Our Committees

Our sectoral committees are dynamic and active groups that bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from government, various businesses, civil society organizations, and influential community leaders. These committees play a central and vital role in our dialogue process, fostering continuous and constructive discussions on important issues affecting each sector.

  • Each committee comprises experts and stakeholders from relevant fields, ensuring a broad range of perspectives.

  • Committees meet quarterly to discuss emerging challenges, share insights, and develop actionable solutions.

  • Recommendations from these committees play a crucial role in shaping public policies and influencing decision-making processes.

  • Members benefit from networking opportunities and collaborative projects, enhancing their professional connections and impact.

Key Features of our Sectoral Committees

Informal Economy Sectoral Committee

  • Mission

    To encourage the development and elevation of informal economy activities in the country so that employment and income earning opportunities are created for the greater majority allowing for poverty reduction and potentially improving the living standards of participants in the informal economy sector.

    Objectives

    • Legal Assistance: Strengthen mechanisms that provide legal assistance to informal economy participants.

    • Legislative Review: Review and reform legislation to create a conducive environment for informal economic activities.

    • Representation: Strengthen mechanisms to improve representation of informal economy participants in decision-making processes.

    • Awareness Campaigns: Devise strategic campaigns to raise awareness about the informal economy and related activities.

    • Training and Capacity Building: Support and strengthen existing training and capacity-building mechanisms for administering authorities and informal economy participants.

  • The committee emphasizes that the term "Informal Economy," rather than "Informal Sector," more accurately reflects the role of informal economic activities within Papua New Guinea's total economic system. The informal economy is a vital component of the country's economic growth and development, encompassing small business activities that require minimal technology and capital. These activities include the production, distribution, and sale of goods or services at low levels of productivity.

    The informal economy is distinct from formal enterprises that offer professional services or act as business agents liable for tax. Notably, it creates jobs for over 80% of Papua New Guinea's population, contributes to reducing poverty and crime, drives economic growth, and fosters long-term development.

  • The Informal Economy Committee regularly convenes to provide advice, direction, and advocacy for policy and legislative changes that promote the development of the informal economy in Papua New Guinea.

  • The Informal Economy Committee consists of representatives from various sectors, including government, private sector, churches, NGOs, media, and civil society. Additionally, two sub-committees—Public Goods and Services Sub-Committee and Financial Inclusion Sub-Committee—assist in implementing the National Informal Economy Policy 2011-2015.

    • Government Members:

      • Department for Community Development & Religion (Chair)

      • Department of National Planning & Monitoring

      • Department of Justice & Attorney General

      • National Research Institute (NRI)

      • Center of Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI)

      • Department of Treasury

      • SME Corporation

      • Department of Trade, Commerce & Industry

      • Bank of Papua New Guinea

    • Private Sector Members:

      • Nationwide Microbank Ltd

      • National Development Bank Ltd

      • SME Corporation

    • Civil Society Members:

      • National Council of Women NCD Branch

      • Gordons Market Vendors Umbrella Association

      • Institute of National Affairs (INA)

      • CIMC

    • Development Partners & Donors:

      • UN Women

      • National Capital District Commission

      • Mineral Resources Authority

      • Investment Promotion Authority (IPA)

      • International Finance Corporation (IFC).

  • 1.     The National Audit Survey of the Informal Economy in Papua New Guinea was a significant undertaking led by the Department for Community Development and Religion (DFCDR) in collaboration with the Consultative Implementation & Monitoring Council (CIMC) from March to October 2018. This project received additional support from UN Women, which contracted FOCUS Pty Ltd to oversee the development of the audit methodology and analysis of the results. UN Women also commissioned Digicel to carry out a phone survey to validate key findings.

     

    This complex project involved substantial personal and corporate commitments, as well as impressive interagency teamwork, demonstrating a shared dedication to ensuring that the audit’s findings accurately represent the voices of the informal economy workers themselves. The insights gained from this survey are expected to be instrumental for the Government in shaping its policy responses, ultimately benefiting the 8,000 informal economy workers who participated in the audit and the broader community engaged in Papua New Guinea’s informal economy.

    Funding for the audit came from various sources, including the Government through DFCDR, UN Women, and the European Union Delegation of Papua New Guinea via CIMC.

