The Department of Prime Minister and NEC has donated food hampers to two Port Moresby-based charities — Cheshire Disability Services and House of Hope — as part of its contribution to the national 20-Days of Human Rights Activism and Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment campaign.
The initiative, endorsed by the Department of Personnel Management, forms part of a broader government effort to spotlight the daily challenges faced by women and girls across Papua New Guinea.
Chief Secretary Ivan Pomaleu said the campaign was a reminder of the country’s responsibility to acknowledge and address gender-based inequality.
“The country should be reminded of the issues that women and girls face daily. This is a way of recognising and supporting women and girls in Papua New Guinea,” he said.
Pomaleu emphasised the importance of recognising the role every individual plays within families and communities, adding that genuine progress depended on personal commitment as much as institutional action.
“We owe them the 20 days. But these are issues that should be acknowledged, celebrated and addressed. We must be active in recognising the roles of everyone in society and in the family. Advocate for activism at a personal level.”
He noted that PNG’s predominantly patrilineal social structures continue to shape norms that place women and girls at a lower status than men and boys. The Chief Secretary said these attitudes often begin in the home, where children absorb assumptions about gender roles.
“We have the opportunity to model the right character. Parents have the responsibility to model the right character,” he said.
“Every time you participate in an outlook that suggests a male child is more important than a female child, you model that difference. You define the roles of children.”
Pomaleu also acknowledged Cheshire Disability Services and House of Hope for their long-standing work supporting vulnerable communities.
“I want to thank those who contributed out of their means to support this important gesture. It is important that we show care and responsibility to those less fortunate,” he said.
He urged the Department to continue driving policy reform, legislative alignment and public awareness to shift societal attitudes.
“We have our responsibilities as a department to continue to lead the conversation so that more of our society becomes aware of what is right and what isn’t. This is a place for advocacy,” Pomaleu said.