What is a gender transformative approach and why is it important?
As the Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030 says, ‘the nation cannot reach its potential if [gender] inequality continues to exist’.
Gender transformative approaches are important because after decades of international efforts to improve gender inequality it is clear that more needs to be done to address the underlying causes of inequality: these go beyond individual practice and beliefs and involve social and collective practices as well as institutional and structural reasons why the status of women is not yet equal to that of men.
In Papua New Guinea, some cultural norms provide protection and support for women; for example, the social protection aspects of the wantok system (kinship network), and the extensive networks of the churches. However, many prevalent cultural gender norms impede the development of women and girls. These norms contribute to high rates of violence against women and children; reinforce women’s unequal access to resources, services and opportunities; and have negative effects on women’s development, voice, agency and power, and on the whole family and community.
During 2019 and 2020, 14 local and international partners came together to collaboratively review and document what approaches have been successfully used in Papua New Guinea. These partners have been working courageously to support communities, businesses and government agencies to bring about gender transformative change including with the financial and technical support of the Australian Government-funded Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women) program.
The partners identified eight practical actions that can support progress towards gender transformation in Papua New Guinea are:
