US Secretary of State to Stress Importance of Empowering Women During Visit to Papua New Guinea

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 PORT MORESBY: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will visit Papua New Guinea Nov. 3. While in the country, the U.S. Secretary of State will pay official visits to Governor-General Sir Paulius Matane and Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

During her visit, Clinton will stress the importance of empowering women, a subject that has long been close to her heart. Clinton will meet women representatives from the PNG Defense Force, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and Correctional Services as well as business and professional women, survivors of gender and sexual violence, and women with disabilities.


Advocate for Women’s Issues



In her remarks on International Women’s Day in 2009, Clinton stressed that: “We have much less hope of addressing the complex challenges that we face in this new century without the full participation of women. Whether the economic crisis, spread of terrorism, regional conflicts that threaten families and communities, and climate change and the dangers it presents to the world’s health and security, we will not solve these challenges through half measures. Yet too often, on these issues and many more, half the world is left behind.”



According to Secretary Clinton, empowering women is not a matter of emotion or altruism. “A growing body of research tells us,” she said, “that supporting women is a high-yield investment, resulting in stronger economies, more vibrant civil societies, healthier communities, and greater peace and stability.” The rights of women and girls, she further observed is not only a matter of justice but also global peace, progress and prosperity. Of particular interest to Clinton is passage of a bill to give women 22 reserved seats in the National Parliament.



U.S. Embassy Supports Women’s Initiatives



The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby engages in a number of important initiatives to empower women. The Embassy through its grant programs has supported Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee, Caritas PNG Youth for Youth Program and Papua Hahine Social Action Forum Inc. to run training programs for women. In addition, Krufinata Bun, Lillian Vevara and Sandon Kikala are studying in the United States under Fulbright scholarships.



The U.S. Embassy has also offered other forms of support. Isabel Salatiel from the Department of Community Development; Lillian Basse and Nellie Setepano from the Post Courier; Francesca Semoso, a women’s leader from Bougainville; Jacqueline Wari from the National; Lisa Pagelio from the National Broadcasting Corp.; and Eleina Butuna from the PNG/USA Alumni Association have all gone to the United States on International Visitor Leadership Programs (IVLP).



Furthermore, the U.S. State Department’s Women’s Issues Initiative Desk enabled Janet Sape of PNG Women in Business and Maria Linibi of PNG Women in Agriculture Foundation Inc. to attend the first-ever Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit in Gifu, Japan. Finally, Samoa Asigau, Doreen Mandari, Rebecca Ilave, Amanda Malagui and Josephine Smare have participated in East-West Center programs.

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