“A police vehicle pulls quietly into a clinic compound. A young mother steps out, her face bruised and swollen, clutching her baby while a small child clings to her torn blouse. She had waited until her husband fell asleep before escaping into the night”. (Source: UNFPA Papua New Guinea, survivor testimony, 2020)

In Enga Province, a woman accused of sorcery was tortured and killed in front of her children. The children, left orphaned and stigmatized, were abandoned by relatives who feared being associated with her. (Source: PNG National Research Institute SARV Report, 2021).

This is not just a story. For many women in Papua New Guinea, it is reality.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) refers to violence directed at individuals based on gender, disproportionately affecting women and girls. It includes physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse, often within families and communities.

Sorcery Accusation-Related Violence (SARV) occurs when individuals are accused of practicing sorcery, often without evidence. These accusations lead to torture, persecution, and killings, fueled by fear, cultural beliefs, and misinformation.