Clinton visit raises hopes for embattled Pacific women
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SYDNEY — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit this week to impoverished Papua New Guinea (PNG) has raised hopes of a greater focus on tackling shocking levels of violence against women in the Pacific nation.
In a flying visit to Port Moresby on Wednesday, Clinton will “stress the importance of empowering women” in a country rights group Amnesty says suffers from extremely high rates of abuse and discrimination toward females.
“If you are born a woman in PNG you are already at a disadvantage,” University of Papua New Guinea law lecturer Tapora Isorua told AFP.
“The fact that someone of Hillary Clinton’s status is coming to PNG and addressing that issue could... bring the message across to parliamentarians.”
Violence against women is rife in the underdeveloped nation where most people live in remote villages, with studies showing some two-thirds of adult females experience domestic violence, Amnesty campaigner Hannah Harborow said...... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101102com7.html
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