The Women in Leadership Retreat is being hosted by the National Parliament & the Bougainville House of Representatives today at the Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby.
The first order of the day were welcoming remarks by supporting actor UNDP’s Resident Representative as well as by the Governor of the Central Province, followed on by two sessions of penal discussions.
The first panel discussion involved, amongst four other speakers, the Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) & National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop.
He began by reiterating that Gender Equality is a fundamental role in Papua New Guinea’s constitution.
“It is a goal that should be defining our nation and our people.”
He said this topic and conversation is important and people need to acknowledge this, as there remains a misconception that gender equality is a foreign agenda.
“This is a national goal, it’s in our constitution.”
Governor Parkop added that everybody deserves to live in a country that allows and enables them to realize their full potential; and this include women.
“Unless we start making real and tangible action now, 48 years later, we still be having this same conversation, and we will still be failing our country.”
Governor Parkop further stated the current government recognised this need and have made the decision to make the GEWE Committee a permanent parliamentary committee.
“We are not neglecting our responsibilities and parliament has made the decision that equality is the core issue here.”
He said this is current government’s way of changing the narrative and advancing the discussions that are going to bring about the positive change.
Governor Parkop said as the Chairman of the GEWE Committee, Parliament also gave him the mandate to make men uncomfortable.
“You don’t want to change, but the nation needs to change.”
“And I don’t think we men alone can change this nation, we need women, we need to bring them up and they will change this nation together with us.”