Bougainville Young Women’s Leadership Research

This research is an initiative of Bougainville Women’s Federation (BWF) in collaboration with its partner, IWDA, and with the support of the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program at the Australian National University. BWF is a peak NGO women’s organisation and representative body for the

women of Bougainville. BWF’s objective is to advocate for the priorities and needs of women by influencing the development of legislation, policies and programs across the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The BWF Board made the decision to come up with an assessment of young women’s needs and a capacity building program to respond to these. To inform this work, BWF needed data to understand the situation surrounding young women and participation in leadership activities, instead of starting from their own assumptions. This report is the result of that piece of research.