BRINGING WOMEN INTO THE MINING DEVELOPMENT PICTURE WELCOME SPEECH BY THE MINISTER FOR MINING HON. SAM AKOITAI, MP ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE FIRST WOMEN IN MINING CONFERENCE IN MADANG, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, FROM 3-6 AUGUST 2003. THANK YOU MR CHAIRMAN, HONOURABLE LADY CAROL KIDU, MINISTER FOR WELFARE AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, DAME MEG TAYLOR, COMPLIANCE OMBUDSMAN WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION MRS. NAHAU ROONEY, ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE PNG NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN, MR. RASHAD KALDANI, DIRECTOR, OF THE OIL, GAS, MINING AND CHEMICALS DEPARTMENT OF THE WORLD BANK, MR. JOHN STRONGMAN, TASK MANAGER, FOR THE WORLD BANK MINING SECTOR PROJECT IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA GUESTS AND DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES FROM OVERSEAS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR MINING WOMEN S ASSOCIATIONS, CONFERENCE DELEGATES, INVITED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA, ALLOW ME FIRST OF ALL TO START BY EXTENDING A WARM PNG WELCOME TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO THIS CONFERENCE. I NOTE THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE TRAVELLED GREAT DISTANCES TO BE HERE TODAY. I WISH YOU ALL AN ENJOYABLE AND PLEASANT STAY IN BEAUTIFUL MADANG AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Page 1 of 9
MAY THIS CONFERENCE TURN OUT TO BE A MEMORABLE AND WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. I CAN SEE FROM THE CONFIDENT SMILING FACES BEFORE ME YOU WILL ENDEAVOUR TO MAKE IT SO. IT IS AN HONOUR FOR MY COUNTRY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THIS CONFERENCE, AND FOR ME AS MINISTER FOR MINING TO BE WITH YOU AND SHARE MY OWN VIEWS AND OPEN THIS CONFERENCE. IN OPENING I WISH TO THANK THE WORLD BANK, AUSAID, MRDC, THE PNG CHAMBER OF MINING AND PETROLEUM AND RIO TINTO LIMITED FOR THEIR GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE HERE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA. THE SUPPORT OF THE WORLD BANK HAS ASSISTED PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO DEVELOP A WORLD FIRST SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICY FOR MINING COMMUNITIES OF WHICH WE CAN BE PROUD. IT HAS IDENTIFIED GENDER EQUITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN AS A KEY FOCUS FOR THE FUTURE. I SEE EACH NEW MINE DEVELOPMENT IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA LEARNING LESSONS FROM THE PAST AND MAKING ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT EACH NEW MINE CAN IMPROVE OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. WITH EACH NEW MINE WE LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS OF OUR MINING COMMUNITIES AND THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE. I AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL ADD TO THE DEPTH OF OUR APPROACH AND FURTHER REFINE THE FRAMEWORK WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT. Page 2 of 9
THE FOCUS OF MY GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING POLICY IS BASED ON A STATEMENT IN OUR CONSTITUTION, WHICH IS: (AND I QUOTE), TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN THE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL LIFE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR COUNTRY. I SEE THAT THIS SAME THEME IS ALSO THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS CONFERENCE. I AM PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE SHOWN IN HOSTING THIS CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN IN OUR MINING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. ALTHOUGH THIS CONFERENCE IS TARGETED AT MINING COMMUNITIES, EVERY INITIATIVE, AND IN ANY SECTOR, THAT AIMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR WOMEN IS POSITIVE AND WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT. I AM VERY PLEASED THAT IT IS IN OUR MINING COMMUNITIES THAT NEW INITIATIVES ARE BEING PLANNED TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN. I PLEDGE MY SUPPORT TO THE STRATEGIES WHICH COME OUT OF THIS CONFERENCE, BECAUSE ANY SMALL STEPS WE NOW TAKE WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE INTO THE FUTURE. I AM PLEASED WITH THE THEME OF THIS CONFERENCE - VOICES FOR CHANGE - WHICH SEEKS TO FIND WAYS TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO HAVE A STRONGER VOICE IN MINING COMMUNITIES. WE NEED WOMEN TO HAVE EQUAL PARTICIPATION AND A GREATER ROLE IN THE PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES RELATED TO MINING. Page 3 of 9
WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT MINING IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS. THESE IMPACTS ARE OFTEN FELT MORE BY THE WOMEN THAN OTHER GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY. SOME IMPACTS ARE HARMFUL, AND SOME ARE BENEFICIAL. I HOPE THAT WHEN WE SEE SOME OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS THAT WE CAN ALSO FINDS WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS. I AM SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY WOMAN DELEGATE HERE HAS, IN THEIR OWN WAY, CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO PROGRESS IN THE AREA OF WOMEN S DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER AT THIS POINT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS OF SOME OF THE MEN WHO ARE HERE AT THIS CONFERENCE, WHO HAVE ALSO RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO DEVELOPMENT. TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TODAY AND TO LISTEN TO YOUR COLLECTIVE VOICES SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE ISSUES AND FINDING SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS IS OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO MY MINISTRY. WE NEED YOUR INPUT IN ORDER TO FIND INTELLIGENT AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO INCLUDE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT PLANS. NONE OF US SHOULD UNDER-ESTIMATE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN ASSISTING WOMEN IN MINING COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND EQUALITY FOR WOMEN. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS LARGELY A COUNTRY OF SUBSISTENCE RURAL COMMUNITIES. WOMEN IN THESE RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BULK OF ACTIVITIES THAT SUSTAIN THE LIVELIHOOD OF THOSE COMMUNITIES. WE ARE ONE OF THE LEAST URBANISED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. THE WORLD AVERAGE HAS 45 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION IN URBAN CENTRES, AND THE AVERAGE FOR LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IS 38 PER CENT. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS BETWEEN 15 Page 4 of 9
AND 20 PERCENT URBAN. IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION ONLY TWO COUNTRIES ARE LESS URBANISED THAN PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND THESE ARE NEPAL AND BHUTAN. IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT, CHANGE IS OFTEN SLOWER. THERE ARE STRONG SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NORMS THAT CONTROL THE LIVES OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES. MANY OF THESE CUSTOMS RESULT IN A MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY AND SOME UNDERVALUE OUR WOMEN. WE MUST BE BOLD AND BRAVE TO MAKE CHANGES FOR THE GOOD OF ALL AND EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT IS RIGHT AND FAIR. TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE WE WILL NEED TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN IN PARTICULAR HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION. THIS IS BECAUSE WOMEN ARE THE MAIN EDUCATORS OF OUR CHILDREN. IF THEY THEMSELVES ARE EDUCATED AND HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, THEN THE WHOLE NEXT GENERATION WILL ALSO BENEFIT. THIS IS A POWERFUL CONTRIBUTOR TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. IN MY VISITS TO MINING SITES THE MAIN INTEREST FOR WOMEN HAS BEEN IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES THAT ARE OFFERED BY THE MINING WOMEN S ASSOCIATIONS. THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR MANY OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS HAS BEEN THE FINANCING OF OPERATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATIONS. I AM SURE WE WILL HEAR MORE OF THIS DURING THE CONFERENCE. WE MUST ADDRESS THIS AND FIND WAYS TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THE VARIOUS WOMENS ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WOMEN S ASSOCIATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED BY GOVERNMENT AND I AM ALSO AWARE THAT SOME HAVE BECOME INVOLVED IN BUSINESS TO SURVIVE. IN A FEW CASES THIS HAS BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL. I CONGRATULATE THOSE ASSOCIATIONS WHO HAVE SHOWN SUCH DETERMINATION. Page 5 of 9
I HOPE THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY WAYS FOR WOMEN S ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS IN MINING AREAS TO ACCESS SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MINING. IF THIS IS DONE I AM SURE THAT THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT WELL AND WILL BE OF BENEFIT TO OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS. MY DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY MADE A START BY REQUIRING ALL NEW MEMORANDUMS OF AGREEMENTS (MOAs) AT ANY NEW MINE TO HAVE A SECTION ON WOMEN S ASSOCIATIONS AND HOW THEY ARE TO BE SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY. WE NOW ALSO REQUIRE THAT WOMEN BE REPRESENTED AS A STAKEHOLDER AT THE MOA