I recently attended the first of many National GBV 2016-2025 strategy review listening tours in Alotau run by the team from the National GBV Secretariat to share and discuss new strategies for the prevention and response to GBV in PNG into the future. The current National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence 2016-2025 is set to expire at the end of this year and has been a step in the right direction but has failed to fully implement and achieve its objectives.
From a health care point of view GBV is seen on a daily basis in our hospitals and is often just treated as any other trauma or abuse case. From physical to sexual and emotional violence our healthcare system is struggling to function with these added number of cases that otherwise can be prevented. Within the space of a few weeks, I have seen and dealt with a woman being stabbed by her husband in the neck and chest over marital issues, another woman slashed by a bush knife on the leg almost amputating it over family issues, a young teenager been stoned on the head while trying to stop a married couple from fighting causing a severe traumatic brain injury, a 4 year old child hit on the head suffering a skull fracture because the father was trying to hit the mother and the possible murder of a lady struck on the head by her husband after an argument. Not forgetting the child abuse cases that are starting to come in with horrific and inhuman injuries. All preventable situations.
As stated in the strategy’s introduction, currently, gender disparity is evident in many aspects of society, from education, employment and political representation to mortality and cultural norms. PNG cannot reach its potential if inequality continues to exist. Victims are not well reported due to cultural issues and fear. There is a need to increase the capacity and effectiveness of enforcing agencies and institutions to protect and cater for victims. Our target is zero tolerance of violence against women and children.
The root causes of GBV in our communities all boil down to abuse of power, disregard for basic human rights and harmful cultural and religious practices. If these issues are not addressed at a local and national level then GBV will continue. Many factors are contributing to these issues and were highlighted by many groups in the review. Most leading to the differences in socioeconomic status and educational backgrounds of both survivor and perpetrator. But we cannot use these problems to abuse and violate our most vulnerable and weak. That is the point. It only leads to more problems and more heartache. Our wards are being used as safe houses, our officers are being harassed and our health workers cannot cope with the demand for better holistic health care in a resource limited country.
Rationale for the National Strategy on Gender-Based Violence
The National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence (2016-2025) aims to strengthen and institutionalize the work on GBV in order to achieve zero tolerance towards GBV as per the Papua New Guinea Vision 2050. Gender Based Violence remains a key development challenge in PNG and, as it bears negatively on the overall development of the country, it has been prioritized in the development agenda. The Strategy does not ‘reinvent’ structures and processes, but builds on existing interventions at national and sub-national level to secure government ownership at the highest level, and a stronger focus on coordination and monitoring for quality. The National Government has policies and laws that prioritize GBV, but due to the absence of a national strategy, government agencies and stakeholders have been addressing GBV in silos.
According to the Executive Summary. The Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Strategy on Gender Based Violence (GBV) 2016- 2025 is the Government’s framework to prevent and respond to GBV. Gender Based Violence is viewed as an endemic problem affecting the lives of too many individuals and communities. The Strategy recognizes that there is much valuable work being undertaken by the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG), Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) to address GBV. However, demand is outstripping supply, and thousands of survivors of GBV need more services, including appropriate medical and socio-psychological services, accessible legal and justice services, and protective shelters. But most of all we will need to prioritize prevention of GBV.
It is true that government and non-government agencies are not working together to fight GBV. All stakeholders from health, law enforcement, law and order, churches, youth organisations, NGOs and safe houses struggle to collaborate with each other to support survivors of GBV. A lot of this is due to lack of funding and awareness. If there is no money to run programs or build infrastructure or train the workforce or spread awareness on GBV then the whole system collapses and our effects are futile.
Much can be done to support the current infrastructure and man power to strengthen efforts to prevent GBV. But what needs to be done and how can we do this? These are the questions this review committee is trying to answer.
As a frontline health care provider, I would rather not see any woman, man or child being admitted to my ward because of GBV. As healthcare providers we are responsible to respond to GBV survivors in all forms. But we also have a duty to prevent these cases from presenting to our healthcare facilities. So, awareness and training for all health care workers and education in our medical and nursing schools as well as our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions should incorporate GBV prevention in their curriculum so that the next generation does not continue the cycle of violence.
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