I have often heard it said that the thing you want most is found in the work you are avoiding.
I believe this is exactly where Papua New Guinea finds itself in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV).
Every year, more money is spent on awareness, forums, and new programs. The number of initiatives continues to grow; yet at the same time, cases of GBV and SARV are also increasing. That should cause us to pause and ask a hard question: Are we doing the right things?
How many forums does it take to bring justice to a victim? How many awareness campaigns are needed before perpetrators are held accountable?
The uncomfortable truth is this: We are avoiding the one area that will actually change the outcome. That area is accountability.
The number of successful prosecutions remains extremely low. Perpetrators understand this. They know there is only a small chance they will be arrested, and an even smaller chance they will be convicted. And so, the cycle continues.
Let’s put this into perspective: If only 3% of bank robbers were ever arrested and prosecuted, how many bank robberies do you think there would be? The answer is obvious.
We do not have an “awareness” problem. People already know what is happening. Communities understand GBV. Increasingly, they understand SARV. The real problem is that those who commit these crimes are rarely held accountable.
This is why the PNG Tribal Foundation worked tirelessly to help draft the laws addressing SARV, and why we continue to support the police and the Department of Justice to ensure perpetrators are arrested and successfully prosecuted.
This work is not easy. It requires constant attention, significant resources, and the courage to pursue justice in often hostile environments.
In areas where arrests and prosecutions are happening, we are seeing a reduction in SARV cases. This is not theory – it is reality.
SARV became widespread because people believed they could accuse someone of sorcery, have them tortured or killed, and face no consequences. It became a crime of opportunity for those seeking power, revenge, or financial gain – including those who profit from the accusations themselves.
Let’s be clear. These individuals know what they are doing is wrong. They do not need another awareness campaign; they need accountability. They need to see that their actions will lead to prison, not profit.
We often hear that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Yet, that is exactly what we are doing.
- It is easier to organize a forum than to pursue a prosecution.
- It is easier to hold a walk than to build a case.
- It is easier to talk about the problem than to confront it.
That is why so many continue to focus on activities that make us feel good but do not change the outcome. If we are serious about protecting women, and if we are serious about ending the torture and murder of innocent people, then we must shift our focus.
I am calling on development partners, government departments, and leaders across every sector to make this shift.
Focus on arrests.
Focus on prosecutions.
And then build awareness around the fact that perpetrators are being held accountable.
Several years ago, when I testified before the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV, I suggested a simple strategy:
Secure a successful prosecution — and let the country see it.
Since then, the Tribal Foundation has helped support 146 arrests and 14 successful prosecutions.
I can tell you firsthand — this is hard work.
But the results we are all looking for are not found in what is easy.
They are found right next to the hard work we have been avoiding.
That is where we change the game.
That is where Papua New Guinea wins. This is where women find safety and respect.