Address by the High Commissioner at the International Women’s Day Reception during Australia Week 2008
10 March 2008; Australian High Commission, Port Moresby, PNG
Introductions
Good morning distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining us to celebrate this important occasion. International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on 8 March across the world and provides an opportunity for us to recognise the achievements of women and their contribution to society.
This year, International Women’s Day will be the first event of Australia Week 2008 – an annual celebration of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The theme for Australia Week 2008 is celebrating a new chapter in Australia-PNG relations. We hope you will also be able to join us for some of the events organised for this special week.
I am pleased to welcome Australian actor and television personality, Ernie Dingo, who will provide the key note address at today’s function and also several events during Australia week. With us here today is the Hon. Dame Carol Kidu, Minister for Community Development, Women, Religion and Sports, and Jane Kittel, General Manager of Westpac Pacific Banking, who will also be speaking to us shortly.
IWD – 2008 theme and history
Before we hear from our guest speakers, I would first like to talk a little about International Women’s Day. This special day has been observed since 1975 and has been celebrated internationally every year since then. It is an occasion for women around the world to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity for women to unite, network and mobilise for meaningful change. The broad theme for International Women’s Day 2008 is Investing in Women and Girls and in my brief presentation I would like to highlight the essential role men must play in ensuring progress on gender equality issues.
When I look around this room today, I see that I am surrounded by successful women. They are leaders in their country, their workplaces, communities and neighbourhoods. Indeed, everyday I come to work I see I am surrounded by female leaders. I say goodbye to my wife, Ann-Sophie, who looks after our daughter, Yasmin, and has started a program here called buk bilong pikinini - providing books and promoting reading for young children in Papua New Guinea. I work closely here at the Australian High Commission with Deputy High Commissioner Ann Harrap and Minister Counsellor AusAID, Margaret Thomas, and many female officers who support us. In fact, I could probably just sit back and relax and not have to do much at all, because I know the place is in safe hands without me. But to do so would be negligent. I have a fundamental role to play here as a “male champion” promoting gender.
Nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men. According to World Bank estimates, in Papua New Guinea, less than 5.7 percent of women in the labour force participate in the formal non-agricultural wage-earning labour force, compared with 15.2 percent of men – the lowest rate for the Pacific region.
Gender equality in education also remains a challenge for PNG. In 2003, girls occupied between 44 and 46 percent of school places across all provinces in the basic education cycle, dropping to an average of 40 percent by Grade 10 and 35 percent by Grades 11 and 12.
Worldwide, women and girls are also particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, and PNG is no exception. Between 2001 and 2004, over 50 per cent more women than men in the 15-to-19 age group were being infected with HIV/AIDS.
Domestic or intimate partner violence is also very common in PNG and has been estimated to affect 70 percent of women. Partner violence, including domestic violence between spouses, has now been shown to be a marker of increased STI and HIV risk.
But achieving gender equality extends beyond improving female health and education. To secure women’s and girls’ development, what is needed is real, positive change that will give more power and confidence to women and girls. It requires access to economic resources, participation and leadership in decision making, respect for the human rights of women, and an increased capacity to tackle gender inequalities. All men – husbands, fathers, brothers and male leaders - can assist by helping to build a culture based on non-violence and gender equality and by looking at and transforming their own attitudes and behaviour towards women.
In particular, men have a crucial role to play in preventing the physical and sexual violence that so many women and girls suffer, and men have much to gain from doing so. If we are to end this violence, men themselves will need to take part in this project.
There are too many men who condone, ignore, trivialise, or even laugh about the violence committed towards women and girls. But there are simple, positive steps any man can take to be part of the solution.
Men can find out about the violence that many women experience. Check out how we treat the women around us. Speak out when friends, relatives, or others use violence or abuse. Be a good role model, whether you’re a dad, a boss, a politician, a teacher or a coach. And, beyond these individual actions, take part in public actions and campaigns, such as today, International Women’s Day.
I call on men to play their part in ensuring progress on gender equality issues by becoming champions for women, both in the home and the work place. Because changing male attitudes towards women to achieve gender equality is essential and should be seen as a goal in itself. It is essential for building a healthy, educated, more peaceful and prosperous society. When women are fully empowered and engaged, all of society benefits. Only in this way can we successfully take on the enormous challenges confronting us.
End