Women leaders stranded in Port Moresby, appeal to PM over funding crisis

The President of Papua New Guinea's National Council of Women (NCW), Sabeth Yengis, and Vice President Daiu Gairi have issued an urgent appeal to Prime Minister James Marape. They describe a severe funding and administrative crisis that has left them stranded in the national capital, Port Moresby, without adequate office support or accommodation.

The leaders, who were elected during the NCW convention in April 2025, relocated from their home provinces with the intention of serving women across Papua New Guinea. However, they report significant difficulties in carrying out their responsibilities due to what they claim is a lack of direct access to their allocated funding.

Their appeal highlights a critical operational challenge that impedes their ability to fulfill their mandate. The situation underscores potential systemic issues in the administrative and financial support provided to national women's organizations, impacting their effectiveness and the services they can offer nationwide.

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We left our home provinces and families to serve women across Papua New Guinea, but are now struggling to carry out our duties due to what we claim is the lack of direct access to our allocated funding.