    Global Context and Significance

    The understanding of the informal economy has evolved globally, particularly with the launch of the New Urban Agenda by UN Habitat in 2017, which urges governments to work with, rather than against, participants in the informal economy. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also provide a framework for monitoring the effectiveness of government actions. These global initiatives, collectively known as Agenda 2030, aim to ensure that “no one is left behind.” Papua New Guinea is uniquely positioned to lead in this regard, as its constitution and legal framework already support transformative approaches to social and economic development. The country’s Medium Term Development Plan III aligns with the SDGs, using them as a tool for setting targets and measuring progress.

    Key Findings and Methodology

    The audit aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the informal economy, focusing on who the participants are, the nature of their activities, the resources they use, the outcomes for their families and communities, and the barriers to formalizing informal enterprises. The research concentrated on the cash economy, particularly in urban areas and regions where urban and rural economies intersect, such as mining areas and commercial plantations.

    Data was collected through 1,801 face-to-face interviews with informal economy workers in six sample survey locations, as well as 6,106 phone interviews. The survey also gathered information on household members and business helpers, providing data on approximately 3% of all informal economy workers in the nation. The key findings from the audit have been aligned with the SDGs, offering a framework for subsequent monitoring of changes resulting from policy interventions or other factors.

    A copy of the audit report will be made available on this website shortly.

    2.  Draft Revised National Policy on the Informal Economy

    The draft revised National Policy on the Informal Economy, which is set to replace the previous National Informal Economy Policy (2011-2015), has been developed. This policy, which will complement the Informal Sector Development and Control Act 2004 and its revised version, aims to guide the Government in its administration of the Act and in all matters related to the development of the informal economy. The revised policy incorporates the findings of the 2018 National Audit of the Informal Economy and suggests new directions for policy and action.

    Papua New Guinea’s Constitution strongly recognizes and endorses the informal economy, with the Preamble calling for development through Papua New Guinean forms of social and political organization and emphasizing small-scale artisan, service, and business activities.

    This revised policy is still undergoing consultation and finalization.

    3.    Informal Economy Voice Mechanism & Strategy: Development of a strategy for informal economy participants to establish IPA-registered associations that will represent their interests and enhance their representation in decision-making processes.

    4.    Review of the Informal Sector Development & Control Act 2004: The committee played a significant role in reviewing this Act to better align it with current policies and promote the informal economy.

    5.    Partnerships and Other Work: The committee has established sub-committees, supported financial inclusion initiatives, participated in child labor and employment policy reviews, and collaborated on projects with various national and international partners.

  • Over the years, the Committee has been actively engaged in analyzing, discussing, and shaping the informal economy in Papua New Guinea. Below are some of the in-depth articles and publications that highlight the issues, successes, and ongoing efforts related to the informal economy. These pieces have been featured on respected platforms such as ANU’s Policy Development Blogsite, the Pacific Institute of Public Policy, and the East Asia Forum.

    Dive into these insightful articles to gain a deeper understanding of our work and the broader context of the informal economy in PNG:

    These articles provide valuable insights and perspectives on the ongoing challenges and advancements in PNG's informal economy. We encourage you to explore these resources to better understand the critical work being done in this sector.

Transport & Infrastructure Sectoral Committee

  • The Transport and Infrastructure Sectoral Committee was set up by CIMC to deliberate on transport and infrastructure issues and challenges in the country with a view to generate rethinking and innovative ideas from private sector, civil society, churches, development partners and the Government on how to address them. This is done by promoting a sustained, broad based consultative process of providing input to the formulation of Government policies and strategies that are targeted to improve transport and infrastructure to advance development and provide better goods and services to the people as aspired by the Government.

  • The Transport and Infrastructure Sectoral Committee meets on a regular basis to discuss emerging Transport and Infrastructure issues and concerns and find solutions for implementation, monitor and report the outcomes to business and the community. This is done through: Quarterly meetings and workshops each year; Facilitating discussions on Transport and Infrastructure issues affecting the country; Proposing alternative advice to Government and relevant agencies on how to address the issues identified; Facilitating discussions on broader national policies and legislation concerning the sector and determining how they can be used to derive best results; and Monitoring the implementation progress of Transport and Infrastructure related recommendations made to Government and report on problems encountered or achievements from implementation.

