Government should consider women candidates: Natapei

Friday, July 20th, 2012

WOMEN parliamentarians remains a critical issue for Melanesian countries like Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands with male dominance - and should be an issue for the next government to consider. The Leader of the Opposition, and the Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group to Papua New Guinea’s general elections Edward Natapei said with the current general elections in Papua New Guinea, the Group’s observation was that there will not be much difference as male candidates will again
dominate their national parliament.
He said in Papua New Guinea, the previous government intended to pass a legislation to reserve seats for women candidates, unfortunately that legislation did not go through as some of the parliamentarians walked out
from the chamber.
However Natapei said that the new government in power must consider the issue, so that women have a greater voice in parliament.

Source: The Vanuatu Independent Weekly Newspaper/Issue No439/14 July 2012

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