PNG – Bougainville
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) is part of Papua New Guinea. Following the end of the twenty year conflict, a new constitution and electoral system were devised for the newly autonomous region in 2002. The 2004 Constitution of ARB has guided the region for the last 15 years.
The 2004 Constitution included three seats in the new legislature that would be reserved for women (and three seats would also be reserved for ex-combatants). It was further decided that the seats would be elected directly by the people. Both women and men are allowed to vote for all seats. Bougainville has 33 constituencies to elect ordinary members. The province is also divided into 3 bigger constituencies – North, Central and South – and these are used for the 3 seats reserved for women and ex-combatants. Each voter casts 3 votes for representatives in the Legislative Assembly – one for their local MP, one for the reserved woman’s seat and one for the reserved ex-combatant’s seat.
In 2005 and 2010, three women were elected to fill the three Reserved Regional Seats for women in the Bougainville Parliament. In 2015, for the first time, in addition to electing women into the three Reserved Regional Seats, Hon Josephine Getsi became the first women to be elected to an Open Seat, when she won in the Peit electorate.
In 2019, a referendum was held in ARB to decide its long-term future. The two options presented were independence or some form of “greater autonomy”. The Region voted overwhelmingly for independence. The ARB Government subsequently entered into a period of negotiations to determine how the vote will be implemented in practice. During this period, ARB’s current Constitution has required that an election is held, as ARB has elections every 5 years.
Elections for the ARB President and ARB Parliament were held from 12 August to 1 September 2020. Three women were elected to each Reserved Regional Seats for women, and Hon Theonila Roka Matbob became only the second women in Bougainville to be elected into an Open Seat; this means there will be four women MPs out of 39 ordinary members of the House. (The separately elected President and the Speaker of Parliament (who is chosen from outside the cohort of MPs) are also members of the House.) In early 2022, a fifth woman was elected, Hon Carolyn Poli, during a by-election for an Open Seat.
Current National Women MPs
No Women MPs
Past Sub-National Women Candidate
Angela Kavarui
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Bernadene Kiraa
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Lato Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Bernadette Neras
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Motuna Huyono Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Celestine Tomie
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Collette Bitil Murray
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Consolota Goaman
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Dolores Kaiae
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Selau Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Dorothy Baki
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Dorothy Walter
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Elizabeth Bouraine
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate; Former MP for North Bougainville
Elizabeth Tako Palin
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Everlyn Banas
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Kongara Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Francesca Rianna Semoso OBE
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Tsitalto Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: ARB Deputy Speaker; Candidate
Genevieve Korokoro
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Helen Anna Siumana
Party: BPC
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Helen Hakena
Party: NPB
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Hetty Mekai
Party: NBP
Term: N/A
Electorate: South - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Hona Holan
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Haku Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Isabel Peta
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: South - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Current MP; Candidate
Joan Jerome
Party: NBP
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate; Former ARB MP
Josephine Getsi
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Peit Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate; Former MP for Peit
Lucy Ipiona Madoi
Party: BPC
Term: N/A
Electorate: Kongara Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Lucy Itanu Travetz
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Lynnete Ona
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Magdalene Itona Toroansi
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: ABG President
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Maggie A Thompson
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Marcelline Kokiai
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central Bougainville
Province: AROB
Political Status: Current MP; Candidate
Maria Hakalits Menyweather
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Maryanne Kugunia
Party: UBF
Term: N/A
Electorate: South - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Rachel Vau Tsien
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Mahari Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Rhonda Moses Detoua
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: South Nasioi Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Rose Pihei
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: South Bougainville
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate; Former ARB MP
Roselyne Lasi Tomi
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Teua Open
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Ruby Miringka
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: ABG President
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Ruth Spriggs Kovoho
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: North - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: Candidate
Theresa Jaintong
Party: Independent
Term: N/A
Electorate: Central - Women's Regional
Province: AROB
Political Status: N/A