Gender

Ensuring that women are fully included in development is fundamental to achieving equitable and sustainable outcomes in Papua New Guinea. As such, Papua LNG is committed to promoting gender equality and ensuring that women are actively involved in both project-related activities and community life. This commitment is embedded in the project’s social performance approach and aligns with international standards, including the Equator Principles, which guide the management of social risks and impacts.

Gender considerations are integrated into Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs), which examine issues such as access to employment, community representation, security and risks related to domestic and gender-based violence. These assessments inform targeted actions to promote equitable opportunities and safer environments for women across the project area of influence.

Ensuring Representation and Participation

Women’s participation in decision-making is supported through structured engagement processes such as Lida Kibung meetings, where both male and female community leaders are invited to share perspectives, raise concerns and contribute to dialogue around the project. In parallel, Papua LNG encourages women’s employment and leadership, with several Papua New Guinean women currently holding senior management positions within the project.

Preventing and addressing Gender-Based Violence

A range of initiatives further support women’s empowerment. Through its affiliation with the Bel isi initiative since 2022, the project contributes to addressing Family and Sexual Violence (FSV) and Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV).

Papua LNG employees recently took part in a session led by Business Coalition for Women, a key partner of the Bel isi PNG initiative, focused on strengthening workplace responses to family and sexual violence through training and policy development.

In September 2024, a dedicated group of volunteers, participated in a two-day Workplace Contact Team Training. The training provided valuable insights into the different types of abuse, signs and symptoms to identify survivors, and the role of a Focal Point. Bung Wantaim, or townhall meetings, serve as an essential platform for staff and management to gather, either in person or virtually. These forums are crucial for promoting Bel isi Papua New Guinea and the services available to staff and contractors. Given the endemic nature of FSV in Papua New Guinean society and its significant impact on work performance, Bung Wantaim is an opportune moment to raise awareness and encourage collective action against FSV.

Similarly, PAPUA LNG trains its female Community Liaison Officers (CLO) on these topics. The CLOs provide trusted points of contact for women in communities.

Additional programs focus on education, health and economic participation. These include hygiene awareness initiatives led by local women’s groups, the provision of sanitation facilities in schools to support girls’ attendance, and community-based projects such as art workshops that encourage self-expression and confidence.

Through these efforts, Papua LNG seeks to foster inclusive participation, strengthen women’s voices and contribute to safer, more equitable communities.