Region:Asia Pacific
Current UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
outcome XM-DAC-41146-PNG_D_1.1
Women fully and effectively participate in and have equal opportunity for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political and public life (Aligned to SP Output 4)
Women leaders were actively involved in leadership and political decision-making roles at all levels. The women leaders who attended the UN Women supported training workshops and dialogues were actively involved in community developmental activities. Communities and political parties demonstrated great support for women leaders as shown during the 2023 by election for Bougainville were 4 women out of 18 women candidates contested the elections. Out of the 4 women who contested 2 were endorsed by political parties, Pangu and National Alliance Party. Women candidate Francisca Semoso who actively participated in UN Women interventions won the election. Political Leadership Academy for Women (PLAW) training workshops enhanced the capacity of 20 subnational political leaders on Leadership and Governance, Community Engagement, Communications Skills, getting elected or re-elected between July and November on Module 1 from 3-7 July 2023. 17 young women leaders (ages 19 -30) were also trained on political leadership through the Young Women's Political Leadership Bootcamp (YWPB) at SILAG and given the opportunity to network with political and government leaders from August 7-11th. Ruthy Watlen from New Ireland Province (NIP) who is also a businesswoman and President for Kavieng District Council of Women and Rose Pihei from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) who is a peace advocator were also supported to undertake a CSO Capacity Building Study Tour to Bangkok, Thailand with a group of other CSO’s under the Spotlight Initiative. The exercises resulted in increased knowledge on working with CSOs and Women led Small to Medium Enterprise (SME's). Increased community exposure to messages on Temporary Special Measure through development and dissemination of knowledge products on Temporary Special Measures (TSM) to ensure community support of women quota in Parliament. The materials were developed in consultation with the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC). The products were used in subsequent quarters to raise awareness and help policy makers and voters to understand why TSM is needed in the country and that it should be included in the legal framework for women to more equally. Improved community perception on women leadership and political participation was noted during community dialogues in Morobe Province Lae; Southern Highlands Province Mendi Munhui; Simbu Province, Kerowaghi,, Milne Bay Province, Alotau and North East, National Central District. The dialogues reached 113 people (54 males and 59 females). The purpose of the community dialogues was to change people’s perception on women as leaders in all aspects of life including political leadership. In SHP a male Pastor said the modules helps with restoring peace in the community. "Disla wok em sapotim wok misin. Sapos planti lain (kisim disla) save em ples bai senis, community bai senis, manmeri tu bai senis. Nau mipla ken opim ai tu olsem ol meri ken kamap lida. Meri ken kamapim senis insait lo famili na komunitu tu." (These modules have enhanced the biblical teachings on women, peace and leadership. Being a pastor, I find these modules very helpful as they support the work that I do to promote peace in the community and to respect women as equal players and partners and not objects to be played with or kill. Women are capable of leading and will lead when we (community) support them. If only this training was extended to many others in the community, our communities will change as people will change their attitude and start supporting women to take up leadership roles).
outcome XM-DAC-41146-PNG_D_2.1
National, provincial and district plans, legislations, policies, strategies, budgets and justice mechanisms adopted and implemented to strengthen women’s economic empowerment
In 2023, UN Women, improved market governance systems that ensured safe and conducive market environment, inclusivity on market decision making, transparency and accountability on market collection and use of markets revenue. Thiss was achieved through development of market management tools such as Market Operation Tool Kit for market managers and installed a computerized market payment system. Markets operational lans were also developed to ensure gender responsive, transparents and accountability market operation systems. Conducive market operation environment increased market utilisation by vendors and buyers. The achievements were neccesitated by training and mentoring duty bearers market managers and local level government on leadership and market management. Exchange visits were organised for the duty bearers to facilitate behaviour change and understanding of programme initiatives. Market management tool kit and operational plans were used for day-to-day market operations. Women market vendors, through Vendors Associations, can now contribute towards the market management, ensuring women’s needs are being taken care of. In some markets such as Lae, the market management set aside a market section specifically for people living with disabilities, in Wabag, the market is being run by women market vendors association.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-PNG_D_2.2
Socio-economic security of urban and rural women improved
Urban and rural market vendors and people with disabilities increased their income through product diversification. Increased livelihood options (baking, Sewing and Agriculture products) enabled market vendors to increase their income base and have some savings. Market vendors gained various knowledge and skills on improving the quality of their products as well as diversifying their livelihood options through UN Women, supported livelihood training workshops. UN Women complemented the livelihood training workshops by supporting market vendors with livelihood equipment which include sewing machines and baking stoves. Three hundred and sixty-seven market vendors benefited from this livelihood equipment and were already using the equipment. Financial literacy and business development training enhanced market vendors knowledge and skills on business and financial management. The BDSS training workshops were rolled out through 84 market vendors and market management trained as Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and reached 381 vendors (64M, 315F) in Alotau (13M, 18F), Daru (18M,F17), Boroko (3M, 33F), Gordons (5M, 16F), Waigani (4M, 22F), 6-Mile Incubation (2 M, 22F), Lae (5, 28), Goroka (2M, 12F), Mt Hagen (2M, 21F), Tari (3M, 32F), Wewak (1M, 26F), Vanimo (4M, 23F) and Kimbe (2M, 25F). The roll-out commenced in October and ended in December 2023. With all the training and support provided market vendors were confident to diversify their business line rather than concentrating on one product. In Wewak Mrs Linda Ipma a regular local Spice vendor developed her own supply chain for spices products through contracting farmers to grow coloured vegetables such as shallots, tomatoes, pepper, beans, ginger, chillies and supply directly to her. Mrs Linda collects the products on her own and supplies the products to the supermarkets and restaurants as well as individuals in the market. Mrs Linda further embark on value addition by drying the spices, packaging, and selling to the same customers. During the market assessment focus group discussions, market vendors reported that they were running their businesses professionally by keeping product records and banking their money earned from selling their products. Products record keeping and banking, reduced the risk of losing the money through theft and also helped market vendors to assess their business whether they were making a profit or not, also enables them to improve the quality of products as well as diversifying the products.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-PNG_D_2.3
Services are gender responsive and enhances women's economic opportunities and livelihoods
During the reporting period, 14 UN Women supported urban markets improved market environment and accessibility through market rehabilitation initiatives. The rehabilitation and construction modernised market infrastructure, improved security and governance. Market managers developed market operation plans which were gender sensitive and ensuring transparency and accountability. In Goroka, Market managers approved the Market Operations Plan to enforce transparency, democratic governance and gender equality. In Alotau, cooperatives of women fishers were formed to meet export requirements and will start exporting Fish to Japan in February 2024. In Wabag the authorities decision was that the market will be run by women for the next 30 years (An act is being drafted). In Goroka, Mt Hagen, Kimbe, Wewak have improved security with police offices inside. In Kimbe, Goroka and Wabeg there are free clinic facilities for market vendors. Banks and ATMs installed in Wabeg, Goroka and Kimbe. Fee payment systems in Alotau and Kimbe inform higher authorities provincial and district development commitees on the importance of markets for communities economy.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-PNG_D_3.4
SN Outcome 2.4 Violence Against Women and girls is prevented and quality essential services are available and accessible to survivors (Aligned to SP Output 11)
PNG policies and legal frameworks improved in 2023 ensuring protection of human rights defenders women and girls. UN Women supported the consultations and drafting of the Human Rights Defenders draft policy and was reviewed by government technical working group which constitute the following departments Constitutional Law Reform Commission, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Department of Justice and Attorney General and the Department for Community Development and Religion. The Bill will be finalised in 2024. This will create a conducive environment for human rights defenders who used to suffer backlash and abuse from perpetrators of violence. The National Capital District Commission (NCDC) improved its policies on ending violence against women and girls through drafting and launching of NCDC Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Strategy 2023-2027. NCDC is among the districts with high rates of violence against women and girls. The GBV strategy will enable the institution to plan, budget, implement and monitor the mainstreaming of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment through its contractors, its internal human resource policy and supporting the GBV referral pathway in Port Moresby. A pool of advocates and facilitators on ending violence against women and girls was created through Behavior Change Communication Training and Counselling training sessions. Four hundred and seven youths and community leaders were trained on behaviour change communication. The training focused on identifying the types of violence and the support networks/referral pathways available in provinces. The facilitators later cascaded the training to their communities, thereby increasing communities exposure to messages on ending violence against women and girls. This facilitated behaviour change among communities as well as improving help seeking behaviour. UN Women in partnership with other spotlight initiatives partners conducted United for Equality Summit in Port Moresby and was attended by over 653 people from the government, development partners, youths, CSOs , FBOs. The participants engaged in discussions on GEWE issues and developed outcome statements which later presented to the permanent parliamentary committee on GEWE for implementation. Improvements on GBV service provision was noted in 2023. UN Women in partnership with CSOs, church focal points, health and police, provided GBV services to survivors of GBV. The services provided included repatriation, counselling, case management, court system and reintegration. In 2023 1,109 people (F-828, M-281) survivors of GBV benefited from the referral services provided. Safe houses were constructed in Kundiawa and Daru ensuring safety of women and girls facing violence. This construction of the safe houses improved networking amongst referral pathway partners to sustainability of safe houses and improving access to services for survivors. Improved social mobilisation through the creation of CSO Alliance under the umbrella name Bung Wantaim/CSO Alliance advocated for the rights of women and girls. 120 CSO are affiliated to the alliance and it helps to effectively influence and advance on GEWE issues and ending VAWG in PNG. CSO draft strategy and an advocacy plan was developed and it will be finalised in 2024.Showing 1 - 5 of 7
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References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
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