About the UN in Papua New Guinea

The United Nations supports the Government of Papua New Guinea in upholding and protecting its commitment to human rights, and to ensuring national laws and policies meet the international human rights standards to which the country is committed.
Photo: © UN Papua New Guinea

The United Nations (UN) in Papua New Guinea is represented by agencies, funds, and programmes, including resident and non-resident agencies, that work closely in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea and other development partners to improve the lives of people in Papua New Guinea. Its work is framed in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2018-2022. This is a partnership agreement between the United Nations system and the Government of Papua New Guinea. It is based on national strategic priorities, the Government’s Medium-Term Development Plan and Vision 2050. Drawing on best practices from around the world, the United Nations works with the Government and other partners to implement innovative approaches to development that are suited to the unique political, economic and social context of Papua New Guinea.

Milestones

1

Highlands Area-Based Programme: In the aftermath of the Earthquake in 2018 the UN is leveraging its work with communities, Government and development partners in the context of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus by developing a Highlands Area-Based Programme to strengthen resilience, livelihoods, and local capacities.

2

Health (Nutrition/Vaccinations): The response to the polio outbreak immunized over 3.5 million children under 15, with the UN mobilizing USD 18 million, including from the Government of Australia. The UN is working to reach the target of 80% routine coverage, as well as improve nutrition status across the country.

3

Rural Development: It is critical that sustainable development benefits rural populations, particularly considering that an estimated 85 per cent of the population in Papua New Guinea live in rural areas. Seven UN Entities are delivering on a USD 90 million EU funded programme in the area of rural development.

4

Gender Equality and Ensuring Safe Districts and Markets: Papua New Guinea was rated as the second lowest country on the 2017 gender inequality index, at 159 out of 160 countries. The UN is implementing the Spotlight Initiative, which is EU funded, to combat gender-based violence, particularly intimate partner violence which is a predominant issue in the country and the Pacific.

5

Support to Bougainville Peace Process: The UN has been providing critical technical assistance and facilitation to support the implementation Bougainville Peace Agreement and its three pillars: autonomy, referendum and weapons disposal. This work will continue to intensify, especially during the period leading up to and after the referendum in 2019.

6

Development Data/ 2020 Census: The Government is now preparing for the 2020 census with UN assistance. Development data is an area of focus, as no population survey has been completed since 2006. In 2019, the Government has contributed USD 1.5 million to the UN towards technical support on the Census.

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The Sustainable Development Goals in Papua New Guinea

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Papua New Guinea: