Today is “Wear Black” day, a day chosen to remember the late Jenelyn Kennedy……and for her death not to be in vain.
As calls soar high and above for Justice to be served and for stronger laws to be introduced, many will do the “Walk for Jenelyn” this afternoon from the parliament to the Sir John Guise Stadium to be followed by a vigil.
The Call to end gender based violence following Jenelyn Kennedy’s death has gained momentum…thanks to social media as word spread quickly and many working class people turned up in black today to support this call.
Photos posted on social media came from different parts of the country…from Mendi in the Southern Highlands to Kiunga in the Western Province.
This afternoon’s event is an initiative by the PNG Men Up, a group comprising like-minded elite PNG men who want an end to violence by working alongside existing groups to drive this change. Jenelyn Kenndy’s family and other interested groups and individuals will also join in the walk.
Police commissioner, David Manning earlier this week revealed plans to call for a forum after investigations are completed to looks at ways to strengthen existing laws, ensure police are more responsive and to push for the state to provide long term support systems for victims of family and sexual violence.
The NGO Development Council while calling for justice and an end to violence also highlighted system failures that leads to breeding of family and sexual violence highlighting specifically the system that allows underage marriage and the failure in the law, justice and health sectors to recognize the risks among others.
NDC has called on the police, health sector agencies, medical profession and other law and justice system partners to work together to change these deadly system failures.
Meantime, the Walk for Jenelyn this afternoon will be livestreamed on the EMTV Online Facebook Page.
