UN official urges PNG parliamentarians to lead by example

MEMBERS of Parliament have been encouraged to lead by example in advocating on population and development issues.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Walter Mendoca Filho said as leaders, people looked up to MPs as guides and role models. 

“If we can have champion MPs in a number of issues to do with human rights such as reproductive health, women’s rights, gender-based violence, and if you can promote that in your own constituency, people will look up to you,” Filho said. 

“People will listen to what you have to say as a way of influencing a positive change in attitude, acceptance of new ways and means of doing things.”

Filho was addressing participants at the workshop for Pacific parliamentarians on advocacy and empowering parliamentary groups on population and development in Port Moresby yesterday. 

Filho urged MPs to work together with his organisation and use resources and knowledge it offered on development and population issues. 

“In many countries the policy and legal framework is such as certain rights and issues are not adequately addressed,” he said. 

“UNFPA provides resources and best practices to MPs so that they can critically look at their laws and 

legislations and promote human rights.”

One PNG / The National