Papua New Guinea (PNG) is known with one of the world's worst records for violence against women. An estimate puts it that two out of three women in the country suffer from violence in their lifetime. What does it take to make it a safer place and empower women?
Eddie Aila, the founder of Warrior Culture, used to be violent towards his family. After his own self-reflection and change, he decided to help others.
It didn't make sense to keep treating after happened. So why don't we focus on preventing family sexual violence by helping perpetrators to shift their thinking, getting more emotionally in touch with themselves and comfortable with themselves? And [we] help them develop leadership that all of us have within themselves, Aila said.
Aila holds training workshops specifically for communities, villages and corporates. And the results have been encouraging. Men who are helped by the programs become advocates. He cited a former criminal who is now on a mission, traveling around the country to bring about the message of change.
While Eddie's organization teaches men about better communication and mental strength, the Glove Up and Active City initiative brings boxing training to communities and helps women feel stronger.
At Nine Mile settlement, a dusty tarp on the ground doubles as the gym floor. There are only two pairs of gloves for dozens of enthusiasts, but what it lacks in equipment is made up with passion.
Syeidah Geniembo from Glove Up said the initiative aims to give women confidence to know what their rights are – that is a growing concern for women in PNG. They feel vulnerable, and they can't stand up for themselves.
Some of these female boxers in training could head for bigger things. Our special workshop on December 1-2 will provide training by professional female medalists, boxers from Australia and PNG, to [not only] coach but also find females who could potentially represent PNG on the world stage, Geniembo explained.
Aside from physical strength, financial independence is even more important. For the past three years, we have seen changes, because programs initiated by the government such as community development are now going out to rural areas where violence is conducted. Those programs are involving women in education, workshops and skills training, such as sewing and cooking, said Grace Auka Salmang, a journalist who covers women's affairs for PNG's leading daily The Post-Courier.
The cultural resistance against gender equality may need outside influence to break down, according to Salmang.
We have a society where men are always leaders because they believe they can do much better than women. I believe there's a lot of foreign exchange and influence coming in, maybe that will push up women leaders, Salmang said.
As PNG's efforts on women empowerment take shape with grassroots initiatives, aid programs, what it needs is an even broader reach and perhaps, some more boxing gloves.
(CGTN)