Ensuring equal opportunity and social inclusion in the workforce is a priority for the PNG Government, as evidenced by the progress in implementing the Public Service Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Policy that was launched in 2013.
The GESI policy provides guidance to PNG’s public servants in addressing unequal power relations experienced by people on grounds of gender, wealth, ability, location, ethnicity, and language within their own workplaces.
The Hela Provincial Health Authority (HPHA) has enthusiastically taken on the challenge of implementing the GESI policy by establishing a workplace culture that embraces GESI principles and values including through establishing a GESI help desk.
The desk was set up as a referral and support system that promotes gender equity and social inclusive practices which reflect a positive, respectful and fair work environment.
HPHA aims to see that GESI is mainstreamed into its governance systems and structures to create a productive and collaborative workplace which is then reflected in the services that the PHA provides.
Although the GESI help desk was only established in 2019, the PHA has begun to see positive changes because staff are more aware of what GESI is and its importance.
Robert Pokaya, HPHA GESI Acting Manager said, “Since the establishment of the help desk, I’ve began providing individual staff with referrals to services such as family and sexual violence, police, security, counselling and legal advice.
He adds, staff are more aware of the role GESI plays in the workplace. For example, at Magarima Health Centre, officers were able to identify that, males and females used the same toilets which posed a security risk for females. After raising this concern with the help desk, the PHA was able to build separate toilets which Improves safety for women and girls.
Dr James Kintwa, Hela PHA CEO said, “In Hela, where the environment is quite challenging, GESI will be used as an important tool that will change the behaviour and essence of our staff not only at the workplace but in the communities that they live in.”
‘We endeavour to create a work culture that is courteous, fair and values individual differences. We see this as a core aspect of building a positive environment which is the essence of GESI.