Gender-Based Violence costs PNG billions

Statistics reveal the economic cost to the nation in terms of lost work and productivity for women and girls, is estimated at nearly K18.64 billion in cost-productive days per year.

N-C-D Governor and Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Powes Parkop, revealed these alarming statistics during the Special parliamentary session on the Status of women and girls.

He says the number of women and girls subjected to Gender-Based Violence is increasing to about K3.5 million, since the launching of the National Strategy to respond to and end G-B-V in 2017.

In 2016, the figure was at K2.5 million, representing a rate of one woman subjected to violence every ten seconds.

Parkop says, nine years later and this has worsened with the nature of violence becoming increasingly horrific, from low level harassment and intimidation to kidnapping, torture and mutilation.

He adds, recent national surveys, show a staggering increase to three-point-four-million women and girls, experiencing violence in one form or another.

He says, this is an urgent call to action and must not be ignored or delayed.