Women and Youth Empowerment Critical
The empowerment of women, youth and people living with a disability across the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is critical in ensuring these groups are well informed and able to participate freely in the upcoming referendum.
The Gender and Youth Promotion Initiative (GYPI) is a key program that targets empowerment of these groups and furthers peace building efforts in women and youth groups.
In implementing this project the ABG's Department of Community Government has been identified as one of the lead partners to ensure its successful delivery. The Department, in partnership with UN Women, recently delivered Referendum induction training in eight locations to over 1,000 participants.
Women leaders, ward recorders and other key community government officials were inducted of referendum readiness activities including ward profiling, data collection and specific responsibilities in developing action plans for their communities. The workshop also had representatives from the Church and the Bougainville Women’s Federation.
Acting Secretary for Community Government Donna Pearson thanked the United Nations, through its agencies, and the Autonomous Bougainville Government for the recognition and continued support provided to the department.
"The department has tried it's very best to secure funding to support work related to referendum preparations through our community governments, and UN through this project have heard our cries and come to our aid.
"While we do have many challenges to overcome, it is time for us to come together and work more closely to ensure that we bring about change for the greater good," she said.
The Acting Secretary further emphasised that the Community Government system in Bougainville strives to ensure equal representation and that is a fact that Bougainville should be proud of.
"Women and youth groups in Bougainville continue to be seen as marginalised groups with limited participation in key decision making and referendum activities.
"It is our aim that through this program we can empower and ensure that women and youth have an informed participation and contribution to a free, fair, transparent and violence-free referendum," she said.
The GYPI project is being jointly implemented by UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
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