Panel Discussion: Female Leadership & Decision Making in PNG

CDI Executive Officer Luke Hambly was 1 of 3 speakers at an AusAID-covened panel discussion recently in Canberra on the subject of Female Leadership & Decision Making in PNG.

Dr Abby Mcleod was the first speaker on the day and she discussed and compared female leadership and decision making in PNG at the village level and in the Machinery of Government. Dr Mcleod was followed by long-time advocate for womens rights in PNG Ms Robyn Slarke, who spoke about the electoral system and processes in PNG - How they should work versus how they do work and how they can exclude women. She also spoke more broadly about the barriers women face during the electoral process and beyond. Mr Hambly concluded the presentations speaking on the pros and cons of female quotas and what can be done to improve the way male parliamentarians represent women when democratically elected.

The discussion was well attended by a diverse audience from government, academia, civil-society, the diplomatic community and beyond. Unfortunately question time on the day was limited, however the input and comments from all present, in particular, a number of PNG women with first hand experience regarding female candidates who stood in the recent national election, was valuable for all present as they contribute in their work to help inform Australian donor responses to the challenges of womens leadership and representation at the national level in PNG and wider Melanesia.

^ Panel Discussion: Female Leadership & Decision Making in PNG | 15 August 2007