Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS etc; <strong>the</strong>re is also limited
knowledge about prevention and treatment.
Participation and selfexpression
Resettlement
Violence against women
• Women are excluded from decision-making regarding land,
leases, tenure systems etc.;
• Even in matrilineal systems, women are excluded from
decision-making processes. For example, during
Bougainville’s peace process, negotiations were conducted
primarily between ex-combatants and <strong>the</strong> government, with
women predominantly excluded. According to <strong>the</strong> terms <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> new constitution, only three seats have been allocated
for women representatives for <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> Bougainville.
• There is substantial movement/migration <strong>of</strong> women from
outer islands to <strong>the</strong> main island, in search <strong>of</strong> employment,
education, markets and health services;
• This is leading to increasing homelessness and inadequate
housing on <strong>the</strong> main island (e.g. <strong>the</strong>re is no accommodation
provided for women and <strong>the</strong>ir families coming to town for
medical treatment in <strong>the</strong> hospital; women coming to sell
vegetables have nowhere to sleep. In many cases women
may not be able to afford <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> transport to return to
<strong>the</strong> outer island, and so remain <strong>the</strong>re until <strong>the</strong>y have
accumulated sufficient funds).
• Insecure housing means women are vulnerable to rape and
violence.
a. Obstacles faced by rural women
• Papua New Guinea - People have become dependent on a development economy, which has
led to <strong>the</strong> introduction <strong>of</strong> industries in rural areas (e.g. forestry, mining). Many people believed
this form <strong>of</strong> development would turn rural areas into healthy places to live. Instead, it has made
communities dependent on cash economies, as such industries are not sustainable in <strong>the</strong> longterm.
Royalties received by local communities are generally consumed in <strong>the</strong> short-term, after
which people are forced to move to urban areas for employment. The sense <strong>of</strong> self-reliance and
being able to care for oneself is disappearing, with people no longer relying on natural resources,
but believing that money is <strong>the</strong> most important factor in life. Lack <strong>of</strong> employment, education and
health services in rural areas is causing people to move to urban areas.
“The Papua New Guinea constitution talks about integral human development, which
requires <strong>the</strong> government to provide social services in <strong>the</strong> community. If women are not
provided with adequate social services in rural areas <strong>the</strong>n that means <strong>the</strong> constitution
does not mean what it talks about; if women in rural areas are not educated or do not
have spaces in schools, <strong>the</strong> constitution does not help. The means <strong>of</strong> implementing <strong>the</strong>
constitution is not working for remote communities in terms <strong>of</strong> services and equal
participation and benefit from resources. There should be proper mechanisms in place
which can be used to make sure that <strong>the</strong> Government is implementing <strong>the</strong> constitution
in ways that benefits everyone in <strong>the</strong> country and not just a few people.” (Elizabeth Tongne,
Papua New Guinea)
28 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND