Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls to visit PNG and Bougainville

Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja, is visiting Port Moresby and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville this week.

In Port Moresby today, Ambassador Stott Despoja met with the Business Coalition for Women (pictured), representatives of the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee and young leaders to talk about the challenges and their important work in this field.

Ambassador Stott Despoja’s program in Bougainville includes joining the launch of a new Bougainville Women’s Federation office and meeting with women from the human rights defenders network.

The Ambassador for Women and Girls is responsible for high-level advocacy to promote Australian Government policies and activity regarding gender equality and the social, political and economic empowerment of women and girls, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Ambassador works closely with foreign governments, international organisations and civil society to support measures that: eradicate violence against, and trafficking of, women and girls; promote better educational and health outcomes; protect women and girls in conflict and promote the role of women in peace-building; eliminate discrimination; and enhance the participation of women in decision-making and leadership.