A pilot project in Papua New Guinea's Highlands aims to empower community-wide participation in governance from local council to district level.
Launch of Australia-funded governance project, with Oxfam, in Papua New Guinea's Eastern Highlands. Photo: Supplied
The Governance Project, funded by Australia's government in partnership with PNG and implemented by Oxfam, was recently launched in the Eastern Highlands capital Goroka.
Oxfam PNG Project Coordinator Margaret Selon said two major issues around governance in the country highlight the need for this project.
She said these were the decline of good governance in PNG, and the chronic lack of participation of women in governance.
"So this ward planning process is a process where it enables people - regardless whether you man or you meri (woman), whether you're youth, people with disability, people living with HIV and AIDs, marginalised community - having a say about their wards through this Australian PNG partnership."
She said with a broader community participation in leadership and decision-making roles, governance stands to improve in PNG.