Gender-Based Violence in Papua New GuineaTrends and...

Gender-Based Violence in Papua New Guinea

Trends and Challenges

Laura Baines

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a phenomenon that occurs globally, to varying degrees and with various consequences. This essay investigates GBV, specifically family violence, where most often the victim is the wife and the perpetrator is the husband, in the context of Papua New Guinea (PNG). I argue that although GBV is difficult to measure, small-scale studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that GBV is severe and widespread, and in some instances worsening. In PNG society, there remain several challenges that inhibit the substantial reduction of GBV. Cultural challenges include the existence and adherence to bride price traditions; women’s lack of political representation, affecting how this issue is dealt with at the highest level of society; and the traditional village court systems, which align judgments with customary male-biased law. There are State sector challenges present that also inhibit a reduction of GBV, such as inadequate and biased policing services; and inefficient, sporadic and underfunded support services (e.g. hospitals and emergency shelters). Change in PNG cannot be achieved in a short time frame. It may take generations for significant change to be made in communities so that women are viewed as equals and for GBV not to be seen as the ‘norm’. When this occurs, a reduction in severe and widespread GBV may be experienced in PNG….

As stated by Amnesty International [2010], GBV has been, and continues to be, very much culturally and socially sanctioned in PNG. Furthermore, there still is an acceptance of violence at the highest levels of society.

3 Conclusion

In conclusion, substantive as well as anecdotal evidence confirms that GBV has been, and remains, a serious issue in PNG. I have shown that GBV is still socially and culturally sanctioned, both at the community and Government levels. The cultural and State sector challenges limiting the reduction of GBV are complex in nature, ranging from bride price to women’s lack of political representation and an ineffective formal judicial system. Clearly, these challenges cannot be addressed and change achieved in a short time frame. I consider it may take generations, in some instances, for real and significant change to be made in communities so that women are viewed as equals in society, causing a reduction in widespread and severe GBV.

The international community needs to continue to make a stand and compel the PNG Government to promote the necessary changes, for example, to introduce effective GBV laws. The PNG Government itself needs to take a stronger public stance that GBV is not acceptable. When this happens, widespread and severe GBV in PNG may, in time, become a phenomenon of the past.

https://www.toksavepacificgender.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Baines_L_2012.pdf

There is wealth of material about UN efforts to address violence against women & children in PNG. They all admit that the issue standing in the way of a resolution is cultural.

Strange how the issue mirrors the problem in Aboriginal communities but it is not cultural but generational trauma???

FF.