• Gender equality

PNG Business Coalition for Women Commemorates International Women's Day with Powerful Video Highlighting Gender Pay Gap and Maternity Leave Disparities

7th March, 2025

Background
The 2025 International Women’s Day theme, “For ALL Women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” is a powerful reminder to look at the success of and challenges women continue to face in terms of their rights, equality, and empowerment in all walks of life. As Papua New Guinea (PNG) celebrates its 50th anniversary on the 16th of September 2025, it is an important moment to reflect on the progress made, especially for women, while acknowledging the ongoing challenges they face. Despite some advancements, women in PNG continue to experience significant barriers, particularly in the workforce, where issues like the gender pay gap and disparities in maternity leave benefits between the public and private sectors remain. These challenges directly impact women’s financial security, career growth, and overall well-being. As PNG marks half a century of independence, the theme of “Accelerate Action” emphasizes the need for fair treatment and opportunities for women and girls in all areas of life. By addressing these challenges, alongside improving access to finance and safety, we can unlock the immense untapped potential of women and drive economic growth for the entire nation.
This initiative, in line with the International Women’s Day theme, seeks to spotlight these critical issues, raise awareness, and stimulate conversation and action towards bridging these gaps, ensuring that women in PNG have equal opportunities and rights in both the workplace and home.

Objective

  1. To raise awareness of the gender-pay-gap and the discrepancies in maternity leave benefits between the public and private sectors in PNG.
  2. To advocate for the development of policies that support pay equity and ensure equal maternity leave benefits for all women, regardless of sector.
  3. To engage key stakeholders, including government, NGOs, women’s advocates, private sector companies, and individuals affected by these issues, to drive concrete change.

This video features remarkable individuals who are passionate about driving change:

  • Dame Carol Kidu
  • Evonne Kennedy - Executive Director
  • Ruth Kissam - Human Rights Advocate and Board Chair of Advance PNG Women Leaders Network
  • Luania Temu, Corporate Executive at Telemu No.33-Savitec Ltd
  • Karen Karumaea Haive, Deputy Secretary of the Implementation Wing at the Department for Community Development & Religion

Their insights highlight the urgency of addressing these critical challenges.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Paradise Foods and Savitec Ltd for their contribution to this video.

Join us in this crucial conversation and let’s work together to ensure equal opportunities and rights for all women in PNG.