Women are making the change in Papua New Guinea with a surge of female candidates contesting the 2022 National General Elections, either as Independent candidates or endorsed by political parties.

Papua New Guinea goes to the polls in July to begin its constitutional process towards electing representatives for its 11th Parliament and among the hundreds of male candidates are 142 female candidates vying for the top office posts as well.

In the 2017 National General Election, a total candidacy of 3340, saw only five percent of women listed.

While more than a hundred women contested the 111 seats in 2017, none were elected to Parliament.

2022 has however, seen a surge of political parties endorsing more women candidates than in previous years.

Women candidates with UN Representatives at Parliament attending Mock Parliament Session
This is partly due to more awareness and support by organizations such as the United Nations that has been actively promoting gender equality and women in leadership roles.

Through the ‘Women Make The Change Project’, UNDP in Papua New Guinea is helping to build capacity and vision.

This year, 120 women leaders participated in a series of regional mentoring workshops and trainings delivered in partnership with stakeholders.

The women also were part of a mock Parliament Session in March in preparation for the Election.

On the political race, one party is endorsing all female candidates to contest the 4 seats in the Nation’s capital.

L-R: Sylvia Pascoe – NCD Regional, Tania Bale – Moresby North East, Michelle Hau’ofa – Moresby South and Anna Bais – Moresby North West.
The People’s Party under Enga Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas has endorsed Sylvia Pasco for the NCD Regional seat, Tania Bale – Moresby North East, Anna Kavana Bais – Moresby North West and Michelle Hau’ofa, Moresby South.

United Labor Party has also endorsed a female candidate, Dianne Unagi Koiam, contesting the Moresby North East seat.

Other parties include Peoples National Congress party endorsing Delilah Gore for Sohe Open in Northern Province and Rufina Peter for the Central Regional seat.

Other notable women are Jennifer Baing (People’s Movement for Change Party) , Jean Parkop (Independent), and Dulciana Somare Brash (Independent).

Baing is contesting the Morobe Regional seat, Parkop for Northern Province Regional and Somare-Brash for Angoram Open in East Sepik Province.

The seven new electorates passed by the National Government yesterday will not affect the running of the 2022 National General Elections.

That’s the assurance given by the Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Boundaries Commission, Simon Sinai.

The parliament yesterday accepted and passed the 2021 Electoral Boundaries Commission Recommendations and Maps Report.

The report called for the creation of seven new electorates and that their elections be held in the up coming 2022 National General Elections.

The seven new electorates are Delta Fly, Hiri-Koiari, Popondetta, Nakanai, Wau-Waria, Komo-Hulia and Porgera-Paiela.

This brings the total number of seats in the upcoming elections is 118.

Sinai said the main goal of the Electoral Boundaries Commission in carrying out its function was to ensure that all open electorates within the country contained approximately the same population within the limits prescribed by the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections.

“It is also consistent with the National Goals and Directive Principles by enabling the fair distribution of resources and equal participation by citizens in the development and political processes in the country.

“The EBC adopted an approach where the split of the new electorates, where made within the existing boundary and did not overlap or extend to neighboring boundaries,” Sinai said.

He further explains that this approach is to ensure a smooth implementation of the new electorates, without interference to the neighboring electorates.

“At this stage, it is now the duty of the relevant State agencies and authorities and relevant stakeholders to implement the approval given by Parliament to give effect to the new electorates.

The Electoral Boundaries Commission calls on the National Government to the new electorates by providing the necessary support to establish the new electorates.

Corruption watchdog, Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) is urging the Government not to rush through the process of creating the new electorates with only a month to go before the issue of writes for the 2022 National General Elections.

TIPNG believes any decision by the Government to create new electorates with one month of the issue of writs for the 2022 National General Elections, is irresponsible and will adversely impact both the governance and the administration of the elections.

The Board Chair of TIPNG, Peter Aitsi in a media statement said Papua New Guineans expect our elected representatives to uphold the democratic ideals that underpin our National Constitution.

He said, parliament’s decision to create new electorates in the absence of reliable census data, no gazettal notices, proper broad public consultation as required by the law and with no consideration for the administrative implications in the coming elections is highly irresponsible.

TIPNG urged the Marape Government not to rush through this process, as their actions stand the risk of being viewed as creating new political boundaries purely for political convenience to secure numbers.

“The voting public are right to wonder, if such a decision at this time is really serving the national interest?”

Under section 36 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Elections, the boundaries of an open electorate are drawn or revised taking into consideration; the population density; physical features and communications; existing electoral boundaries; Local Level & Provincial Governments and other administrative areas; and community and diversity of interest where it is considered relevant to do so.

Under section 41(1) of the organic law, parliament has a time frame of two months to consider the recommendations and it may do any one of the following by way of resolution:

• Accept the recommendation wholly;

• Reject the recommendation wholly;

• Reject the recommendation and refer specific matters for reconsideration by the commission

TIPNG is calling on the Government to instead focus its attention on addressing the administrative requirements to deliver an effective, free, fair and safe 2022 National General Elections.

It believes the introduction of any new electorates would present a significant operational nightmare for the PNG Electoral Commission and Security Forces given the time left to recruit additional manpower, survey polling sites, counting venues and printing of ballot papers.

The Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission is encouraging young people to vote in this year’s National General Elections.

During a media briefing this morning in Port Moresby, Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, said the commission is targeting people between the legal voting age of 18 to 34 to be active participants in this year’s elections.

Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, speaking to media personnel at Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby

“Voting is a democratic right, and in order for PNG citizens to exercise this right, they must enrol to be eligible to vote.”

Enrolment exercises are being carried out currently in all the 12 wards of the National Capital District.

Only persons who are 18 years of age and above are eligible to enrol, however, those who are currently 17 years of age and will be turning 18 before the date of the Issue of Writs (scheduled for April 28th) will be allowed Provisional Enrolment.

Commissioner Sinai urges all citizens to check the common roll to see if their names are listed, and if not, he is advising that all must enrol their names in their respective wards.

Sinai said enrolling in a school or owning a National Identification Card does not ensure one’s eligibility to vote.