'The Blank Bilum'

For almost two years, the WEAVERS research team, led by Dr Orovu Sepoe and consisting of 16 women’s rights actors from across PNG, has worked together to design and implement a ground-breaking new research project about the women’s rights movement in Papua New Guinea.

IWDA commissioned the locally-owned and implemented research project with the aim of strengthening the women’s rights movement in Papua New Guinea through both the research process and the research findings and recommendations. In line with our Decolonial, Knowledge Translation, Feminist Research and Movement Strengthening Frameworks, our role in this project included ‘stepping up’ and using our locational power to secure the funding for the research; ‘standing with’ the PNG team by providing enabling infrastructure for the research; and ‘stepping back’ to foreground and center the voices of PNG team members who were leading and implementing the research.

Step up by using our locational power to secure the funding for the research

Stand with the PNG team by providing enabling infrastructure for the research

Step back to foreground and centre the voices of PNG team members who were leading and implementing the research

In April, the team came together to celebrate the research report at a national launch event in Port Moresby, and to reflect on the research journey to date.

Speaking as part of a panel of PNG women’s right actors at the launch the following day, Catherine Natera (WEAVERS Research Steering Committee Member) noted that there is a blank bilum in the design on the front cover of the research report (featuring bilums with designs from across PNG), and that this reflects that it is “up to PNG women to share where we want to go, we can weave our own story moving forward, set our own direction and chart our own path”.

Over dinner that night after the launch event, the team discussed how the bilum design and metaphor could help communicate the key research findings and recommendations to all women in PNG, regardless of their literacy or understanding of language around women’s rights.

An illustration of interconnected Bilum bags representing the interconnected PNG women’s movement.

Artwork by Gazellah Bruder

Since the national launch event in April, WEAVERS research team members have organised and led six regional launch events across PNG to share the findings and recommendations with stakeholders in their networks and regional areas and identify and plan priorities for informed collective action arising from the research. The launch events have taken place in Wewak (East Sepik Province), Chabai (Bouganville, NGI province), Goroka (Lower Highlands), Jiwaka (Upper Highlands) and in Port Moresby with stakeholders from the Southern Papua Region and with diverse women from HIV+, Sex worker and LGBTQI+ networks.

Across the launch events, the team reported receiving consistently positive feedback, including appreciation for the genuine local leadership and ownership of the research project and report; for the research rigour and integrity; for ensuring that people with disabilities and other diverse groups were included and represented in the research; for the involvement of emerging and young women leaders in the project; and for the quality and utility of research findings and recommendations that resonated with women’s rights actors, as well as church, political and community leaders from across the country.

Too often, time and funding to support the sharing, uptake and use of research outputs by those who are most affected by and have the highest stake in the research is cut from total budget amounts or deprioritised in the design of research projects. Resources to support knowledge dissemination, uptake or use can be seen as a luxury, or ‘an additional extra’ instead of as a critical component of a successful research project. While it is too early to know the broader impact of these knowledge translation activities, it is clear that concerted efforts to share the findings and recommendations, and start discussions about how these can be acted on to strengthen the women’s rights movement in PNG, are appreciated.

Scroll below to learn more about each launch event.

"It is a great achievement for women's rights organisations in the country. It is the first of its kind; a research report for the key players to use as a tool that charts a way forward for women’s rights defenders/actors’."
WEAVERS research steering committee member

"Now I have the ammunition (evidence) to back me up on the path of ensuring women have separate funding for their programs and activities. When I started work on this the women said: why are you doing this? No other women’s representative in the past has ever done this."
Natasha Panta, Women’s representative in the Milne Bay Provincial Assembly

“It’s a very good research report”
Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso

“This research and the report has shed light on our path. We were in the dark now we can see clearly."
Church women leader after the national launch event in Port Moresby

East Sepik Regional Launch – 8^th and 9^th May, Wewak, East Sepik Province

The launch was organised by Sophie Mangai (WEAVERS research data collector), hosted by the East Sepik Council of Women in partnership with WaterAid facilitated by Jonathon Kunua (WaterAid).

Over two days, Sophie Mangai launched the WEAVERS research report with other women leaders, government and civil society representatives in East Sepik province. On the first day, women presidents from the six districts of East Sepik Province came together to discuss the findings and recommendations and identify their collective requests for action arising from the research report.

