Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has a national Parliament with 109 members. Since Independence, only three women have ever been elected to PNG’s National Parliament. Papua New Guinea will soon head into national elections. In accordance with the timetable set down by the PNG Election Commission, nominations for the elections closed on 27 March 2012. It is anticipated that election writs will be issued on 18 April 2012 and polls will be held on 23 June 2012. In advance of the elections, development partners have undertaken a number of initiatives to support women candidates running in the 2012 national elections.

In the 2007 elections, a total of 102 women candidates nominated, but only one (the incumbent Dame Carol Kidu) was elected. The Centre for Democratic Institutions, in partnership with the PNG Office for the Development of Women (ODW), with support from UNDP, has been running Women’s Candidates Trainings for PNG Women. UNDP and the PNG ODW will also be running a Practice Parliament for PNG Women from 23-27 April 2012, which will bring together women candidates and provide them with training which will be showcases in a Mock Parliament on 26 April 2012. Watch some of PNG's Women Candidates engaged with important policy issues during Question Time in the April 26 Practice Parliament in Port Moresby.

This website will be used to showcase women candidates in the 2012 PNG National Elections, who are committed to human rights, promoting gender equality and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as demonstrated by their commitment to the PacWIP Candidates Pledge. Visit the website of the PNG Electoral Commission for updates on election results. So far, three women have been elected to the new 2012 Parliament - Hon Loujaya Toni (Lae Open), Hon Delilah Gore (Sohe Open) and Hon Julie Soso (Eastern Highlands Regional).