    To ensure that the needs of all agencies in the sector are brought to the discussion table through a targeted approach the Committee set up 5 Sub-Committees. This Committees are meant to focus their discussions to meet the needs and requirements of their sectors and then elevate the outcomes and resolutions to the bigger Committee for further delebration or upholding. The sub-Committees are:

    Land Transport sub-Committee;

    Sea Transport sub-Committee;

    Air Transport sub-committee;

    Public Utilities (Power, Water, ICT) sub-Committee; and

    Physical Infrastructure (Buildings/Officers and other Infrastructure) sub-Committee.

  • Membership of the Committee is comprised of core Transport and Infrastructure agencies including

    Department of Transport;

    Department of Works;

    Road Traffic Authority;

    Civil Aviation Authority;

    PNG Ports Ltd;

    PNG Chamber of Commerce;

    PNG Business Council;

    other private sector industries;

    Research Institutions;

    Civil Society Representatives, Churches and respected individuals.

    The Committee is chaired by Mr Chey Scovel, Chief Executive Officer for the Papua New Guinea Manufactures Council and is co-chaired by Mr Roy Mumu, Secretary for the Department of Transport (DoT).

  • NCD Public transport operators, users and regulators Workshop - 2018

    The Committee hosted a public transport operators, users and regulators workshop in 2018 (October 25th-26th) in Port Moresby with funding support from ExxonMobil. The theme was “Breaking barriers and building bridges for improved public transport system in Port Moresby”. Many stakeholders attended the two-day workshop and engeged in the discussions to look at ways public transport services can be improved through appropriate policies and legislation to meet required standards. The relevant sectors from Government that participated include the Department of Transport, Motor Vehicle Insurance and the National Road Transport Authority as well as others like ICCC, NCDC, Development partners, Civil society representatives including people with special needs and Churches.

    The workshop was used as an avenue to introduce to service providers the new laws and policies particularly the National Transport Strategy, and policy and legislation on public transport. It also set the foundation for dialogue between transport sector agencies and other partners in order to address regulatory and operational issues concerning public transport systems in Port Moresby.

    The Workshop Objectives are:

    To identify issues and challenges of providing an effecient public transport system in Port Moresby and discuss key recommendations to establish an appropriate, reliable and efficient public transport system;

    To create a conversation platform for relevant service providers and strengethen working relationships.

    The Workshop Purposes are:

    To bring together agencies within the transport sector, private sector representatives, international experts on public transport, civil society and churches, representatives of public transport operators and users to dialogue on the issues and challenges of the public transport system in NCD;

    To identify opportunities provided by the growth and expansion of the city and explore options to coordinate, establish and manage a better and improved public transport in NCD;

    To bring expertise from selected countries with good public transport systems such as Hong Kong, Australia and Fiji to share their knowledge and experiences to improve our system;

    To consolidate views and formulate specific and pragmatic recommendations to be forwwarded to appropriate authorities;

    To present to Government (Minister Transport and NCD Governor) key recommendations as a way forward to facilitate the development of a better, improved and reliable public transport system in NCD.

    The expected workshop outcomes are:

    The public is informed of the National Transport Strategy and about public transport policy and legislation;

    A dialogue platform is created for transport sector agencies and other partners;

    Public’s views and concerns are raised and included in the final outcome for Government’s consideration;

    Consolidated recommendations are compiled and a final report is developed and presented to Government as a way forward.

    The issues and challenges of the public transport system in NCD were identified and recommendations were made for consideration. It is hoped that from these recommendations, a strategy will be developed to improve and make the system more convenient, reliable for efficient service delivery. Some accomplishments of the Committee are:

    Establishment of the National Roads Authority (NRA); and

    Facilitated the creation of the Rural Airstrips Agency (RAA).

Commerce & Services Sectoral Committee

  • This Committee is one of the ten (10) CIMC Committees that meet quarterly to discuss key policy and development issues relating to business growth and development in the country through a muli sector approach. Private sector and civil society representatives and Government officials come together to dialogue on key private sector issues and propose appropriate remedial measures to Government by way of policy development and implementation. The Committee is also tasked to initiate policy research, disseminate information, maintain regular communication among members and be a hub for exchange of ideas and engagement with various stakeholders. Committee meetings are chaired by the President of the PNG Business Council. In the absence of the Chairman, Committe members present at any one meeting will nomnate a member among themselves including the Executive Director of INA or the Executive Officer of the CIMC to chair the meetings.

