BY YOMBI KEP
For Papua New Guinea and Port Moresby to be a safe city, there needs to be dedication, determination, devotion, decisiveness, and discipline.
These are the words of keynote speaker Josephine Abaijah at the small pre-independence celebrations at the Gerehu Market in front of students from three participating schools in the Nation’s Capital, representatives from the US Embassy, the safe city project, the United Nations, National Capital District Commission, Sanap Wantaim group and the small public that gathered at the market.
“To create a safe city for the women and girls, I encourage you to be dedicated, determined, disciplined, devoted and decisive,” said Dame Abaijah during the program run by the UN Women Safe City’s program and the Sanap Wantaim.
She said the perpetual designs to help fight violence are honesty, respect and authority enforcement.
“Where is the respect for mothers and girls who work very hard?” she questioned.
“Who gives man the authority to beat girls and woman? There are many talks about these issues but nothing is done to enforce them”.
She also urged the people to not pretend that there are perpetrators or victims and be bold in admitting that they are victims or perpetrators and make culture as an excuse.
“Do not make culture as an excuse to fight women and girls. If our men make a decision to stop crime then we will be free,” said the first woman member of Parliament in Papua New Guinea.
“Do not forget my five D’s for a safe city for all,” she concluded.