The United Nations Population Fund Papua New Guinea concluded its integrated scoping mission last month with its visit to Enga Province, one of the eight initial roll-out provinces in UNFPA’s new Country Programme of Support to the Government of Papua New Guinea, 2024-2028.
Beginning earlier this year, UNFPA initiated this integrated scoping mission to present an overview of the 7th CPD to eight Provincial Governments, including its respective Provincial Health Authorities and provincial offices of the Department of Community Development and Religion (DfCDR) - to discuss the implementing partner agreement and a potential work plan and also, to conduct an initial scoping of potential partners in these Provinces under the UNFPA’s 7thCountry Programme.
The new CPD includes the four provinces from UNFPA’s 6th Country Programme of Support to the Government of PNG, CPD 2019-2023 namely Morobe Province, Eastern Highlands Province, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, and Central Province and the inclusion of four new roll-out sites: National Capital District, and the Province of East New Britain, Western Province, and the Enga Province.
In welcoming the partnership of UNFPA into the Enga Province, Governor Peter Ipatas acknowledged the existing challenges of high maternal deaths and high incidence of Gender-Based Violence as well as Sorcery-Accusation Related Violence in the province and the importance of the support of International Development partners in mitigating these issues in the province.
“It is good for Enga Province to engage with international partners and UNFPA is most welcome in Enga. The Enga Provincial Administration is quite proactive and receptive and will work with UNFPA in successfully implementing its County Programme in the province.”
Enga Provincial Administrator Mr Sandis Tsaka also thanked UNFPA for the collaboration and said that the next five years look promising for the province in the space of Sexual reproductive health and GBV.
“We find alignment between UNFPA's thematic areas and the Enga Provincial Administration's priorities. We are ready to design programmes to accommodate women and girls. My team is ready to work with you.”
According to the United Nations Population Fund Country Office, these eight initial roll-out sites were selected as implementing partners based on the Provincial Government's willingness to work in the space of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender-Based Violence, the feasibility of delivering a comprehensive SRHR-GBV and Mental Health and Psychosocial data program considering security and accessibility, the level of support from development partners and possible convergence site with other UN agencies.
“Through the integration of strategic interventions, this 7th Country Programme is designed to accelerate progress towards achieving UNFPA’s three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and all harmful practices.”
