BRIDGE Gender and Elections Module Workshop Central Province, Papua New Guinea 3 – 7 October 2011

Sub-Regional National Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections, BRIDGE Gender and Elections Module Workshop for the Civil Society organizations in NCD and Central Provinces.

Scope of work covered: 

Team Leader of three facilitators who was the lead facilitator and was supported by two co-facilitators namely Becky Tarubi and Robert Lafanama and one Administrative Assistant who was John Kuri.

Becky Tarubi went to the training venue on Thursday 29^th October 2011 where we all facilitators should have met to prepare for the workshop.  However, planning process for the workshop did not eventuate due to the Lead Facilitator was out of Port Moresby on business.

On Sunday 02^nd October, the Lead Facilitator and the other co-facilitator Robert Lafamana arrived at Kokoda Trail Motel and got up with Becky Tarubi at about 4.00pm.

That evening at 7.00pm the Lead Facilitator and the two semi-accredited facilitators and the Administrative Assistant John Kuri met and planned the week’s program and allocated activities and tasks to facilitators and the Administrative Assistant to do the next day on the opening of the workshop.

Training week from 03^rd to 07^th October 2011:

1. Conduct of the five day workshop.
2. Delivery of the course content to participants.
3. Daily and ongoing assessment of understanding and needs of participants.
4. Daily and ongoing assessment of the two semi-accredited facilitators towards their upgrade for the next level of accreditation on the topics and activities allocated to them and also their overall participation and involvement in the workshop.
5. Award participants Certificate of participation in BRIDGE Gender and Elections Modules.
6. Recommended full accreditation of the two semi-accredited facilitators to next level which is Workshop Facilitator level.

Introduction:

The UNWOMEN in cooperation with the Government of Papua New Guinea especially the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission and the Department of Community Development hosted the “Sub-National Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) Gender and Elections Module Workshop” for the Civil Society Organizations in National Capital District and the Central Provinces from the 03^rd to the 07^th October 2011.

The sub-national workshop is the outcome of previous and ongoing consultation between UNWOMEN, the Governments, women’s organizations, civil society, other UN agencies for collaboration in empowering stakeholders towards advancing gender equality in political governance in the National Capital and Central Provinces as well as supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This program was funded by UNWOMEN.

Participants:

The workshop brought together about sixteen participants (8  women and 8 men) from Central Provinces and National Capital District.

1. Steven Voveak
2. Emma Sebea
3. Kaia Moses
4. Loi Vele
5. Kevin Iarea
6. Edea George
7. Tegana Rupa
8. Susie Pindia
9. Heisi Novulu
10. Bago Hajaip
11. Rev. Rarua Ovia
12. Tom Lohia
13. Theresea Ratteni
14. Tamati Kila
15. Jacinta Bandi
16. Ricky Manau

Resource Persons:

The resource persons were from PNG Electoral Commission, HQ in Port Moresby and from the Department of Community Development both from the HQs and Chimbu Provincial Administration, Papua New Guinea.

PNG Electoral Commission, Election Trainer. Port Moresby.

• Ms. Regina Lunge – Lead Facilitator

Department of Community Development. Port Moresby.

• Becky Tarubi – Co-facilitator

Department of Community Development. Simbu Provincial Administration.

• Robert Lafanama

UNWOMEN. Port Moresby

• John Kuri – Administrative Assistant

Objectives:

The Gender and Elections Module has four (4) main objectives:

• For participants including those representing Election Management Bodies (EMB) to understand why women’s participation is important and how to improve it. For example, through the introduction of Temporary Special Measures (TSM)
• For women’s advocacy groups to understand the electoral process and develop strategies to promote women’s participation.
• Provide tools for all participants to look as elections from a gender perspective.
• Provide a networking opportunity for women’s advocacy groups.

Key Understandings:

At the end of the training workshop, participants walked away with better understanding of six (6) important points on which the module is based.

That:

1. As a result of historical, cultural and other factors, women have not yet achieved equality in most societies, including equality in the electoral process.
2. Human Rights are for everybody; women and men are entitled to equal rights and to equal accress to the electoral system.
3. Even if women and men have equal legal rights in regard to elections, specifc practices in a country may discriminate against or work to the disadvantage of women becoming active and strong citizens and leaders.
4. A country’s choice of election system may have a dramatic effect on how many women are elected to office at national or local levels of governances.
5. There are many steps (including reserve seats or legislative quotas for women) Election Management Bodies (EMB) can take to help ensure broader participation by women.

Immediate Positive Outcome:

1. Participants indicated that this workshop had been an eye opener for them with the view of promoting gender issues and equal participation of both sexes in the electoral processes.
2. Have broadened the knowledge and understanding of both facilitators and participants on Quotas “Temporary Special Measurers to increase female representation in legislatures – Introduction.
3. Have broaden the knowledge and understanding  of the “Reserve Seats” and where it is stipulated in CEDAW.
4. Participants learned from each other also by sharing ideas and experiences.
5. Two semi-accredited facilitators got promoted to Workshop Facilitators level in BRIDGE Project facilitation levels.

General Comments:

There have been some positive feedbacks from some male participants on the workshop indicating that this BRIDGE Gender and Elections course have had impact on them personally as individuals. They can now see things from gender perspective compared to past before they participated in this course. Some male participants have openly admitted that they have never appreciated what their wives do.

After participated in this BRIDGE Gender and Elections course have made the participants realized that women also have the same rights as men and women and men have to work together as equal partners to contribute to social, economic and political development of our country.

On the third day Wednesday evening at 8.00 pm there had been a confrontation with John Kuri and two female participants over allowances and Mr. Kuri sorted them out at 10pm.

The next day Thursday, the training start late that morning because some participants did not receive their allowances and some demanded to know why they were paid less than what they expected to get.

However, the training commenced at 10.30 am after morning tea break after we facilitators convinced some of them to attend.

On Friday, the participants refused to attend the sessions because they demanded explanation from the UNWOMEN office, however, the three facilitators eventually convinced the participants, they all came into the training venue, Rev. Rarua Ovia made a reconciliation prayer, called everyone together we hold hands and prayed for some good thirty minutes. The training started at 10.00 am concluded at 6.00pm without the presentation of the certificates.

The presentation of the certificates were done at 8.00 pm during the closing dinner and the certificates were presented to all the participants over the dinner table.

Conclusion:

In concluding, this workshop has been a very good workshop in terms of the training itself conducted with different unique facilitation techniques from the three facilitators from PNG Electoral Commission and the Department of Community Development HQ and Simbu Provincial Administration.

The two co-facilitators had proven that they have the content knowledge on BRIDGE Project and have been awarded with Certificates of full accreditation to Workshop Facilitators level.

The participants have expressed views of appreciation of attending this workshop and thanked the sponsor UNWOMEN for selecting them who attended this workshop.

With that, I take this opportunity to thank Becky Tarubi and Robert Lafana for co-facilitating with me. You both have been very unique and very proactive facilitators who worked tirelessly and conducted and concluded the workshop. I also would like to thank Patricia Willie, UNWOMEN, John Kuri, UNWOMEN and Julie Bukikun, UNWOMEN to step in and assist with the administration.

Lastly and not the least I would like to thank UNWOMEN for your generous support in funding this BRIDGE Gender and Election workshop.

Recommendation:

Improve on the payment of DSA to be paid to participants and facilitators upon arrival at training locations for them to take care of themselves during the course of the workshop so that there will not be disturbances that will disrupt the training.