During the 2022 National General Election, the Lagaip District in the Enga Province experienced the worst election with violence and disruption which left families homeless.
Hundreds of women, men, girls, and boys continue to be affected by the ongoing conflicts.
By seeing their needs, the UNFPA through the funding support of USAID presented 300 women and girls from 14 villages in Laiagam with dignity kits.
The women and girls who received these kits walked long distances to reach the Wonepap Catholic Church – that’s where the priest Fr Newman Kingi, distributed the kits to them.
When distributing the kits Fr Newman Kingi, reminded the women and girls of the importance of utilizing all the products in the kits and thanked UNFPA and USAID for such a generous donation of important hygiene items to the affected women and girls.
“We are thankful for this support, for recognizing the needs our women and girls face. The new tent will be used as a safe space for our women and girls,” Fr Newman said.
A kit recipient Erika Aiyah, from the Mapumanda outstation expressed gratitude on behalf of the 25 women from her area saying the kits were of great need to the women.
“We need this, we need menstrual pads. We need underwear. We need torches and whistles during times of violence and these kits meet our needs and more,” Aiyah said.
Ms. Aiyah also shared that election-related violence continues to exist in the villages and women are being killed so they seek refuge.
“Living in our villages is not safe anymore because violence erupts unexpectedly. Most of the women have moved into the Catholic outstation in Mapumanda because in the Church, we are safe. So, we seek refuge there,” she said.
Adding to that Fr Newman Kingi said “these affected women and girls find refuge in the church and through this partnership between UNFPA and the Catholic Church, more will be done and we look forward to it.”
The UNFPA, through the funding support of USAID, provided the district with a tent to be used as a temporary safe space for people who are displaced by violence to receive information and to seek support.
