Coalition of PNG Parliamentarians to end GBV call on Government partners to do their jobs

The Coalition of Parliamentarians to End Gender-Based Violence formed in August 2020 to demonstrate the commitment of Members of Parliament to use their powers and their status as national leaders to push for more action to end GBV.

The Coalition Members are committed to using their voices and their positions as Members of Parliament – and some who are also Governors – to drive more action to address GBV across the country. 

The Coalition wishes to officially register its concern at the recent cases being reported in the newspapers regarding the alleged rape of a girl on public transport in the NCD and the court decision which let off an alleged perpetrator because he had paid compensation to the family.

Coalition Co-Chair Hon. Powes Parkop makes the following statement: “The cases we are reading about cause us all deep concern. In my role as Co-Chair of the Coalition of Parliamentarians to End GBV, I wish to make it crystal clear to all members of the public that we all stand strongly against any form of violence in our communities. We call on all Government agencies with a role in ending this violence to do their jobs – properly and in a timely way.” 

He went on: “Where complaints of violence are lodged, the police must investigate promptly and make sure that perpetrators are charged. And where charges are laid, we expect prosecutors to progress cases as speedily as possible and for the courts to impose sentences that reflect the gravity of the crime. Victims must be given justice – and that means that courts must send perpetrators to jail to make sure they are punished for their crimes.”

Governor Parkop continued: “In my roles as Governor of the National Capital District, I also want to make clear that I have been looking into the case being raised in the media, but I cannot stress enough that victims’ rights must be respected and victims must be allowed the privacy to pursue their own healing and justice. We cannot take that away from GBV survivors. We also cannot interfere with ongoing investigations or we risk prejudicing their outcomes. I am committed to ensuring that GBV survivors get justice, but they must be supported to pursue that in their own way and at their own speed.”

He went on “As NCD Governor, I am also trying to address the systematic problems women face in feeling secure in their homes but also in public spaces, including public transport. I will continue to do that. Last week we held a consultation on public transport safety and my team will continue to pursue that to make sure that women, children, and in fact every member of our community, feels safe. Please engage with our team on the City Sivarai page on Facebook to follow this work and provide us with feedback.”

The Coalition has also been concerned that some members of the public are confused between the role of the official Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV – which is mandated to use its parliamentary powers to formally oversee Government bodies – and the Coalition, which is a group of MPs voluntarily working in their own electorates to try to address GBV. 

The Coalition wanted to clarify that each body has its role – but they are different and complementary. The Coalition Members use their powers as leaders to advocate for change and to drive action in their home electorates. The Coalition will organize a second National GBV Summit in late October/early November this year, which will be used as an opportunity for government and non-government people, as well as ordinary community members, to talk about their challenges in addressing GBV and move forward together. 

In contrast, the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV uses its parliamentary powers to call on Government bodies, as it did in the May 2021 public hearings, to inquire into what Government bodies are doing to address GBV and to hold them accountable for the services and responses they are supposed to be providing the public. It is anticipated that the Committee will hold a second set of public hearings with government bodies in October or November this year, depending on the dates of the budget session.

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