Women civil society leaders in Papua New Guinea unite to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda

Date: Thursday, 20 February 2025

Women CSO leaders discussing peace and security issues affecting women in their communities at the Practitioners’ Roundtable in Port Moresby. Photo: UN Women/Reuben Gawin Tabel

A vision to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been documented by women Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives during a Practitioners’ Roundtable held in Port Moresby on 5-6 February 2025.

Titled A CSO and Women’s Agenda for WPS, the document addresses pressing issues affecting women at the community level in PNG such as: tribal conflict-related sexual violence; sorcery accusations targeting women; increasing proliferation of drugs and firearms in communities; coercion of women and girls into being surrendered to armed groups as a form of transactional security to mitigate large-scale violence; and the displacement of populations, including women and girls, due to climate change.

For two days, UN Women convened 34 women from the four regions of Highlands, New Guinea Islands, Momase and Southern to articulate the perspectives of CSOs and women on the WPS agenda.

With its 25^th anniversary in 2025, the WPS agenda is an established global framework aimed at achieving the full and equal representation and participation of women in all levels of peace processes and security efforts.

Tosin Akibu, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women Papua New Guinea, delivering welcoming remarks. Photo: UN Women

"Close your eyes and imagine what peace would look like," suggested Tosin Akibu, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women, at the Practitioner’s Roundtable. Addressing civil society representatives, Ms Akibu said: "It is through your work that the root causes of violence can be addressed. Women peacebuilders are the ones providing solutions at the community level. You are agents of peace."

She further emphasized UN Women's role, stating: "We’re not here to lead but to support the government and civil society in defining your priorities. Our role is to provide a platform for civil society to unite, amplify your priorities and foster dialogue between civil society and the government."

Participants at the Practitioners’ Roundtable held 5-6 February 2025. Photo: UN Women

Delivering a message on behalf of civil society, Lilly Be’Soer, Executive Director of Voice for Change, underscored the critical role of women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

"Women’s CSOs and women human rights defenders are at the forefront of preventing and addressing conflict. We are working tirelessly to maintain peace, but we are exhausted. We urge the government to prioritize the WPS agenda," said Ms Be’Soer.

She further emphasized the importance of localizing the WPS agenda, stating: “If Papua New Guinea develops a National Action Plan, it must be effectively implemented at all levels of government - national, provincial, district and ward. Adequate resources must be allocated to ensure that the plan is not just a document but a tangible framework for action”.

The Roundtable provided a platform for women CSO leaders to share their perspectives. Photo: UN Women

The discussions focused on their vision, priorities and a gender-responsive and conflict sensitive analysis of violence in the country.

Kebe Mada, Assistant Director, Office of the Development of Women, Department for Community Development and Religion reaffirmed the government’s commitment, stating: "We are here to listen, and we are committed to advancing the WPS agenda”.

Ruth Kissam-Tindiwi, Board Chair, Advancing PNG Women Leaders Network, presenting the CSO perspective on the reflection on the state of WPS in Papua New Guinea. Photo: UN Women

The gathering also served as a critical moment for strengthening solidarity among women-led CSOs and setting key steps for a network to advance the WPS agenda in PNG in the coming years.

This roundtable marks a defining moment for the WPS agenda in PNG and is a key component of the "Empower Her – PNG Peace Initiative," a project supported by the Peacebuilding Fund to promote women’s leadership in peace and security efforts.

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