  • The Committee facilitates ongoing dialogue between Government and private sector and civil society on pressing issues and policies affecting private sector development and growth and find ways to address them. The Committee carries out its function within the following three (3) broad areas.

    One: Ensure private sector and civil society are meaningfully engaged in key commerce and services policy and legislative reforms.

    Key focus of the Committee will be to maintain a robust dialogue platform to inform and create awareness and advocate for effective collaboration and partnerships among all stakeholders (Government and businesses) to look at existing and or new policies in order to ensure private sector development and growth. This will be delivered through regular Committee meetings and special meetings and also through the various media streams, promotional materials, research briefs or reports and information papers targeting relevant state agencies.

    Two: Initiate and facilitate policy research and disseminate information including building and maintaining regular communication among stakeholders and partners.

    The Committee will continue to be a hub for exchange of ideas and mutual engagement with various stakeholders. It will undertake targeted research and disseminate findings/reports through meetings/seminars and presentations echoing issues affecting private sector growth.

    Three: Ongoing monitoring, evaluation and reporting on implementation of key policy initiatives pertinent to private sector growth such as the taxation review report and the SME Policy Implementation and its subsequent periodic reviews.

    The Committee’s input and support in this area is crucial to drive the necessary policy and legislative reforms that support the development of commerce and service activities in the country. It will actively work towards identifying critical important issues on the informal economy and undertake necessary monitoring and evaluation exercise. From time to time it will also commission studies where required with support from partners.

    To ensure that the needs of all agencies in the sector are brought to the discussion table through a targeted approach the Committee set up 5 Sub-Committees. This Committees are meant to focus their discussions to meet the needs and requirements of their sectors and then elevate the outcomes and resolutions to the bigger Committee for further deliberation or upholding. The sub-Committees are:

    Land Transport sub-Committee;

    Sea Transport sub-Committee;

    Air Transport sub-committee;

    Public Utilities (Power, Water, ICT) sub-Committee; and

    Physical Infrastructure (Buildings/Officers and other Infrastructure) sub-Committee.

  • The Committee membership is comprised of representatives from both the public and the private sector and donor agencies as follows:

    Government Sector

    Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council (NEC);

    Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry;

    Department of Treasury;

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring;

    Investment Promotion Authority;

    Tourism Promotion Authority;

    Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade;

    National Training Council;

    Department of Labour and Industrial Relations;

    Small Business Development Corporation;

    University of PNG;

    Infrastructure Development Authority

    PNG Immigration and Citizen Authority;

    National Working Group on Improving Business Climate

    PNG Ports Corporation;

    Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation

    Internal Revenue Commission;

    National Capital District Commission.

    Private Sector

    Business Council of PNG;

    Fisheries Industries Association;

    PNG Chamber of Mines and petroleum;

    Manufacturers Council of PNG;

    Rural Industries Council;

    Forest Industry Association;

    Institute of National Affairs;

    Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry;

    Employers Federation of PNG

    Australia and PNG Business Council;

    PNG Business Council;

    PNG Women Chamber of Commerce;

    PNG Institute of Engineers;

    Indigenous Business Council.

    Civil Society

    Trade Union Congress;

    Business Coalition for Change;

    PNG Council of Churches;

    National Council of Women;

    PNG Resource Governance Coalition;

    Transparency International PNG Inc.;

    The Voice Inc.

    Donors

    ADB;

    AusAid;

    European Union.

  • In the past few years the Committee pursued a number of vital issues as shown below.

    Reconvening of the National Working Group (NWG) on Impediments to Business and Investment

    The purpose of this Committee is to collaboratively maintain an ongoing partnership between Government and private sector in order to address problems that hinder business development and investment in the country.

    One Stop Shop Concept (OSS)

    Streamlining of the processing of business certificates, work permits and visa applications was a call made by the Private Sector few years ago and is still continuing to call on Government to improve these vital services to the business sector. The main purpose of this initiative is to improve and fast track the services so that new and existing investors are encouraged to expand and invest into businesses in the country. The three key implementing agencies have not come together to operate under one roof as per the stated objectives of the OSS. However, various initiatives have been undertaken by the different agencies in order to implement the OSS which includes the following:

    Department of Labour and Employment (Foreign Employment Division) has upgraded their work permit systems, has undertaken in house need analysis to identify staff capacity constraints and with the findings forwarded a restructure proposal to the Department of Personnel Management 2 years ago, which is yet to be approved. It successfully got the amendments to the Employment of Non-citizens Act passed by Parliament in 2007.

