputy have told her that they will support a bill to get more women into PNG's national parliament.

That's despite Sir Mekere Morauta and Deputy leader Bart Philemon holding a press conference earlier this week to voice their opposition.

Dame Kidu says the press conference was held before a briefing about the proposed amendment to the Constitution that would allow reserved seats for women.

"It will go to parliament for a first reading, either late June when we have to sit again to vote for the Governor-General, or in July," she said.

"There are some other slight work and amendments in other things to make it harmonize with other work we're doing - amending electoral law - but we're expecting to take it to the floor either late June or early July."

source: http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201005/2905813.htm?desktop

Call to assist women in business

yinghan — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:16:58 +0800

THE women-in-business (WIB) scheme is an excellent initiative to identify and promote potentials of women in business activities, Chimbu WIB coordinator Jack Giano said.
He said the Government had finally initiated to empower women in PNG who have been very good managers and foundations for family units at home.
Mr Giano, when commenting on the K10 million funding for WIB by Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris, said: “It is a major break-through because I see the initiative will address many social issues currently affection the society.”
He also called on business houses, the provincial government and corporate organisation in Chimbu to support and recognise WIB.

source: http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/8348

Workshop on skills building for women

yinghan — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:16:52 +0800

A TOTAL of 26 women’s groups from the vicinity of mining and petroleum-impacted areas across six provinces have been trained on skills building.
Lasting for four months, the workshop was aimed at building skills in strategic planning, budgeting and finance, human resource and reporting and communication.
The workshop was undertaken by an international organisation Gutteridge, Haskins and Davey (GHD) that provides professional services in the area of engineering, environment, aviation, forestry.
The group works extensively in managing the delivery of international development assistance to clients such as AusAid, ADB and World Bank particularly in the Aisa-Pacific region.
As an outcome of the project, GHD will present a paper on the training conducted to the women in mining and petroleum conference scheduled for next month in Madang province.
The workshop was through a contract awarded last June by PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum for GHD to develop and carry out capacity-building training workshops for women associations in the mine and petroleum projects-impacted areas.
According to a joint statement by GHD PNG country manager Peter Aitsi and project manager for Women in Mining and Petroleum project (WIMAP) Lesley Bennett, the project stemmed from undertakings by chamber members to encourage greater and active participation of women in the economic and social issues affecting communities impacted by mining and petroleum activity.
Project funding was secured from Japan Social Development Fund through World Bank as a part of implementation of self-reliance programme for WIMAP.

source: http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/6004

WIB expo on businesswomen

yinghan — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:16:01 +0800

THE inaugural PNG Women in Business (WIB) expo scheduled for next month in Lae is targeting women who have been engaged in various business activities behind the scene.
WIB said the expo is also an opportunity for aspiring businesswomen to get tips from successful business persons and business organisations.
With K200,000 already set aside for the expo by the National Planning Department, PNGWIB president and businesswoman Janet Sape (pictured left) expressed confidence that preparations are well underway.
PNGWIB had initially asked for K400,000 but settled for K200,000.
“We are encouraging women to come out to this expo because it is about businesses they have been operating behind the scenes.
“We want companies to also come out and tell women as to what they can do,” Mrs Sape said last Friday during a presentation by Origin (PNG) Energy.
Origin presented a cheque for K3,850 towards the expo and on top of this, it will be giving away gas-powered kitchen appliances worth K4,000 as prizes to women participants.
Origin’s business coordinator Rachel Pye said her company was approached during last year’s PNG Showcase and so has committed to support with funding.
Mrs Sape encouraged interested participants and companies to start registering for the three-day event starting Feb 26.
She said a fee of K300 per stall per province. Gate fees will be K5 per participant and K2 for students.

source: http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/5273

Woman farmer thinks big

yinghan — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:18:06 +0800

By seniorl anzu

An introduced yam species, dioscorea rotundata ? commonly known as African yam and promoted by NARI as an alternative root crop in PNG, has been adopted widely in yam-based farming systems in rural areas.
In the Highlands, Goroka farmer Jennifer Kena was successful in cultivating the crop for food and income.
She said African yam was a drought-tolerant crop which could withstand adverse conditions that people in rural areas must cultivate to meet their food security needs should the anticipated drought in 2012 strike the country. Ms Kena has grown the crop in the last seven years.
During the NARI show on reparing PNG for Drought and Climate Change?at Bubia near Lae, she took her harvests to the show.
With the help of the Eastern Highlands DPI office, she transported 134 tubers, weighing 325 kilograms from her farm in Bihute to Bubia for display and sale.
They sold like hot cakes. Ms Kena said there was still plenty of African yams in her garden.
She supplied 500-800 kilograms of yam to the eight districts in Eastern Highlands.
The highest volume supplied so far was 3000 kilograms to Care International for their food security programs with farmers.
She also conducts training on yam cultivation and management practices to other interested farmers in the province.
Ms Kena even helps them in selling their produce. However, she said there was no support coming from authorities including the Government to support her strengthen agricultural production and food security.
African yam yields up to 50 per cent more than common local varieties of native yam species.

source: http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100520/thhome.htm

PNG campaign to create 22 parliament seats for women kicks into overdrive

yinghan — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:21:58 +0800

Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Community Affairs admits it won’t be easy to gain enough support among MPs to create 22 women seats in Parliament.

The government this week gave notice of its intention to table a constitutional amendment catering for the proposed reserved seats.

The bill is being sponsored by the minister, Dame Carol Kidu, with the Prime Minister among those in the 109-seat parliament to have voiced support for it.

By the July session, the bill will be allowed to go through its first reading, debate and first vote.

Dame Carol says supporters of the bill need this time to continue advocacy.

“So there is a lot happening with help from Unifem and people to help fund it. And the Council of Women network is starting to mobilise and so on. The women are feeling very positive. But to be frank, it’s going to be very hard. We’ve got to get 83 votes to change the constitution. We had some very positive meetings with government yesterday but only a few members came, not enough members came.”

source: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53556

Women help success of Solomons road program

yinghan — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:21:57 +0800

A new road maintenance program in Solomon Islands is proving to be very successful, thanks largely to women.

The new road maintenance program is based on small indigenous companies hiring labour rather than using machines.

The Solomon Islands government, supported by donors such as the Asian Development Bank and AusAID, has helped locals to set up companies and bid for work.

Many of the companies are run by women, and women make up more than 50 per cent of their roadworkers.

Moses Virivolomo, from the Ministry of Infrastucture, says the program has allowed him to provide more jobs, double the number of kilometres of road being maintained and to get road maintenance gangs working in more remote areas.

The Asian Development Bank says the program has become a model for the region with Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga adopting the same approach.

source: http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201005/2892809.htm?desktop