Empowering Women and Strengthening Political Parties Workshop

By Solomon Puana

Hon Member for Sohe, Delilah Gore at the workshop

The Empowerment of Women and Strengthening Political Parties (EW&SPP) workshop was held in Port Moresby, National Capital District from October 25^th to the 26^th, 2016. The two day workshop by the Registry of Political Parties with support from Australian Labor International (ALI), United Nationas Development Program (UNDP) and New Zealand Aid was an initiative to assist Political parties to identify issues and take specific actions to empower women within their own political parties and across the three phases of the electoral cycle which is before and during elections and within their party organization in terms of constitutions, policies, membership, financial assistance, awareness and training, security, etc. The main purpose for the workshop is to strengthen political parties and democracy in PNG through the political empowerment of women and increased representation of women in the National Parliament.

The workshop was privileged to have Minister for Department of Community Development and Member for Sohe Open - Hon. Delilah Gore, Australian Labor International representatives Mr. Elias Hallaj and Dr Lesley Clark, UNDP’s Ms Lotte Geunis and Julie Bukikun, Ms Kathleen Pearce from New Zealand High Commission, The Chairman of Registry of Political Parties Commission from Solomon Islands Sir Paul Tovua and Rev. Philemon Tili, the Convener from State, Society and Governance in Melanesia (SSGM) – ANU, Dr Julian Barbara of the Center for Democratic Institution (CDI), Richelle Tickle of the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Program (PWSPD), Dr Angela Mandie - Filer and Registry of Political Parties Chairperson Dr Orovu Sepoe.

Out of the 34 registered Political Parties, only 10 political parties that have members in parliament were invited to attend the workshop, however only 9 were able to attend. The political parties were requested to bring three participants each, at least one being a woman. This includes women representatives or executives from each of the parties. Also in attendance were 4 women intending candidates endorsed by political parties and a women MP to participate in the workshop. Participants included the Registry staff, political party executives, Australian Labor Party, UNDP, New Zealand Aid, Center for Democratic Institution (CDI), SSGM – Australian National University (ANU) and a senior officer from PNG National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). NBC is seen as one of the key stakeholders where they disseminate and publish the outcome of the workshops and create an opportunity for political party executives to promote their party policies. Also present were other media personnel namely EMTV, the National and TVWAN. During the second day of the workshop the media interviewed selected participants to talk about issues regarding women’s participation in politics and their preparations towards the 2017 National Elections.

Presenters during the workshop included the Chairperson of the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission Dr Orovu Sepoe, the Registrar of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu, Hon. Delilah Gore, Dr Lesley Clark and Elias Hallaj of Australian Labor International (ALI), Dr Nicole Halley of SSGM - ANU, Dr Julian Barbara of CDI, Lotte Geunis and Julie Bukikun from UNDP and political party executives and women representatives.

The Workshop was officially opened by Registrar of Political Parties Dr. Alphonse Gelu and welcoming remarks by Chairperson of the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission, Dr. Orovu Sepoe stating that the workshop is the beginning of a dialogue between political parties and stakeholders. She added that Politics is about decision making and how decisions are implemented. There is an existence of a perception gap between voters and parliamentarians.

The Chairman of the Registry of Political Parties Commission of the Solomon Islands, Sir Paul Tovua stated that the Solomon Islands will be learning a lot from PNG. He further elaborated that in the Solomon Islands there are a total of 13 registered political parties and only 6 out of the 13 political parties are in Parliament. The legislative measures are underway in encouraging women’s participation in parliament. In Solomon Islands only 3 women have been elected into parliament since independence.