Newly elected PNG woman MP Delilah Gore says no to reserved seats

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27th July, 2012

PORT MORESBY, PNG (THE NATIONAL) —- SOHE MP Delilah Gore says there is no need for reserved seats for women in Papua New Guinea parliament. The member, who created history by being the first woman declared in the 2012 elections, finished first in a fiercely contested field of 50 men and three women.

She told The National: “If a man can climb mountains, and cross valleys and flowing rivers, so can a woman. I climbed mountains and crossed valleys. If I did that and won so can other women. “There is no need for special treatment. PNG women are not primitives any more. We can stand together with our men to develop Papua New Guinea. “We have a natural advantage. Women have a nature of sharing and caring. We are already managers in our own home. We know what food to harvest and what to leave behind. We look after our husbands and children. We manage our homes. “A woman can bring those skills to Parliament. I campaigned with this simple message. That was the message that inspired the womenfolk to support me.”

Delilah was widowed in 1997 with two children, daughter Geua Gore, 25, and Dunstan, 22. This is her first time to enter into politics. Previously she worked for the Treasury department. Delilah said it was high time women started believing in themselves and their own abilities.

She said in the elections there is no holding back. “We must compete with men as men do,” she said. Gore is one of two successful woman contestants in the 2012 seat. She is a member of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment party. She has flown off to the Alotau camp of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

Article taken from http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=130/focusContentID=29385/tableName=mediaRelease/overideSkinName=newsArticle-full.tpl.

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