Partnerships are important in addressing Gender-based Violence

Leon Buskens, Oil Search Ltd Country Manager, delivering his commentary at the National GBV Summit

Prime Minister James Marape urged men in PNG to rise-up and pledge at a personal level to stop violence against women and girls in his opening remarks at the inaugural National GBV Summit.

The three-day National GBV Summit, held in Port Moresby from the 8th to the 10th of November, was a historical event which brought together the Coalition of Parliamentarians against GBV and stakeholders for the very first time to address GBV as a national agenda.

The Coalition of Parliamentarians Against GBV, led by NCD Governor Powes Parkop and East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, is made up of 15 parliamentarians who have started lobbying for more political will and action at the national level.

The three-day high level dialogue captured recommendations for the Coalition of Parliamentarians which they took to parliament sitting the same week. Over 700 participants from across the country took part in the summit.

Bel isi PNG played an active role in the planning and implementation of the Summit as part of the NCD GBV Task Team led by Governor Parkop and his team at NCDC.  The United Nations and European Union jointly funded the event through the Spot Light initiative.

The leadership from the private sector in addressing GBV/FSV was evident at the summit with two prominent business leaders, Robin Fleming, CEO of BSP, and Leon Buskens, Oil Search PNG Country Manager, sharing their experience as supporters organisational subscribers to Bel isi PNG.

Governor Parkop challenged his political counterparts to rise up and follow the lead and example private sector has initiated in combating GBV/FSV holistically.

Collaborative partnerships are key to addressing gender-based violence, according to Leon Buskens. Buskens reaffirmed Oil Search's commitment in driving change through leadership and collaborative partnership. In his address, he drew attention to the availability of initiatives, such as Bel isi PNG that provide case management and safe house services.

He noted that by the end of the second year of operations, Bel isi PNG has been able to assist more than 700 survivors of violence and abuse. Most of them were women, followed by children and around 30 were men. Of the 700 survivors, more than 200 women and children have required a safe house because their personal safety, and sometimes their lives, were at risk. 

Robin Fleming emphasised  the need to focus on families and to put God first in all we do. BSP has been actively taking part in the Thursdays in Black campaign in all  BSP branches throughout the country with  leadership and support from the most senior leaders in BSP.

The Bel isi PNG initiative is an innovative public private civil society partnership between Papua New Guinean and international businesses, the National Capital District Commission and is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea, Bank of South Pacific, Oil Search, Steamships Trading Company, the Business Coalition for Women, Femili PNG and G4S.