    Drafted Regulations 2008 to implement the Act, which was finalized and currently awaiting endorsement from government. The draft was circulated widely and discussed using various forums. Physical arrangements and in house training have also been conducted and as a result there is improvement in serving clients. In terms of how long it takes to process a work permit is yet to be reported based on what a minimum time requirement is.

    Development of Private Sector Growth Strategy

    The Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry was invited to present a Conceptual Framework of the initiative at the 2008 National Development Forum. The Department had taken a step forward by engaging a local consultant to work on the process and also sought technical assistance from AusAID and few other development partners. The CIMC had initiated a meeting between the peak private sector bodies and the Department. This meeting concluded by asking the DTCI to draw up the Terms of Reference or the Scoping Document on the Initiative to be discussed in the second meeting. The Department is yet to forward this document to CIMC and others for discussion and comments.

    Development of an International Trade Policy for PNG

    The Committee also called for development of an International Trade Policy, as currently PNG does not have one. Such a policy should cover trade development and promotion, as well as trade facilitation with a view to further expediting the movement, fast clearance of goods to reduce time and cost and health and safety risks to the public.

    To date, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is planning to develop the policy with assistance from the European Union. It has developed a 3 years framework. The EU assistance will be required to enhance capacity building, infrastructure and others in order to improve trade facilitation for the country, and establish a National Trade Advisory Board.

Agriculture Sectoral Committee

“Helping to grow Sustainable Agriculture for a Better PNG”

  • The Agriculture Sectoral Committee is set up to maintain a membership of sectoral stakeholders to network and promote a sustained, broad based consultative process of providing input to the formulation of agriculture policies for collective implementation. The Committee brings together relevant Government, private sector, civil society/NGOs representatives and development partners to deliberate on the potentials and issues of the agriculture sector in PNG and provide collective inputs for development of appropriate strategies to address identified issues or to strengthen the sector through policy and legislative reforms. Essentially the Committee’s purpose is to support the Government’s aspirations for development of the Agriculture sector.

    The Committee does this through constant liaison with relevant Government Departments that are directly related to the sector (Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Department of Commerce and Industry, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, National Forestry Authority, National Fisheries Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation, Office of Climate and Development etc.) to ensure that the long term development strategy for the agriculture sector is on track.

    “Helping to grow Sustainable Agriculture for a Better PNG”

  • The Agriculture Sectoral Committee is one of 10 Committees of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC). It was set up to be a vibrant dialogue platform bringing together Government, private sector and civil society representatives to dialogue and develop mechanisms to promote farmers voice in the policy and decision making processes of Government. The Committee is also charged to monitor development and implementation of key policy interventions for the agriculture sector; i.e overseeing the swift implementation of key proceedings and recommendations from the quarterly Committee meetings and forums.

    Other functions include:

    Endorse key recommendations from the sector before submission to Government for implementation;

    Facilitate any review of the National Investment Climate and Fiscal conditions and set up technical Committees to undertake the tasks on hand;

    Hold quarterly stakeholder meetings and make recommendations for researching and policy submissions to Government.

  • The Agriculture Sectoral Committee is comprised of a wide range of stakeholders and agencies ranging from small farmer associations, Small & Medium Enterprises (SME), corporate entities operating in the sector, agriculture research and development organizations, agriculture educational institutions, Government Departments, Statutory Organizations and Development Partners/ Non-Governmental Organizations. The Committee is chaired by Mr Warren Dutton from North Fly Rubber Ltd. Inter-sector representation is as follows.