DISCUSSIONS. IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA MINING HAS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TO OUR NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BY ADDING TO OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, THROUGH EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND SCHOLARSHIPS. HOWEVER TO DATE THESE HAVE MAINLY BEEN TARGETED AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEN. WOMEN HAVE BEEN LEFT TO CARRY AN INCREASING BURDEN OF PROVIDING FOOD AND EDUCATING MORE CHILDREN. IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR MINING COMMUNITIES, WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF MINING BENEFITS. OUR AIM FOR ALL FUTURE MINING DEVELOPMENTS IS TO CHANNEL BENEFITS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT PLANNING COMMITTEES. THESE COMMITTEES MUST INCLUDE WOMEN S REPRESENTATIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS ARE USED IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER. USING THIS FRAMEWORK WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY WOMEN IN MINING COMMUNITIES IN THE PAST MAY BE ADDRESSED. Page 6 of 9
A LOT OF EFFORT IS NOW BEING MADE BY MY DEPARTMENT TO PUT IN PLACE A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR MINING PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. THIS INCLUDES INPUT FROM WOMEN FAR MORE THAN WAS EVER THE CASE IN THE PAST. I WANT TO SEE THE DEVELOPERS BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROPERLY PLANNED AND REGULATED FRAMEWORK THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WHEN THE DECISION TO DEVELOP A MINE IS MADE. IT IS CLEAR FROM STATISTICS THAT PAPUA NEW GUINEA HAS NOT ACHIEVED GENDER EQUITY AND RESULTS TO DATE HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD. FOR EXAMPLE, APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT OF FEMALES AGED TEN YEARS AND OVER ARE ILLITERATE. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS RATED NUMBER 107 OUT OF 143 COUNTRIES ON THE GENDER RELATED DEVELOPMENT INDEX (GDI) OF THE UNITED NATIONS, AND NUMBER 91 OUT OF 102 COUNTRIES ON THE GENDER EMPOWERMENT MEASURE (GEM). THIS CLEARLY SHOWS A NEED FOR MUCH MORE EFFORT TO BE MADE IN PROVIDING ACCESS FOR WOMEN TO EDUCATION, HEALTH SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES. WOMEN MUST ALSO BE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES IN DECISION MAKING AND PLANNING BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF WHAT DEVELOPMENT MEANS. THROUGH THE WEALTH GENERATED FROM OUR MINES IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND THE MEANS TO EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT. Page 7 of 9
IT IS INDEED VERY PLEASING TO SEE THAT THE INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT HAS COME FROM WOMEN WITHIN OUR MINING COMMUNITIES. MY VISION IS ONE WHERE WOMEN TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN OUR MINING COMMUNITIES, WHERE THEY ARE ACTIVE IN THE PLANNING AND CONSULTATION PROCESSES BOTH WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES AND WITH THE DEVELOPERS. WOMEN S REPRESENTATIVES MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL LEVELS, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE GOVERNMENT, DEVELOPERS, FOREIGN AID AGENCIES, AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS TO GIVE A NEW FOCUS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN. IT IS INDEED TIME TO DO THIS IF WE WANT TO ACHIEVE ANY FORM OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. I BELIEVE IT IS TIME WE ALL RECOGNISED THAT MEN AND WOMEN ARE LIKE THE TWO WINGS OF ONE BIRD. IF ONLY ONE WING IS STRONG THE BIRD CANNOT FLY. IF THE BIRD CANNOT FLY IT SITS ON THE GROUND AND GOES NOWHERE. DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT GO AHEAD. THE CHALLENGE FOR MEN TODAY IS TO SEE THAT IT IS ONLY WHEN THE WING OF WOMEN IS STRONG CAN THE BIRD FLY. THEN THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY WILL BE BETTER OFF AS A RESULT. THIS INCLUDES THE MEN THEMSELVES. HOW CAN WE AS A COUNTRY HOPE TO DEVELOP IF WE ARE USING THE SKILLS AND TALENTS OF ONLY HALF OF OUR POPULATION. I BELIEVE THAT THROUGH AN ACTIVE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, THE PARTICIPANTS HERE AT THIS CONFERENCE CAN HELP TO FIND WAYS AT ALL THREE LEVELS, LOCAL, PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF DEVELOPMENT. Page 8 of 9
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR VISION STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS CONFERENCE AND CALL FOR AN ACTION PLAN TO BE DEVELOPED WHICH RECOGNIZES THE ROLE OF WOMEN AS ESSENTIAL AGENTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN OUR MINING IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. WITH THESE WORDS IT IS NOW MY GREAT PLEASURE TO DECLARE THIS CONFERENCE OPEN. HON. SAM AKOITAI, MP MINISTER FOR MINING Page 9 of 9