Secretary of the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion Jerry Ubase (left) Wapenamanda MP and Finance Minister Miki Kaeok briefing on the Safe House Concept and the establishment of the Wapenamanda District Community Development Centre.
By Mortimer Yangharry
The Wapenamanda District in Enga Province will pilot the Safe House Concept for victims of all forms of violence after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion in Port Moresby this morning.
Secretary for the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion Jerry Ubase highlighted that the Wapenamanda District Community Development Centre will cost an initial K2.5 million to build with the inclusion of the Safe House facility costing an additional K800,000 totalling up to a K3.2 million social development project.
Secretary Ubase elaborated that safe houses are integral to the protection of victims of gender-based and sorcery accusation-related violence which is prevalent and a common social issue in most communities throughout the Highlands Region and Papua New Guinea as a whole.
He indicated the need for good collaboration work with respective provincial governments and District Development Authorities (DDAs) acknowledging the support shown by the Wapenamanda District Development Authority (WDDA) to establish this important project which is first of its kind in the province and region.
Wapenamanda MP and Finance Minister Miki Kaeok will make available K1.65 million through the WDDA with support from the Enga Provincial Government that will enable the construction and establishment of the K3.3 Wapenamanda District Community Development Centre.
The Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion has provided a counterpart funding of K1.65 million to establish this much needed infrastructure in a region where gender based and sorcery related violence is prevalent but not reported due to cultural restrictions.
