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TOPIC: Clinton visit raises hopes for embattled Pacific women (AFP 11/01/10)

Jen the Michigander

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Date: Nov 1, 2010

Clinton visit raises hopes for embattled Pacific women (AFP 11/01/10)	Permalink

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iEkw48FqEQ7sfbfa0mRigL_xihpg US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit this week to impoverished Papua New Guinea has raised hopes of a greater focus on tackling shocking levels of violence against women in the Pacific nation. In a flying visit to Port Moresby on Wednesday, Clinton will "stress the importance of empowering women" in a country rights group Amnesty says suffers from extremely high rates of abuse and discrimination towards females. "If you are born a woman in PNG you are already at a disadvantage," University of Papua New Guinea law lecturer Tapora Isorua told AFP. "The fact that someone of Hillary Clinton's status is coming to PNG and addressing that issue could... bring the message across to parliamentarians." Clinton's focus on women's issues was shown earlier on her Asia trip when she visited a rehabilitation centre for the victims of sex trafficking in Cambodia. The shelter run by AFSEIP provides rehabilitation, vocational training, and social reintegration for sex trafficking victims. Violence against women is rife in Papua New Guinea, an underdeveloped nation where most people live in remote villages, with studies showing some two-thirds of adult females experience domestic violence, Amnesty campaigner Hannah Harborow said. Harborow believes that violence against women has reached epidemic proportions in parts of the Pacific, particularly Papua New Guinea where women accused of sorcery have also been known to be tortured and killed. "It is very widespread and pervasive in the region, and in PNG," she said. UN-backed studies which aimed to give a fuller picture of the scale of the problem in the region reported earlier this year that about two-thirds of women had been physically hurt by their partners in the Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Interviews with thousands of women revealed that while abuse ranged from being slapped to more severe violence such as punching, kicking or being injured with a weapon, it was more commonly at the severe end of the scale. In a statement announcing Clinton's visit, the US Embassy in Port Moresby said the secretary was particularly interested in the passage of a bill designed to give women a greater voice in the PNG parliament. Only one woman, Dame Carol Kidu, currently serves in PNG's 109-member parliament and the UN-backed bill would ensure that 22 seats in the house were reserved for women to allow female representation from every province. "I am hoping that when she flags the problem, with her status, that they (politicians) do see that it is quite a staggering problem in PNG and needs to be addressed," Isorua said. "It's high-profile, and for just a window of time, I hope the world is watching when she comes here," she said of the visit. "That in itself is really powerful." Clinton, who will meet with PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare as well as women working in the defence and police forces, businesswomen and survivors of violence, is on an Asian tour which includes New Zealand and Australia. __________________ Nobody puts THIS baby in the corner!

reddirtgirl

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Date: Nov 2, 2010

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Hillary works so hard for women all over the world. Just think what would have happened here in the US if she were President. Anyway, her schedule must be packed to the gills b/c she takes the time to talk to the women of every country she goes to. __________________

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