Men mark Women's day in market in Papua New Guinea
Date:
[Press Release]
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea — Male vendors and police gave their support to UN Women’s HeForShe campaign at Gerehu market on National Women’s Day. The campaign was also supported by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) Market Division Staff as part of the Safe Cities programme on ending violence against women and girls in markets.
UN Women and NCDC Market Division staff walked around the market asking vendors and Gerehu police for their views on gender equality, violence against women and girls and women human rights.
Thomas Yaru of Eastern Highlands Province, standing proudly beside his wife, said “I am here every day at the market with my wife to sell our produce. Why should I let her do all the hard work and I just come for the money? It is not right. We cannot use our women as slaves. We men need to support women in everything.”
The HeForShe campaign gained tremendous support at the market, with most men agreeing that they must work with women as partners to end violence against women and promote gender equality. Many men also wanted to show their support for equal rights for women and men by having their photos taken holding the HeForShe poster.
“We men need to do more in the area of ending violence against women. I am happy that women can come in and access Family sexual Violence services at the police station if they experience violence in the market place or elsewhere” said Sergeant Manuma of Gerehu Police station.
The HeForShe campaign is a solidarity movement for gender equality developed by UN Women to engage men and boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights. World leaders including US President Barrack Obama, United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and celebrities such as actor Matt Damon, support HeForShe, all too aware that gender equality is not only a women’s issue, but a human rights issue that also requires men’s participation.
Media Enquiries
Further information on the HeForShe campaign can be rel="noopener noreferrer" accessed via this link: https://www.heforshe.org/. For information on the UN Women NCDC Safe Cities Programme, please contact UN Women Country Office in Papua New Guinea.
Bessie Naomi Maruia
Tel: +675 321 9855
Notes to editors
The Port Moresby Safe Cities Programme is part of UN Women’s Safe Cities Free of Violence against Women and Girls Global Programme. Port Moresby was selected as one of the five cities for the global pilot initiative, alongside Quito in Ecuador, Kigali in Rwanda, Cairo in Egypt and New Delhi in India.
The programme goal is to prevent and reduce sexual harassment and violence against women and girls in urban public spaces by enabling them to move freely and safely, and increase their rights to utilize and enjoy public urban spaces. In Port Moresby, the programme focuses on markets as the key entry point for mobilizing women’s leadership and citizens’ active participation in improving governance, with the aim of fostering better understanding of citizens’ rights and responsibilities.
There have been many different Safe Cities programmes piloted around the world, and experiences attest that ‘when cities are safe for women, they are safe for all’ and that investments in gender equality and women’s empowerment have spill-over effects for families, communities and countries overall.
In Papua New Guinea, the programme works with NCDC, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) local organizations, communities, women and men, to reduce, prevent and ultimately eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.