UN Women Papua New Guinea
A woman vendor and a customer share a moment at an open-air street stall in Port Moresby, where women’s livelihoods and economic participation contribute to stronger families and communities. Photo: UN Women/Marc Dozier
Papua New Guinea is a lower-middle-income country with a young and growing population of more than 10 million, rich natural resources, exceptional biodiversity and strong cultural diversity. These assets offer significant opportunities for inclusive and sustainable development. Yet many people, particularly the approximately 86 per cent who live in rural and remote communities, continue to face limited access to essential services and economic opportunities. Rural women and girls, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups are particularly vulnerable to intersecting and intergenerational poverty, insecurity, exclusion and violence.
The 2025 Human Development Report gives Papua New Guinea a Gender Inequality Index value of 0.576, ranking the country 160th out of 193 countries with available data. Inequalities persist in health, education, employment, economic opportunities and leadership. Women hold just three of 118 seats in the National Parliament, while gender-based violence remains a major human rights and development challenge.
At the same time, women across Papua New Guinea are leading businesses, strengthening communities, managing natural resources, building peace and advocating for change. Greater investment in their skills, leadership and economic participation can unlock the country’s potential and contribute to a more peaceful, resilient and prosperous future for everyone.
UN Women Papua New Guinea works alongside women like these: the market vendor budgeting for her children’s school fees; the young woman running for a seat on her local council; the mother helping her family rebuild after a flood or a tribal dispute; the community leader mediating peace between clans. Partnering with government, civil society and communities across the country, UN Women helps turn this everyday courage into lasting change, so that women and girls can lead, earn a living and raise their voices in safety, from the village to the halls of the National Parliament.
Our work is anchored in Papua New Guinea’s Vision 2050, the National Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy 2025–2035 (validated with UN Women support), the Bougainville Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment, Peace and Security Policy 2023–2027 and the Civil Society Partnership Policy 2023–2027.
UN Women Papua New Guinea’s work is made possible through the generous support of its donors and partners – including the Australian Government, New Zealand and the European Union – and delivered through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024–2028, with a focus on the following thematic areas of work:
- Women’s leadership and decision-making
- Women and girls free from violence
- Women, peace and security, and humanitarian action
- Women’s economic empowerment in resilient economies
- Environment and climate change
- Normative support and UN system coordination
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#SANAP WANTAIM
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