Visions for a Future Free from Violence Against Women and Girls

The Spotlight Initiative envisions a world with zero violence against women and girls. We asked women and men across Papua New Guinea about their vision for the future.

“My hope is for a future where, when you ask someone if they or someone they know has experienced violence, they will say no. I want a kind of future where young people will think of violence as something strange, not something normal.”

“Already in our organisation, 60% of our officers are women and 40% are men. We have produced more women leaders during our ten years of existence and I have seen a dramatic change in the lives of women. So, I believe if we continue to train more women in this country they will become the agents of change. We have seen it in Eastern Highlands Province.”

“We want our parenting program to continue. I have to turn my phone off because I am getting calls all the time asking when we are starting again. People are really proud of this program.”

“We want to go out and create a movement where we create community-based organisations on the ground. If we can do that, we can create a transformational movement, a social movement.”

“We feel it’s time now for a law to protect us. For so many years we’ve been working on this and we talk, talk, talk, but no actions. Now, we want actions and we want to see some protections for us.”

“We run a safe house. I would like to see this service be expanded and receive support from the community, churches, and non-government organisations. I’d like to see outreach and reconciliation programs to prevent the violence at the family level.”

“We cannot change the country if we continue in our present state. I think with positive parenting programs, in ten or twenty years we can change the mindset of the children of Papua New Guinea. When they grow up, they will make positive changes.”

“At the council leaders, the village court magistrates, the peace officers, and the mediators, they need to be trained and educated to know their roles and responsibilities. Without this, the laws that are passed cannot be implemented.”