violence related to sorcery accusations also affect the region, exacerbated by the post-conflict situation. In 2016, the Community Government Act took effect and replaced the Council of Elders Act of 1996. Each ward is now represented by both a woman and a man. The Policy for Women’s Empowerment, Gender Equality, Peace and Security was also launched. The Department for Community Development intends to play a stronger leadership and coordination role in relation to women’s empowerment activities. A synopsis of Bougainville’s political, social, cultural, and economic context and recent developments is in Appendix 6. Findings Progress towards Bougainville Gender Investment Plan outcomes Figure 1 illustrates Pacific Women’s contributions towards achieving the Bougainville Gender Investment Plan outcomes. Projects are contributing to all intended outcomes, with the strongest contribution to building women’s confidence in leadership roles. Figure 1. Bougainville Gender Investment Plan outcomes scorecard The outcome is not applicable Too early to assess or insufficient evidence to permit assessment Clear evidence of progress towards the outcome Project Children's family and sexual violence knowledge Women receiving family and sexual violence services Improved quality of family and sexual violence Services Women more confident in leadership roles Bougainville Women's Federation advocacy Increased use of financial services Agricultural benefits Income from produce Inclusive Development in Bougainville Women’s Leadership Project Voter Education Leadership Support Project Family Gender Justice and Healing End Violence Against Children Campaign Do No Harm Developing Communication Strategies Improving Impact of Interventions Progress towards Country Plan objectives Of the ten projects in Bougainville, four are in early implementation. The more mature projects demonstrate evidence of progress towards each of the Country Plan objectives. Examples of implementing partners acting together, working with government, and coordinating with other DFAT sectoral programs include the following: The Inclusive Development project is based in the Department for Community Development and is coordinating with the Bougainville Peace-Building Program, which also has a community grants
For each intended outcome, the Country Plan identifies outcomes expected by 2016. These are set out in full in Table 1. Table 1 Outcomes expected by 2016 # Leadership and influence Women’s economic empowerment Violence response and services Learning and understanding 1 Government of Papua New Guinea policies and programs promote women’s leadership and decision-making Women in agriculture and informal markets have increased safety, productivity and incomes Referral pathways and coordinated quality services support survivors of family and sexual violence in priority provinces Learning modules, products and networks address knowledge gaps and incrementally contribute to learning platform and program performance 2 Office for Development of Women effectively coordinates gender policy development and implementation and reports against Government of New Guinea obligations Women have the skills required to access formal employment and business opportunities Government effectively coordinates and begins to fund service provision for survivors of violence Participants and stakeholders learn more effective ways to strengthen women’s empowerment and increase their influence 3 in elected, appointed and administrative positions at local, district and provincial levels have the skills required to fulfil their role and effectively represent women’s interests Private sector businesses adopt policy changes and promote workplace practices, which promote gender equality and women’s participation and more jobs Reduced violence against women in some targeted places Certification of Trauma Counselling Curriculum and Counsellors’ Best Practice Manual are developed 4 More women successfully contest elections and Parliament more able to represent both women and men’s interests Women have increased access to markets Evidence about the causes of violence and the drivers of change is available Increased availability of scholarships for women in areas that address knowledge and skills gaps constraining women’s empowerment 5 Mining agreements are developed in consultation with women and represent women’s interests and are models for other natural resource agreements Women and children’s lives saved from extreme violence and helped to rebuild their lives Good quality information and training is available to support women’s recovery from trauma, increase and contribute to improvement of their livelihoods 6 Innovative models of service delivery established and sustained over time Innovative approaches that improve women’s lives trialled through Pacific Women are taken up by other Australian investments 7 Targeted family and sexual violence prevention programs are tested in priority provinces 8 Promising coalitions supported to effectively advocate New Guinea solutions for reducing violence (O)
10 May Meet with Centre Coordinator and Project Coordinator Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Sister Lorraine Garasu and Agnes Titus From gender based violence to gender Justice and healing project Completed 10 May Meet with Project partners and beneficiaries Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Project partners and beneficiaries Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Completed 10 May Meet with Inclusive Development Civil Society Representative Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation Hakena Civil Society Organisation Representative and member of the Inclusive Development steering committee Not available 11 May Meet with and Interview DFAT Bougainville Rep DFAT Buka Office Cameron Daraugh Jeffrey Kop Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Completed CD only 12 May Debrief to DFAT, Autonomous Bougainville Government and Pacific Women Partners DFAT Conference Room Completed