Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Madam President,
New Zealand welcomes this opportunity for dialogue with Papua New Guinea on its human rights record.
Gender-based violence continues to be a serious issue. New Zealand commends Papua New Guinea for adopting a national strategy to address gender-based violence and for establishing a parliamentary Special Committee on Gender-Based Violence. We recommend that Papua New Guinea increase its support, funding and coordination for efforts to respond to violence against women and girls.
Work is also needed to address the lack of representation of women in Parliament. New Zealand takes note of recent discussion of reserved seats for women and recommends that Papua New Guinea implements practical measures intended to improve the political representation of women at both national and local levels.
New Zealand recommends that Papua New Guinea establish an immediate official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, and repeal all provisions in domestic law allowing for the death penalty.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in Papua New Guinea continue to be victims of violence, stigmatisation and discrimination. New Zealand recommends that Papua New Guinea decriminalise sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex and include sexual orientation and gender as prohibited grounds for discrimination.
Finally, despite commitments after the last two Universal Periodic Reviews, Papua New Guinea has yet to establish a National Human Rights Commission. We recommend the Government establish such a Commission.
Thank you Madam President.