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Data on GBV is showing GBV is a serious and growing problem in PNG. Data on the EHP shows that 89% of the woman in rural Goroka area have experienced sexual violence and 78% of the women in Urban Goroka have experienced domestic violence. Although not all stakeholders in the EHP collect data, in 2012 the Family Support Center in Goroka registered 252 domestic cases, 39 sexual assault cases and 167 admissions for domestic violence. Eastern Highlands Family Voice attended to 677 clients who have experienced various forms of violence. Unfortunately little decreasing of the number of victims is seen, in fact: when looking at the data provided by the Eastern Highlands Family and Sexual Violence Unit (FSVU) an increase in cases can be seen, with a number of 121 cases handled over the whole of 2012 compared to 139 in the first 6 months of 2014.

Throughout PNG it is seen that many assaults within families are never reported. Survivors of attacks of outside of the home feel disempowered to report attacks, having lost confidence in the system that is established to protect them. police documents and health reports, therefore, record only a fragment of the incidence of GBV. One of the know statistics shows that boys under the age of 15 comprise 44% out of all rape cases. Woman living in rural communities seen to face more serious challenges than those living in a urban environment. These challenges include child marriage, polygamy, the tradition of paying the ‘bride price’, sorcery related violence, the absence of a social safety net and the lack of services or the lack of access to health care services. Consequences of violence against woman and girls include profound health problems such as physical disability, psychological health issues, an increase in alcohol and abuse and depression.

Up till today most of the services for survivors of violence and prevention activities are led by Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and Non-Governmental (NGO’s). There are links between agencies; however communications between the various service providers in limited and integration of services is unstructured. Not all districts and wards are reached within the EHP, resulting in high risk of violence for those living in the rural communities.

Eastern Highlands GBV Strategy 

The Provincial Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) was revived in 2014 and came together in February 2015 to design a Strategic Plan for the FSVAC 2015-2017, which was then and revised in 2018. When this FSVAC Strategic Plan expired, it was followed by a Provincial GBV Strategy 2018-2020, which identified strategies and activities to ensure better coordination of GBV services and prevention in the Eastern Highlands Province. From this point, the term Family Sexual Violence (FSV) was replaced by Gender Based Violence (GBV).

The latest iteration of these provincial plans is the development of the EHP Provincial GBV Strategy 2021-2023. This strategic plan covers the way forward for stakeholders in the EHP, identifying the vision and the mission of the GBVAC, the role of the GBVAC secretariat, the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and monitoring and evaluation activities to progress the way forward to reduce, arrest and eliminate GBV from the home and society ushering in a new and progressive society towards a healthy and wealthy country to take its position in the global village of nations.

Eastern Highlands GBV Secretariat/Action Committee (GBVAC)​

Concerns about the alarming rate of family and sexual violence against women and children caused several organisations and individuals to advocate for a national and provincial peek body – the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committees – which would be specifically mandated to look into the problems associated with family and sexual violence and to come up with concrete ways to address these problems. Within the EHP, the FSVAC was first established in 2006. The network, which consisted of NGOs, FBOs and civil society carried the responsibility of ensuring quality services for survivors of violence. During the years, due to a broader scope of the network, the FSVAC gradually progressed into the Human Rights Network. The Human Rights Network included partners in all sectors, such as FSV stakeholders, schools and environmental institutions.

In June 2014, responding to the shockingly rates of FSV, the Department for Community Development took the lead in reviving the FSVAC. For the first time since the establishment of the FSVAC back in 2006, the Government has now taken the lead of the FSVAC – now renamed as the GBVAC. The GBVAC is currently chaired by the Advisor for Community Development within the Eastern Highlands Provincial Government and receives strong support from the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority.

A specific Provincial GBVAC Terms of Reference guides their work. Their are currently 22 members of the EHP GBVAC: 

  • Division for Community Development
  • Child Protection
  • AT Projects
  • Care International
  • Eastern Highlands Family Voice
  • Eastern Highlands Family Support Centre
  • Family and Sexual Violence Unit – Police Department
  • Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority
  • Meri Safe House – Lusaroka
  • Friends Frangipani
  • Institute of Medical Research
  • Kafe Women’s Association
  • Law & Justice sector – including village courts 
  • Minivava
  • Oxfam PNG
  • Public Prosecutor
  • Salvation Army
  • Save the Children
  • Susu Mama
  • University of Goroka
  • FemiliPNG Inc.
  • Pasters fraternal

Eastern Highlands GBVAC Secretariat  

The National GBV Strategy, supported by an NEC Directive from 2013, advocates for the establishment of provincial FSVACs (now GBVAC Secretariats), funded by their respective provincial governments. The mandate of the Provincial GBVAC Secretariats is to:

  • Link the Provincial Government with the National Government on all GBV matters,
  • Provide secretarial support to the provincial GBVAC,
  • Monitor and evaluate the quality of services for survivors of violence,
  • Enhance coordination between all actors,
  • Integrate and maintain a GBV services database,
  • Advocate for adequate budget allocations,
  • Ensure that provincial GBV strategies are adhered to,
  • Support prevention work at community level.
  • Support response efforts at the urban centres. 
  • Collate information and submit to National GBVAC secretariat.

The GBVAC Secretariat will operate as a case management centre, which has shown to be most effective when addressing needs of survivors, supporting access to justice, securing peaceful reintegration, and enhance prevention of GBV incidents. The EHP GBVAC Secretariat has been designed to have a small staff, comprised of a GBVAC coordinator, two case managers and a data officer. This Provincial GBV Strategy identifies that this staffing cohort need to be supported by the Provincial Government.

Eastern Highlands GBV priorities 

The EHP GBV Strategy (2021-2023) acknowledges that although a lot has been achieved in a short period of time, the following challenges need to be addressing in the next few years as a priority:

  • coordination of services on a provincial level between all stakeholders,
  • improved communication and collaboration between all GBVAC members,
  • a structured approach to providing services to survivors (efficient management),
  • more active approach to emerging issues,
  • implementation of a GBVAC secretariat,
  • Assured commitment and involvement of the provincial government (sustainability).
  • Roll out GBV services to the districts. 
  • Support establishment of logistical infrastructure for service like FSC, Meri Safe Haus, rural lock-up and community learning centres.