HIV Prevention Report Card - Papua New Guinea

This series of report cards aims to increase and improve the programmatic, policy and funding actions taken on HIV prevention for girls and young women.

The report cards summarise the current situation of HIV prevention strategies and services and contain an analysis of five key components that influence HIV prevention, namely:

1. Legal provision
2. Policy provision
3. Availability of services
4. Accessibility of services
5. Participation and rights

The cards build on global policy commitments, particularly those outlined in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS from the 2 June 2006 High-Level Meeting, to follow up on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS).

Papua New Guinea

Within the context of Papua New Guinea’s highly male-dominated society, the HIV epidemic presents an extreme threat to girls and young women who
are at very high risk of infection.

The country has a generalised epidemic with a prevalence rate of 1.8%, however high rates of gender-based sexual violence and the acceptance for men to have multiple and concurrent sexual partners contribute to young women and girls’ vulnerability.

Many men, in particular young men, in both rural villages and urban settings are likely to take part
in gang rape (known as line-ups) where one girl or young woman is forced to have sex with a number of young men.

Although there are many different and varying cultures and communities within Papua New Guinea, a high rate of gender-based violence including domestic violence exists across the country.

Access to health care for women has also traditionally been low as women are perceived as inferior to men, have lower life expectancy and very high maternal mortality rates.

The epidemic, therefore, is driven by strong gender-based social and traditional customs and unfortunately there is little gendered policy and legislation to protect girls and young women from HIV/AIDS.