Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says seats will be reserved for women in parliament.
Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O'Neill announcing new development projects in Madang 13 February 2019 Photo: Loop PNG
PNG's 111-seat parliament currently has no women MPs, down from a record three in the last term.
Mr O'Neill has mooted the idea of having reserved seats for four women from each of PNG's four regions.
Giving a keynote address at National Women's Day celebrations, Mr O'Neill said other regional countries have proved it can be done.
"When you look at some of the smaller Pacific Island countries, you look at some of the women participation in those parliaments. They have made special provisions to ensure that this happens in their parliament. Why is it so difficult in Papua New Guinea?"
Peter O'Neill indicated that there would be reserved seats for women in parliament in the next national elections in 2022.
A previous legislative attempt in 2011 to create 22 reserved seats for women in PNG's parliament had faltered
But the prime minister was hopeful the new plan will work.
"When we go to the elections, on a regional basis, we'll select four of the best performing women candidates, if there has been no women elected to parliament," he explained.
"And that means that at best minimum, we will have four ladies representing (each of) the four regions in our country by 2022."
EMTV reported the Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General, Eric Kwa, confirming that discussions on the configuration of reserved seats for women were still underway.
"That report might tell us whether it's four, five, ten or twenty-two. Because it will be based on people's views, it will be based on research, it will be based on professional advice," Mr Kwa said
Teams from the Constitution and Law Reform Commission are travelling around the country to conduct surveys and collect public views on the issue.