The United States Navy hospital ship, USNS Mercy, is in Arawa in Bougainville to provide medical and other assistance.
Arawa, Bougainville Photo: RNZI
The ship arrived in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province at the weekend for the second stop on this year's international aid mission, Pacific Partnership 2015.
While in Arawa, personnel will work and train side-by-side with the community on civic service events, women's leadership and safety topics, medical and veterinary care.
The commanding officer of the medical treatment facility onboard Mercy, Captain Melanie Merrick, says they will work alongside local providers in the hospitals and clinics.
New Dawn FM reports the chief of staff for the mission, New Zealand Air Force Wing Commander, Jennifer Atkinson, saying they want to work with the host nation to empower women.
She says this will involve working on the prevention of gender based and family violence.
Besides the United States and New Zealand the Pacific Partnership includes personnel from Australia, Timor Leste and Japan.
