Papua
New Guinea: Women in Oil Palm Association become empowered
In late 2008, WRM and Friends of the Earth Papua New Guinea/CELCOR
jointly organised a workshop with local women in Papua New Guinea.
The workshop referred to oil palm plantations that are being mainly
promoted to feed the European market with palm oil (used in products
such as cosmetics, soap, vegetable oil and foodstuffs) as well as
for the production of agrofuels.
In a country where most
of its 5 million population still lives in the rural area and rely
on subsistence farming for their livelihoods, the oil palm export-driven
production is increasing at the expense of traditional livelihoods.
The workshop gathered women
from different provinces and enabled them to express their concerns
regarding the expansion of oil palm plantations: possible land shortages
due to oil palm expansion; contamination of rivers, streams, as
well as soils and the air as a result of the use of agrotoxics in
the plantations.
However, they went beyond
and also tackled women issues, giving an insight into the impacts
of oil palm plantations on their condition as women. They referred
to the reinforcement of male control over women through the increasing
control of men over the income from oil palm production; the restriction
of women’s access to garden land as a consequence of the conversion
of traditional farmlands to oil palm plantations; social disruption
including increased alcoholism and domestic violence.
The meeting served as a
catalyst for the need of women to organise themselves, and one of
the outcomes of the workshop was a plan to establish an association
of women within the framework of the campaign on oil palm issues.
In November 2009 Women in Oil Palm Association (WOPA) was established,
and this year 2010 it is in the process of being registered under
the Investment Promotion Authority.
The Association was formed
with the purpose of:
• “Exposing
the impacts of the oil palm industry in PNG on women and children
through awareness and community mobilization
• Campaigning
for change in government policies, oil palm company management practices
on the environment, social and economic livelihood and welfare of
the women and children
• Campaigning
and lobby for women and children rights against deprivation and
violation by the industry
• Uniting
affected women to form solid foundation and established a women
network to campaign on issues affecting women and children
• Protecting
and promoting the rights of women and children
• Acting
as a body, a voice or catalyst for the oil palm affected women
• Campaigning
and lobbying for the environment and community livelihood to be
defended, preserved and managed in a sustainable way.”
The creation of
the WOPA is important to raise women's issues in the oil palm industry
in PNG. The initiative of the Women in Oil Palm Association is a
relief for the women who are quietly campaigning on oil palm issues
impacting their livelihoods.
There are many challenges
ahead for the women organized under the WOPA. Yet, it is a major
step in the process of women becoming empowered to demand for their
rights and as they claim “for the environment and community
livelihood to be defended, preserved and managed in a sustainable
way”.
Adapted from the article
"WOMEN IN OIL PALM ASSOCIATION (WOPA)" sent by George
Laume, from Friends of the Earth Papua New Guinea-CELCOR, email:
glaume@celcor.org.pg.
The full article can be accessed at: http://www.wrm.org.uy/countries/PapuaNG/WOPA.pdf
