Violence Against Women in Elections in Papua New Guinea
To document the nature and impact of VAWE in PNG, this study establishes the historical context for violence and womenâs political participation and defines the cultural and socio-political norms that impact the status of women in society, as well as their participation in the electoral process. The study also looks at community and institutional responses to the issue. The analysis is organized around three key factors12 that influence the incidence and impact of VAWE:
Assessment Factors
| Status of Women | Addresses broad concerns related to the status of women in their local and national communities; helps identify root causes of violence against women in general and in elections specifically. |
| Women's Access to the Electoral Process | Examines gender and age dynamics related to political and electoral processes, as well as democracy, human rights, and governance issues more broadly. Categories of this analysis explore gender dynamics related to the electoral legal framework, election administration, voter registration, voter education, and womenâs political participation as voters and activists. |
| Violence Against Women in Elections | Identifies incidents and trends of violence against women that occur in the context of the electoral cycle (pre-election, election, and post-election periods); examines triggers for gender-based violence against women in elections. |
In PNG, IFESâ Communications Specialist, Public Relations Officer, Senior Program Officer, and Project Coordinators collected primary data. IFESâ Pacific Islands Specialist conducted a literature review. The methodology included collecting and analyzing primary and secondary data.
Literature review: IFESâ Pacific Islands Specialist reviewed a collection of relevant reports and research related to GBV and to women in leadership and elections in PNG for this analysis. The report features salient findings from this research to highlight secondary research that supports comments from KIIs and FGDs.
Focus group discussions: IFES conducted 11 FGDs across the Highlands, New Guinea Islands, Momase, and Southern regions. A total of 59 women and three men participated. Most focus groups consisted of women to enable them to speak freely on VAWE.
Key informant interviews: IFES conducted KIIs with 26 women and 11 menâcommunity leaders, former candidates, CSO representatives, leaders of faith-based organizations, media representatives, electoral workers, and security sector representatives in the Momase, New Guinea Islands, and Southern regions to gain perspectives on VAWE risks and opportunities to combat VAWE.
IFESâ 2022 PNG VAWE assessment aims to build on the PNG VAWE assessment conducted in 2018, following the 2017 elections. IFES will share this report with the Special Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform, PNGEC, and the IPPCC to inform electoral reform discussions. The report will also be shared with the donor community and womenâs advocacy groups to inform programming. Finally, IFES will use this report to inform future programming.
Primary Data Collection
Primary Data Collection Methods
| Technique | Stakeholders | Purpose | Number of Persons Consulted |
|---|---|---|---|
| FGDs |
Women and youth community leaders, leaders of faith-based organizations, and representatives of election management bodies. |
Gather data on gender equality, social inclusion, womenâs empowerment, and gaps, challenges, constraints, and opportunities related to VAWE. |
62 |
| KIIs |
Women and youth community leaders; women; persons with disabilities; leaders of faith-based organizations; and representatives of CSOs, the media, election management bodies, and the security sector. |
Identify barriers and opportunities regarding VAWE. Identify barriers and opportunities regarding VAWE. |
37 |
Limitations on Data Collection
While the assessment obtained significant data from FGDs, KIIs, secondary materials, and desk reviews, the geography of PNG and the logistics and timeline of the assessment limited in-person data collection. PNG’s 600 main islands would require a broader research effort to represent the entire country in the FGDs and KIIs. To mitigate this limitation, IFES identified a diverse sample of permanent and temporary election workers from the PNGEC; candidates; youth; persons with disabilities; and representatives of women’s CSOs, CBOs, faith-based organizations, and the media. Selected interviewees represented as diverse a geographical reach as possible from four regions of PNG.
IFES also recognized the sensitivity of the topic material, especially as it related to violence against interviewees and their lived experiences. IFES integrated Do No Harm approaches into questionnaires and the research approach to avoid retraumatizing interviewees and ensure that interviews were safe spaces to discuss difficult issues. IFES minimized the risk to participants by removing personally identifiable data from the report.
Footnotes
These assessment factors are inspired by CARE’s Gender Assessment Framework, IFES’s Gender and Elections Analysis tool, and USAID’s Electoral Security Framework and Best Practices in Electoral Security.