NCD Gender based violence secretariat partners slammed

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, March 13, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG) 

IN his address to mark International Women’s Day, NCD Governor has slammed all partners, including NCDC, involved in the setting up of the NCD Gender based Violence Secretariat, which has yet to be formed.

He said that despite initial funding of K2 million already being allocated in 2015- none of the funds have yet to be used.

“On the national front I understand that there is a submission that has gone to cabinet and I hope that soon we will formulate the national strategy, however, for our city we have already allocated fund last year and this year to set up a secretariat to deal with gender based violence,” Parkop said.

Adding the secretariats role to help all NGOs, church based organisation, working towards curbing sexual and gender based violence in the city.

“Funding was made available last year about K2 million and it has not been used. We are too slow. All the partners who are working with us are too slow.”

“Department for Community Development are too slow, our gender desk are too slow, UNDP are too slow, for them all to formulate and put in place the mechanisms where we can start helping all the wonderful organisations who are out there who are doing wonderful work to curb gender based violence and sexual violence.”

“People are blaming the government for responding slowly but for our case in our capital we’ve made the money available last year and not one toea has been used. I am not happy.”

Parkop added that the same allocation has been made against the commission’s 2016 budget with the hope that the secretariat will be formed soon.

“I did announce last year the creation of the secretariat and up till now it is not running. I can’t be blamed as a political leader for that slow process- to be serious and put the secretariat in place to develop the projects that will tackle the problem that is impeding the wellbeing of our people and our nation.”