On Day 2, the women leaders shared their thoughts with government representatives and other civil society stakeholders, to develop a shared plan for action arising from the recommendations outlined in the report. The report was officially received and noted by the Deputy Administrator of East Sepik Provincial administrator, Mr Kami. Mr Kami accepted the challenged to take local action to implement the contextualised recommendations developed by Presidents of all Local Councils of Women on the first day and listened to the women’s proposed cause of action moving forward.

Upper Highlands regional launch - 23^rd May, Jiwaka Province

The Upper Highlands launch was organised by Sabinah Kaman (WEAVERS research steering committee member) and Kune Garap (WEAVERS research data collector).

The launch was held for a mix of participants from across registered women’s rights organisations, young women and emerging leaders, the Provincial Council of Women and local church groups. With printed copies of the executive summary in Tok Pisin, Sabinah and Kune led a discussion with participants on some of the key themes that emerged from the research, gathering their thoughts on topics like how human rights are defined in the region and the connections between rights actors and women’s organisations.

The unique research process used for this project was also discussed, exploring the locally-led, decolonial approach with participants and how these principles were put in practice throughout the project.

Launch with key populations - Saturday 25^th May, Port Moresby

A special launch event was held in Port Moresby to share the findings of the research report with diverse and often marginalised groups in Papua New Guinea, including those who represent sex workers, LGBTQI+ and HIV+ women and communities.

Organised by Maura Elaripe (WEAVERS research steering committee member), the launch started with a virtual presentation by Dr Sepoe outlining the background, methodology and key findings of the report. Participants were then encouraged to share their reflections on the findings and how it could be used to move their priorities and goals forward.

New Guinea Islands Regional Launch - June 5th, Chabai

The New Guinea Islands Regional Launch of the WEAVERS Research report was organised by IWDA partner Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation (NCfR). It was a momentous event that brought together 108 attendees. The event celebrated the women’s rights movement in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea and aimed to highlight its historical significance and future aspirations.

The launch was facilitated by Dr Mercy Masta (WEAVERS research steering committee member), who guided the proceedings and ensured the smooth flow of the event. The event kicked off with an opening address by NCfR’s Executive Director Sr Lorraine, who provided a comprehensive historical background on the global women’s rights movement before emphasising the critical role played by women during the Bougainville crisis. She recounted how women led the peace movement and were instrumental in spreading the message of peace, ultimately playing a pivotal role in the Bougainville peace process. Through her address, Sr Lorraine challenged both men and women to actively support the women's work in bringing about peace and development in Bougainville.

This was followed by a presentation of the research report by Dr Masta before opening it up to a panel discussion with seasoned and emerging women leaders of the women's rights movement in Bougainville. The panel provided a platform for intergenerational dialogue while highlighting diverse perspectives within the movement.

Bishop Darius Kaluza from the Catholic Church delivered the final remarks, encapsulating the event's spirit of unity and progress, with the launch's opening and closing marked by performances from a male bamboo band and singing by women, adding a cultural and celebratory touch to the proceedings.

Southern Papua regional launch - June 8^th 2024, Port Moresby

The Southern Papua regional launch was organised by Catherine Natera (WEAVERS research steering committee member).

Dr Sepoe led an hour-long session on the methodology and findings of the research report, highlighting the locally-led, inclusive and collaborative process used throughout and the recommendations that have come out of these findings. To facilitate the conversation with participants, hard copies of the Motu translation of the research’s executive summary were handed out.

Lower Highlands Regional Launch - June 11^th, Goroka

The Lower Highlands launch was organised by Peter Umba (WEAVERS research steering committee member) with support from Kenneth Manman (WEAVERS research data collector) in Goroka.

In attendance were people identified as taking a lead in advocating for women’s rights at different levels of society including community leaders in the Eastern Highlands Province, members of civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, the police, members of the district and national court, University of Goroka representatives and the government.

After a presentation of the research findings and recommendations, participants discussed the importance of the research to their work and how it could be used to further their advocacy and funding goals. For one of the attendees, it was particularly powerful to see the inclusion of people with disabilities in the research as they noted how often their voices are left out of projects like these.

For the male community leaders present, the report and discussions at the launch emphasised the importance of working with women’s rights organisations and deepened their desire to support their work to address gender-based violence.