BY SEPKOLIN WALNE
THE Department for Community Development and Religion has presented a cheque of K1.5 million to the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Grants.
Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion, Hon. Jason Peter, stressed the critical role that CSO played in this space.
“The dedication and resilience that you’ve demonstrated are invaluable to our shared mission. It is my firm believe that we cannot succeed in this battle against GBV without your unweaving support and commitment,” Mr Peter said during the launch of the safehouse report.
“Therefore, I am proud to announce today that my ministry, through the National Gender-Based Violence Secretariat, has committed K1.5 million to CSO Grants.”
He added that it was specifically designed to support organization working to respond to and prevent gender-based violence in in line with the National Gender-Based Violence Strategy.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said: “Today marks are momentum of step forward in our national journey to end gender-based violence in PNG.
“We gathered to launch both the safe house report and K1.5 million CSO GBV Grants Program initiatives that stand as pillars of hope, accountability and collective action.”
Deputy Secretary for the Community Development (Program) Division, Warren Marape, said: “Since 2022 about K4.8 million was expanded to all our CSO, last year according to a report we have expanded around K894,000 and we would like to build on from that success.”