With support from the Papua New Guinea–Australia Partnership, the Advancing PNG: Women Leaders Network (APNGWLN) is preparing to monitor and observe women candidates contesting the 2025 Local Level Government (LLG) elections across six provinces. The activity is part of a broader effort to promote gender equality and women’s political participation in PNG’s democratic processes.
The new grant, delivered through the PNG Women Lead program—Australia’s flagship initiative to support women’s leadership—will enable APNGWLN to strengthen election integrity, document barriers to women’s participation, and provide evidence-based recommendations for future reform.
Ahead of the monitoring program, representatives of APNGWLN participated in mandatory safeguarding and code of conduct training facilitated by the Australian Government. The training aims to ensure that all partners delivering Australian-funded programs in PNG uphold strict standards for the protection of vulnerable individuals, especially women and children.
The training covered a range of safeguarding policies, including child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment policies, and risk management protocols. Participants also received guidance on how to embed these principles within their organisational structures and operations.
APNGWLN is a national network committed to advancing women’s leadership, advocacy, and rights in Papua New Guinea. The organisation has played an active role in capacity building, civic engagement, and policy dialogue around women’s empowerment, particularly in underrepresented communities.
The upcoming LLG elections in 2025 are viewed as a key opportunity to increase women’s participation in public decision-making. Despite several national commitments to gender equality, women remain significantly underrepresented in PNG’s formal political systems at both the national and sub-national levels.
Monitoring efforts by organisations like APNGWLN are intended to ensure that the electoral environment is fair, inclusive, and responsive to the specific challenges faced by women candidates. By documenting experiences on the ground, the network aims to inform not only future programming but also broader reforms to PNG’s political processes.
The safeguarding training reflects Australia’s commitment to responsible development cooperation, ensuring that funded programs do no harm and actively contribute to safer, more equitable communities.