22 Jul 2010

PNG women address UN committee to end violence against women

8:10 pm on 22 July 2010

Two Papua New Guinea women have today addressed a United Nations committee on the violence and discrimination many of their countrywomen face.

In 1995, the PNG government ratified the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW, and tomorrow they'll be reporting on what steps they've taken so far to achieve its aims.

One of the women, law lecturer Tapora Isorua, says issues around domestic violence, sexual assault and equality need to be addressed promptly.

"We're actually trying to flag a lot of issues that women face in Papua New Guinea, especially discriminatory practices. But more so, we needed to flag all of these issues because tomorrow the state reports to the UN. So through us, we make the State accountable and make sure that the state fulfills the obligations when it ratified CEDAW."

Tapora Isorua.

CEDAW will also issue a formal assessment of what the PNG government's done to end discrimination and violence against women.