Empowering the next generation of Papua New Guinean women leaders
Throughout National Women’s Month this March, UNDP renewed its call to dismantle all structural, cultural and financial barriers that continue to limit women’s political participation and leadership in Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea has one of the world’s lowest levels of women’s representation in parliament. Through the Australia-funded 'Women Make the Change Programme', UNDP and UN Women are working with women’s organizations and key political, electoral and administrative stakeholders—as well as the Joint Parliamentary Women’s Caucus of Papua New Guinea—to advance reforms and initiatives that empower more women to run in future elections. One of the key measures being advocated is the introduction of temporary special measures to reserve seats for women in the National Parliament. Such measures are already in place in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, where three seats are reserved for women in the Bougainville House of Representatives.
Progress is already visible at the subnational level. Earlier this year, UNDP hosted a post-election diagnostics workshop in Bougainville to assess how women candidates fared in the 2025 general elections for the Bougainville House of Representatives. Over two days, more than 20 women—both successful and unsuccessful candidates—gathered in Arawa to share lessons from the campaign trail and reflect on the prospects for women in local politics. Watch the video below to hear from Bougainvillean women members from both the National Parliament and the Bougainville House of Representatives what inspired them to enter politics, the challenges they faced, and why they believe temporary special measures have been a game changer for aspiring women leaders in the region.
Alongside structural barriers, new challenges are also emerging. One of the most pressing of them is online abuse. As internet access has rapidly expanded across Papua New Guinea in recent years, cyberbullying, the non-consensual sharing of images, and other forms of online harassment have grown with it. In many cases, these harms do not remain confined to the digital space but translate into real-world violence and abuse.
These issues disproportionately affect women and girls, discouraging their participation in public life and leadership.
To draw attention to this growing concern, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Nicholas Booth and the Director of the National GBV Secretariat, Ms. Diane Kambanei, published a joint op-ed for National Women’s Day this year, outlining the scale of the problem and the actions needed to address it.
"If our young women are discouraged from public participation due to fear of online attacks, the country loses more than individual potential. We lose leaders, innovators, cultural ambassadors, and voices that could shape a more equitable, resilient society," Ms. Kambanei and Mr. Booth state.
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Sepik River communities launch a landmark plan to protect their wetlands
This March, UNDP had the honour of witnessing history in East Sepik Province as 8 Indigenous communities living along the Sepik River officially launched a Community Conservation Management Plan to protect 14,000 hectares of local wetlands. For decades, logging and overharvesting of crocodile eggs have increasingly threatened these unique ecosystems, which local communities depend on for their daily subsistence and traditional livelihoods.
This milestone agreement comes nearly five years after the process was initiated by the communities themselves. Through the 'Sustainable Financing of PNG Protected Areas Network Project' funded by the Global Environment Facility, UNDP and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority partnered with Wildlife Conservation Society and Provincial Authorities to support communities in mapping the conservation area and developing by-laws to govern it.
“Our dream of preserving the natural heritage of Papua New Guinea will only be fulfilled when communities lead conservation efforts at the grassroots level. I commend you for taking ownership of protecting your ancestral lands and assure you that UNDP will continue to support these efforts in the coming years,” UNDP Assistant Resident Representative, Mr. Joshua Sam, stated in the launching ceremony held in Ambunti.
Watch the video below to hear from the communities themselves what the plan means for them and their future!
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Supporting small island communities living on the frontlines of climate change
"Climate change is real and climate change is here to stay. I have seen it from my position as a chief," declares Michael Chongohan, the village chief of Ahus Island in Manus Province.
In recent decades, this small island community of around 1,000 residents has increasingly felt the impacts of climate change. Fish populations have declined, coral reefs have bleached, and long-established weather patterns have become more unpredictable. Through the 'Building Resilience to Climate Change Project', UNDP has partnered with the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) of the Government of Papua New Guinea to support Ahus Island and 20 other coastal and island communities in adapting to these growing challenges.
Together, these efforts have focused on strengthening local capacity and providing practical support. Community leaders have been trained in climate resilience techniques, while resources have been provided for locally driven adaptation initiatives. Essential equipment—including boats, water tanks, emergency communication tools and sanitation facilities—has also been delivered to help communities better prepare for and respond to climate-related impacts.
Watch the video below to hear directly from community members about the challenges they face and how joint efforts by UNDP and CCDA are helping them adapt and build resilience.
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UNDP and EU conclude a six year journey in Enga Province
In February, we celebrated the official closing of our 'Sustainable Landscape Management in Enga Province Project', which UNDP has had the honour of implementing in partnership with the European Union since 2020. For six years, the project has worked alongside the Enga Provincial Government and dozens of community-based organizations to strengthen climate resilience, improve food security, and conserve vital ecosystems in one of Papua New Guinea’s most fragile and conflict-affected provinces. Despite a global pandemic, intensifying tribal conflict, and severe humanitarian crises like the 2024 Mulitaka landslide, the project achieved remarkable progress, for example by planting over 180,000 trees and coffee seedlings, modernizing local coffee production, and building hundreds of fishponds, poultry farms, and nurseries.
This initiative intended to do something extraordinary. That is to harmonise land-use, economic development and conservation in a way that empowers communities, strengthens value-chains and safeguards the biodiversity of Enga Province. It’s interesting to hear that most of the project participants were women who will be economically empowered and better placed in decision making, which of course is something that the country really needs for the future,” the Ambassador of the European Union to Papua New Guinea, H.E. Erika Hasznos, stated at the project's closing ceremony.
Watch the video below to hear directly from the community members how the project enabled them to transform their hardships into new opportunities!
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Reviving the cocoa industry of New Ireland Province
"In the 80s and 90s, many of us went to school because of the income our parents made from cocoa," remembers Jordan Bulo, the Executive Director of Beatific Foundation Inc. based in New Ireland Province
In recent decades, the province’s once-thriving cocoa industry has declined due to limited market access and a lack of coordination among producers, leaving farmers vulnerable to price fluctuations and other market shocks.
Beatific Foundation Inc., led by Jordan Bulo, is working to reverse this trend with an ambitious vision to revitalise the industry. The foundation is mobilizing new cocoa farmers in the province while fostering stronger collaboration between communities with the potential to cultivate cocoa.
With support from UNDP and through the PNG Biodiversity and Climate Fund, the foundation has established a cocoa nursery in Namatanai that is supplying high-quality cocoa seedlings to local communities. The foundation also trains women and youth from other communities on cocoa cultivation techniques, sustainable agroforestry practices, and the importance of environmental conservation.
Watch the video below to hear from members of the foundation what drives their mission to restore cocoa farming as a sustainable livelihood for communities in New Ireland.
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UNDP helps table a landmark report on customary land and land reform
The month of March marked historic step for land governance in Papua New Guinea as the Special Parliamentary Committee on Customary Land and Land Reforms tabled its landmark report to the Parliament of Papua New Guinea. The report seeks to strengthen and systematise land rights in Papua New Guinea by advocating for the passing of a new Customary Land Tenure Act 2026. The act outlines specific measures to enhance protection for indigenous landowners who continue to own 97% of land in Papua New Guinea. The reform represents a homegrown solution designed for PNG’s unique context — protecting the rights of indigenous landowners while supporting transparent, sustainable development. Key proposals highlighted in the report include clan and customary land registries to formally document land ownership; stronger safeguards on leases and land agreements to prevent abuse; transparent decision-making by legitimate customary leaders; and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes to ensure communities have the final say on how their land is used. With the generous funding of Australia, UNDP was proud to support this journey by facilitating committee hearings, providing technical expertise, and supporting the drafting of the report and proposed legislation.
“Clear and trusted systems for customary land governance can unlock opportunities for sustainable investment and local economic development, while enabling communities to make decisions about their land. By strengthening institutions that support fair and transparent land governance, Papua New Guinea can create conditions for sustainable development for decades to come,” UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Aadil Mansoor stated on the landmark achievement.
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UNDP helps deliver PNG’s first ever parametric insurance payments
In January, UNDP supported the delivery of the first parametric insurance payouts in Papua New Guinean history, marking a major milestone in strengthening financial resilience to disasters in the country.
A total of 3,200 community members received automatic payments following an earthquake that struck Eastern Highlands, Madang and Morobe provinces in December 2025. The payments were delivered digitally within 14 days of the disaster and totalled PGK 18,400. Parametric insurance differs from traditional insurance by triggering payouts based on pre-defined thresholds—such as earthquake magnitude or rainfall levels—rather than requiring individual loss or damage assessments. This enables faster, more predictable support for affected communities.
The initiative was introduced in Papua New Guinea through a partnership between UNCDF, UNDP, the UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security, Mama Bank, local insurer Pacific MMI, Pacific Reinsurance, and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand.
“This first payment demonstrates how innovation in finance can translate directly into greater resilience for communities across Papua New Guinea. By linking science, data and digital delivery systems, parametric insurance ensures that support reaches people quickly when disasters strike. This is a game changer in PNG, where many vulnerable groups have little experience with formal insurance claims and live in remote areas with limited access to financial services,” UNDP Resident Representative and UNCDF Country Representative in PNG, Mr. Nicholas Booth
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Strengthening Papua New Guinea’s Climate Ambitions under the Paris Agreement
Papua New Guinea is taking bold steps to strengthen its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, with support from UNDP through its Climate Promise initiative. Building on its previous climate pledges in 2016 and 2020, the country is now developing its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which will guide national climate action from 2025 to 2035. This updated framework aims to raise ambition, strengthen implementation, and ensure that climate action delivers tangible benefits for communities across the country. In recent months, UNDP has supported a series of high-level consultations and technical meetings led by the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), bringing together government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society. These discussions are helping to shape a more inclusive, coordinated and actionable national climate strategy. A key focus has been the energy sector, which plays a central role in Papua New Guinea’s development. Stakeholders are working to expand renewable energy, improve grid efficiency, and scale up off-grid solutions, while ensuring that growing energy demand is met in a sustainable and low-emission way. At the same time, nationwide consultations have emphasized the importance of translating climate commitments into real-world impact. Priorities such as gender equality, youth empowerment, and nature-based solutions are being integrated across sectors to ensure that no one is left behind.
“PNG’s NDC 3.0 must go beyond commitments on paper—ensuring that energy access, gender equality, youth engagement and social inclusion are translated into credible, implementable actions,” said UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Nicholas Booth. “The real test is whether these commitments unlock real action, real investment, and real impact for the people of Papua New Guinea.
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UNDP Papua New Guinea's Annual Report for 2025 is now available
As Papua New Guinea celebrated its 50th year of independence in 2025, UNDP continued to work tirelessly to advance gender equality, climate action, peace, and sustainable development across the country. With the support of our generous partners, we achieved some major milestones. In the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, we completed a 1MW solar farm to provide reliable electricity to over 30,000 people. In the Highlands, our mediation efforts brought an end to a nearly three-decade-long armed conflict. Our efforts to preserve Papua New Guinea's spectacular natural heritage also moved forward with the launch of the country's new National Land Use Information Management System and continued support for community-led conservation and climate mitigation in 19 provinces. These are shared achievements, made possible through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to Papua New Guinea's future.
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