Provincial and district leaders, police, frontline responders, and community advocates joined forces to tackle the alarming rise of sorcery accusation related violence (SARV) in the region at the Lower Highlands SARV Summit.
The summit was led by the Highlands SARV Movement, including long-standing local organisations such as Kafe Urban Settlers Women’s Association (KUSWA) and Kup Women for Peace (KWP). These groups have worked over two decades to rescue survivors, provide crisis support, and reintegrate survivors into their communities.
The summit built on commitments made at the inaugural 2024 Highlands Leaders SARV Summit in Port Moresby. SARV continues to devastate communities across the Highlands, with violence increasingly hidden and widespread. In Eastern Highlands alone, 57 cases involving 366 survivors were recorded in 2023–2024, with many more likely unreported.
“SARV is like a wildfire – it destroys lives, communities, and development. But with united leadership and community-driven solutions, we can stop its spread,” said Eriko Fufurefa, Director of KUSWA.
Australia is proud to support the frontline organisations hosting the summit and to strengthen community resilience and promote inclusive governance.
ENDS
Attendees of the SARV summit with Australian High Commission Representative, Tessa Plueckhahn.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100