The New Guinea has taken important steps to strengthen the quality and consistency of gender-based violence (GBV) counselling services following a targeted learning exchange in Victoria, Australia.
The National Gender-based Violence Secretariat (NGBVS) led the exchange, which brought together PNG representatives and eight Victorian agencies with specialist family and sexual violence services. Participating organisations include Australian Muslim Women’s Human Rights Centre, InTouch, Safe+Equal, Djirra, Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre, Full Stop Australia, Relationships Australia Victoria, Family Safety Victoria.
The exchange was supported by PNG Women Lead, an Australian Government program helping PNG advance its gender equality priorities and form of supporting two-way learning. The learning will inform the NGBVS with priority actions in support of the revised National GBV Strategy.
The program looked at practical ways to strengthen PNG’s GBV counselling standards and improve quality, safety, and accountability. It also considered how standards can be applied in ways that work for PNG including multidisciplinary collaboration across different organisations and culturally appropriate forms of counselling.
Over four days, the delegation met with organisations involved in crisis response, specialist counselling, advocacy, workforce training, and community prevention.
NGBVS Director Ms Diane Kambanei said the exchange offered practical lessons that can be adapted for PNG.
“This exchange has helped us think through how high-quality counselling standards can be adapted to PNG’s realities,” Ms Kambanei said. “Our focus is survivor safety and professionalism, while making sure we do not exclude community responders and frontline actors who are essential across our provinces.”
“Victoria’s approach to gender-based violence prevention and response offer practical models that PNG can adapt to local realities, resources, and cultures, helping ensure survivors, including those in rural and remote communities, can access safe, quality support. Victorian partners also learned from PNG, including opportunities for future collaboration on financial abuse and culturally grounded approaches to GBV counselling, healing, and prevention, she added.”
NGBVS will work with government agencies, provincial stakeholders, civil society, and development partners to put the learning into practice, strengthening guidance, support, and oversight so GBV counselling services across Papua New Guinea are survivor-centred, safe, and accountable.
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PNG National Gender-Based Violence Secretariat alongside representatives from eight Victorian agencies and specialist family and sexual violence services.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100