Last Night’s “Shine the Light Vigil” has seen a Men’s advocacy group, start to take the lead in making a change in PNG society.
The “PNG Man Up” group, has come to the fore, pushing for tougher laws, in the wake of the Jenelyn Kenedy Murder.
MAN UP is a men’s advocacy group that has shot to prominence in the wake of Jennelyn Kennedy’s murder.
At present, the group is pushing for a review of existing laws on domestic and gender-based violence and abuse.
They’ve created a petition to create ‘Jenelyn’s Law’, that seeks to ensure tougher penalties against perpetrators of violence. This would include removing bail for abusers and murderers, stronger convictions, higher sentencing, and criminalizing compensation payments.
Former Chief Migration Officer, Solomon Kantha, a member of the Man Up campaign says the time for change has taken far too long in the making.
On Monday, PNG Man Up, created a pledge, urging all Papua New Guinean men to stand together to make a real change in society, calling it the MAN UP Pledge.
In it, a number of articles, that encourage men to report cases of DV, allay support to women’s groups, and importantly, ensure the education of men on violence.
NCD Governor, Powes Parkop, along with a handful of senior politicians and bureaucrats have taken the Man Up pledge, including Police Minister Bryan Kramer and Prime Minister James Marape, who’s signatures were the first on the pledge.
The Jenelyn Kenedy case has drawn widespread interest and condemnation after she was tortured to death.
PNG Man Up is one of the many advocacy groups in the country, pushing for change across the board, with a focus on PNGs’ complex cultural system, social responsibilities, politically presented bills, and reviews of the legal system.
