Law changes needed to ensure more women in PNG parliament

8:39 am on 29 April 2015

Papua New Guinea's Registrar of Political Parties says electoral law changes are needed to ensure there is greater representation by women in parliament.

A new bill is now before parliament and it is part of proposed amendments to the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates.

The bill will ensure 10 per cent of candidates endorsed by political parties are women and failure to comply will lead to de-registration.

Alphonse Gelu says the bill is a step towards equal opportunity and will rectify sections nullified by the Supreme Court in 2010.

"We sat down and we went through the law in order to fill those gaps that the Supreme Court has nullified. We cannot operate on a piece of legislation that has gaps in it. No, we have to change the law. We have to come up with a revised one and that is exactly what we have done."

Alphonse Gelu.

There are currently three women MP's in the 111-member parliament in PNG.

Yamka women sell vegetables near Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea, 2007.

Papua New Guinea women sell vegetables Photo: AFP

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