    Committee Membership:

    Government Departments:

    Department of Treasury

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Agriculture and Livestock

    Commodity Boards:

    Coffee Industry Corporation

    Oil Palm Industry Corporation

    PNG Palm Oil Council

    Cocoa Board Of PNG

    Fresh Produce Development Agency

    Kokonat Industri Koporesin

    Alele Limited

    British Tobacco PNG Limited

    Agriculture Research and Tertiary Institutions:

    National Agriculture Research Institute

    National Agriculture Research Institute-KilaKila

    PNG Cocoa Coffee Research Institute

    National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority

    University of Natural Resources and Environment

    Private Sector and Non-Government Organizations:

    Institute of National Affairs

    Rural Industries Council

    North Fly Rubber

    Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council

    Pacific Agric Systems Ltd

    Development Partners:

    World Bank

    ACIAR (AusAID)

    DFAT (AusAID)

    AHS (AusAID)

Population & HIV/AIDS Sectoral Committee

  • The Sectoral Committee was set up under the CIMC Terms of Reference to operate as a thematic group on Health issues with the aim to provide expert advice on specific and cross-sectoral issues and contribute to broad-based sectoral discussions on policy and integrated policies and plans relevant to effective health service delivery in the country.

    The Committee is chaired by the Secretary for the Department of Health and its purpose is to maintain constant and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting health service delivery and bring forward to Government recommendations to address health service delivery issues faced in the country. The Committee can also propose appropriate strategies to address hindrances and impediments to service delivery.

    The Committee also contributes and shares information with policymakers and implementers of key Government plans, policies and strategies going forward. Supporting advocacy creating awareness on HIV/AIDS, population growth and its impact on economic growth and environment sustainability and gender equality and social inclusion are also part of the Committee's undertakings.

  • The Committee plays a vital role in engaging with stakeholders and relevant partners to collaborate on health sectoral issues by:

    Facilitating quarterly meetings for members and stakeholders in a year;

    As a forum members share information and initiate plans to coordinate policy and advocacy initiatives in the issues of general health of the population including disability and HIV/AIDS;

    Acting as a advisory body to the Government through the National Department of Health and the National Executive Council on these matters deliberated through committee collaborations;

    Monitoring progress of key health recommendations proposed to Government and report on implementation challenges and propose implementing strategies;

    Acting as a information-clearing house for key Government intervention aimed at addressing health and population including disability and the environment and HIV/AIDS;

    Helping stakeholders to understand the bureaucratic processes and the different functions and constraints of agencies. The feedbacks derived from these consultations enable Government to reassess its performance in key priority areas through the use of evidence-based information;

    Identifying key stakeholders for effective partnership and strategic alliance for the effective delivery of health services to everyone.

  • Membership remains open and consist of the following;

    Government Departments and Agencies

    Department of Health

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Education

    Department of Implementation and Rural Development

    National Statistical Office

    Private Sector

    Business Council of PNG

    PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

    Oil Search

    Exxon Mobil

    Research and Academia

    National Research Institute

    PNG Institute of Medical Research

    UPNG School of Medicines and Health Sciences

    Institute of National Affairs

    Professional Association and Civil Society Service Providers

    National Doctors including Nurses Association

    Churches Medical Council

    National Council of Women

    PNG Trade Union Congress

    PNG Medical Society

    St. John Ambulance and Health Services

    Igat Hope (PNG) Inc.

    Susus Mamas

    Family Health International

    Marie Stopes PNG

    Hope Worldwide

    Anglicare PNG

    Population Services International

    World Vision

    Medicine Sans Frontier

    Media

    Development Partners

    United Nations Population Fund

    DFAT Australia and Australian High Commission

    World Health Organization

    UNICEF

Health Sectoral Committee

  • The Sectoral Committee was set up under the CIMC Terms of Reference to operate as a thematic group on Health issues with the aim to provide expert advice on specific and cross-sectoral issues and contribute to broad-based sectoral discussions on policy and integrated policies and plans relevant to effective health service delivery in the country.

    The Committee is chaired by the Secretary for the Department of Health and its purpose is to maintain constant and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting health service delivery and bring forward to Government recommendations to address health service delivery issues faced in the country. The Committee can also propose appropriate strategies to address hindrances and impediments to service delivery.

    The Committee also contributes and shares information with policymakers and implementers of key Government plans, policies and strategies going forward. Supporting advocacy creating awareness on HIV/AIDS, population growth and its impact on economic growth and environment sustainability and gender equality and social inclusion are also part of the Committee's undertakings.

