Under Prudence’s direction, this group is addressing a number of key gender issues ranging from the benefits of men and women sharing household chores, to the importance of encouraging women’s voice and participation in family and community decision making, to the need to stamp out violence against women, and the need to rethink the current logic behind bride price. When I spoke to the group, they told me of their various motivations to work to challenge and change long-held assumptions about women’s roles, and to seek to make a positive difference to both families and communities in the diocese of Popondota.

Iruna, a young female pre-school teacher at Newton College, and one of the members of the group, said that she joined the group because she wanted men and women to share responsibilities together: “We can teach the men, tell them to share the work with their wives”.

Ross said, “We want to change the mindset about bride price from owning a wife to caring for each other. So we need to present a different way of thinking. We need to help them know the importance and value of women. About 99% don’t understand the value of women.”

Thecla, a young woman member, said “I was interested in being part of the group because it is a new program. I want to encourage youths to know and to share in their future, when they get married, to share between each other.”

Peter, a church evangelist, related how he used stories from scripture to illustrate important messages about gender equality, including this one about Adam and Eve: “Eve was not made from the bone of Adam’s head, and so was not to be subordinate to him in thinking, nor was she made from Adam’s foot, and thus was not to be downtrodden by him. Rather, Eve was made from Adam’s rib, thus indicating that she was to be his equal partner, walking side by side with him.”

As well as mobilizing and coordinating the Gender Awareness Group, Prudence is also contributing Gender Awareness to the curriculum of studies undertaken by the women learners at Newton Theological College and going out into rural communities to conduct Gender Awareness there. Part of the program involves returning to communities to monitor the ongoing impacts of awareness-raising. With the incidence of violence against women in PNG among the highest in the world, let us hope that this little group of Anglicans in Popondota has a significant impact in their part of the country.

After returning from the conference, Rita has re-focussed her ministry on environment and conservation, with elements of human rights and indigenous land rights awareness, literacy, practical support for widows in helping them grow coco as a cash crop to support themselves, as well as spirituality. Well known for her bible study ministries, Rita is now using bible studies to show people the scriptural basis for much of what she is teaching about the environment and God’s creation. She is also working in with Mothers’ Union to galvanize and train literacy teaching volunteers such as Rachel, a trained elementary school teacher, to work with her in the Kokoda area where she is a well-known face. Her colleague, Harold, is doing a similar ministry along the coastal regions, largely accessible only by boat. As I got up to leave, Rita apologized for the sparseness of her office: “My real office”, she said, “is with the people, wherever they are.”

The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea has many capable and willing workers in the Popondota diocese, and I was privileged to meet with just some of them this month.

Julianne Stewart
Programs Director
March 2012

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