26 November 2015

Equal Playing Field Program

Remarks by HE Ms Bronte Moules

Australia’s Acting High Commissioner to PNG

Ted Diro Primary School

Port Moresby

Acknowledgements:

• Students and Teachers of Ted Diro Primary School
• Equal Playing Field team
• Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great pleasure I am here today to announce the Australian Government’s support to Plan International to deliver the Equal Playing Field Program in Port Moresby.

As you know, Australia is very committed to helping PNG address the challenges faced by boys and girls and women and men to end violence and women and children.

Approximately two in three women in PNG experience this kind of violence. Last week, PNG launched its 20 Days of Activism campaign to raise awareness against ending violence within the family.

Through our aid program we are supporting a number of initiatives aimed at reducing violence against women and helping women and girls to become equal partners in life.

The Australian Government has provided funding to establish Family Support Centres around the country. These Centres help women and children, and some men, recover and rebuild their lives.

We are working with Port Moresby General Hospital at the moment to help rebuild and extend the Family Support Centre so that more women and children can access this important service. It’s so important to know there are services out there who can help.

During the 20 Days of Activism there is a full program of sports events set up through the Sports for Development program to show that many people in PNG do not agree with family violence and to call for change.

There will be rugby league clinics, cricket matches, soccer clinics, mixed netball matches and other sporting activities throughout Port Moresby reinforcing this message.

Australia is very committed to helping PNG address the challenges faced by boys and girls and women and men to end gender-based violence.
Sports provides an excellent avenue to support boys and men to be respectful to girls and women and vice versa.

Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I can announce today the Australian Government’s support to Plan International to deliver the Equal Playing Field Program in Port Moresby.

The program uses sport to create an environment where school age girls and boys will play together and develop respectful relationships through outdoor and indoor lessons.

I commend Plan International, the Equal Playing Field team and the schools for taking on the program.

I look forward to hearing about its progress in changing behavior towards women and girls.

With that, I wish the program every success and hope that you all get a chance to participate in events during the 20 Days of Activism.