United Nations Population Fund Papua New Guinea

25/03/2026

During the National Women's Day celebrations yesterday, we were thrilled to participate in the official launch of the National Capital District's strategic action plan for women's economic development in local markets.

This plan aims to support women and girls in the markets to have access to better services such as healthcare and education.

Through this action plan, our implementing partners, the Family Health Association will utilize the Gordon's Market Clinic as a safe space, providing Sexual and Reproductive Health services, such as HPV, HIV, and STI screenings, and act as a rehabilitation center for Gender-Based Violence survivors.

11/03/2026

GBV is not just a statistic, but it is a lived reality that affects thousands of families in PNG.

UNFPA in Papua New Guinea congratulates the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Honorable James Marape and his Government for the release of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence 2026-20235.

In keeping his promise from the last Special Parliamentary Session on GBV emphasizing that GBV is a national priority. UNFPA commends his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to this cause, setting a powerful example for the nation and signaling that the government is serious about creating a safer, more equitable future for all women and girls.

“Papua New Guinea has taken a critical step forward by adopting a national strategy that prioritizes the safety, health, and rights of women and girls,” said Ms. Saira Shameem, UNFPA Representative in PNG. “Every woman and girl deserves to live free from violence and to fully exercise her sexual and reproductive health and rights. This strategy is a key step towards that goal, turning words into meaningful action.”

It has been an honor for UNFPA to contribute to this landmark achievement through the National GBV Secretariat, the leadership of the Hon. Jason Peters, Minister for Community Development, Religion and Youth, and the Honorable Powes Parkop, Governor of the National Capital District and Chair of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

UNFPA also extends sincere thanks to the Government of Korea for their generous funding and support, which has been instrumental in developing and launching this landmark initiative.



KOICA Fiji Office 코이카 피지 사무소 United Nations in Papua New Guinea National Capital District Commission PNG Permanent Parliamentary Committee on GEWE & GBV Department For Community Development and Religion

08/03/2026

Gender-based violence remains one of the world’s most pervasive human rights violations, and in Asia and the Pacific the scale of the crisis is deeply concerning.

Across Asia and the Pacific, too many women have experienced physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner at some stage in their lives, with rates ranging from 10 per cent to 64 per cent across the region. Despite these stark figures, most cases go unpunished, and many are never reported at all. Underfunded services, barriers to accessing courts and legal aid, and systems that re-traumatize or even criminalize survivors continue to prevent women and girls from seeking justice.

There are signs of progress. Thirty-two out of thirty-six countries in the UNFPA Asia-Pacific region have completed at least one violence against women prevalence survey, and twelve have conducted two or more, making it possible to track changes over time. Although available data suggest that intimate partner violence is declining slowly, the region remains far from the goal of eliminating violence against women.

is a call to action; a reminder that rights, justice and accountability must remain at the centre of our work. Ensuring that women and girls in Asia and the Pacific have equitable access to protection and justice is essential to upholding their most basic rights, including the right to make decisions about their own bodies without fear and discrimination.

05/03/2026

04/03/2026

The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 (March 8,) "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls," serves as a crucial call to action.

It demands the removal of all obstacles to equal justice, including discriminatory laws, insufficient legal safeguards, and harmful practices and social norms that undermine the rights of women and girls.

For more information, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day

23/02/2026

UNFPA is dedicated to empowering youth and adolescents! Through exciting programs like the , we help young people build their skills and become confident leaders.

The National Mock Youth Parliament is a significant annual program designed to develop young leaders by teaching them about the legislative system and how to navigate the landscape.

It's all about supporting the next generation of leaders.

19/02/2026

Making motherhood safer is a public health priority and a human rights imperative at the core of ’s mandate.

Every day, preventable maternal deaths continue to claim the lives of women and girls, particularly in fragile and humanitarian settings. The solutions are known: skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care, access to family planning, and strong, resilient health systems. What is needed is sustained investment, political will, and a commitment to equity.

No woman should die while giving life. Safe pregnancy and childbirth are not privileges; they are rights. Advancing maternal health means addressing inequality, reaching those furthest behind, and ensuring that even in crisis contexts, women can access quality, respectful care.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4kfY3gG

16/02/2026

The Sustaining Peace in Bougainville Project facilitated 26 community dialogues across the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. These dialogues served to pinpoint key challenges, propose practical solutions, and establish priorities for action to enhance peace and development.

Community leaders shared their perspectives on these dialogues, and you can learn more by:

✅ Visiting the dashboard: https://sites.google.com/view/bougainville-voices/home

✅ Reading the stories on the UNFPA in Papua New Guinea Website: https://png.unfpa.org/en

The dialogues were led by the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation, endorsed by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, with support from UNFPA and UNDP in Papua New Guinea through the Sustaining Peace in Bougainville Project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.

12/02/2026

The Bougainville Voices Dashboard provides local, evidence-based, constituency-level recommendations to inform government planning and budgeting.

Through 26 community dialogues across all 13 districts, 692 community members — including 344 women, youth, and persons with disabilities — identified key challenges, highlighted practical solutions, and prioritized actions to strengthen peace and development.

Led by the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation and endorsed by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, with support from UNFPA and UNDP in Papua New Guinea through the Sustaining Peace in Bougainville Project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.

Explore the dashboard:
🔗 https://sites.google.com/view/bougainville-voices/home

11/02/2026

05/02/2026

The work of UNFPA in Papua New Guinea is driven by a dedication to achieving three key transformative goals:
✔️ Ending the unmet need for family planning.
✔️ Ending preventable maternal deaths.
✔️ Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices.

For more details and to explore our in-country work further, please visit our website: https://png.unfpa.org/en