  • The Committee plays a vital role in engaging with stakeholders and relevant partners to collaborate on health sectoral issues by:

    Facilitating quarterly meetings for members and stakeholders in a year;

    As a forum members share information and initiate plans to coordinate policy and advocacy initiatives in the issues of general health of the population including disability and HIV/AIDS;

    Acting as a advisory body to the Government through the National Department of Health and the National Executive Council on these matters deliberated through committee collaborations;

    Monitoring progress of key health recommendations proposed to Government and report on implementation challenges and propose implementing strategies;

    Acting as a information-clearing house for key Government intervention aimed at addressing health and population including disability and the environment and HIV/AIDS;

    Helping stakeholders to understand the bureaucratic processes and the different functions and constraints of agencies. The feedbacks derived from these consultations enable Government to reassess its performance in key priority areas through the use of evidence-based information;

    Identifying key stakeholders for effective partnership and strategic alliance for the effective delivery of health services to everyone.

  • Membership remains open and consist of the following;

    Government Departments and Agencies

    Department of Health

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Education

    Department of Implementation and Rural Development

    National Statistical Office

    Private Sector

    Business Council of PNG

    PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

    Oil Search

    Exxon Mobil

    Research and Academia

    National Research Institute

    PNG Institute of Medical Research

    UPNG School of Medicines and Health Sciences

    Institute of National Affairs

    Professional Association and Civil Society Service Providers

    National Doctors including Nurses Association

    Churches Medical Council

    National Council of Women

    PNG Trade Union Congress

    PNG Medical Society

    St. John Ambulance and Health Services

    Igat Hope (PNG) Inc.

    Susus Mamas

    Family Health International

    Marie Stopes PNG

    Hope Worldwide

    Anglicare PNG

    Population Services International

    World Vision

    Medicine Sans Frontier

    Media

    Development Partners

    United Nations Population Fund

    DFAT Australia and Australian High Commission

    World Health Organization

    UNICEF

Family & Sexual Violence Action Committee


"Creating pathways to Peaceful Homes, and happy and prosperous families and a society that is just, safe and free from violence"

  • The Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) is a Sectorial Committee of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC). CIMC is an independent organization administered by the Institute of National Affairs. FSVAC was established as one of the sectorial committees of the CIMC in 2000.

    The mandate of the FSVAC is to work towards reducing the occurrence of and suffering caused by physical, sexual and psychological violence especially between family members in the home environment, and increasing access to support services and justice for survivors.

    Role of the Committee

    The role of FSVAC is to provide co-ordination, networking, advocacy and capacity building services to our network partners. Our network partners include government at all levels, NGOs, INGOs, service providers (both government and non-government), churches, community associations, local advocates and leaders, business houses and donors.

    Our work involves policy development and implementation as well as program implementation.

    FSVAC provides co-ordination, networking, advocacy and capacity building services for the purposes of:

    Advocating for and facilitating government and civil society action to address family and sexual violence

    Coordinating and building capacity of key individuals and institutions working to respond and prevent family and sexual violence

    Facilitating the development of coordinated inter-agency responses in the delivery of services to survivors of family and sexual violence; and

    Creating and maintaining relationships with provincial and district partners to encourage ownership and the development of local prevention and response programs.

    • The role of FSVAC is to liaise, coordinate, networkbetween collaborating agencies and support implementationof the Long Term Goal in line with the goals and objectives of the PNG National GBV Strategy 2016-2025.

    • Support the roll out of coordination desks at the provincial and district level to coordinate the response to FSV as per the NEC Direction of 2013

    • Promote and advocate for dialogue between government and civil society to address family and sexual violence

    • Provide networking, coordination and capacity building for key institutions working towards FSV prevention and response

  • The CIMC Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) launched the Guidelines to support a referral pathway of services for survivors of family and sexual violence at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby in late November.

    The guidelines are the collaborative result of partner organizations coordinated by the National Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee and with funding support from the Australian Government.

    The partners include government agencies, law and justice representatives, non-government and faith-based organizations, as well as the private sector.

    The guidelines were designed through a series of workshops aimed at creating greater awareness among agencies and service providers on organizational roles and responsibilities and internal protocols along the referral pathway, to ensure better support to survivors of family and sexual violence.

    Developing stronger links between the various organizations and services is expected to improve collaboration and increase efficient delivery of services to those seeking safety, protection, rehabilitation and justice.

    The guidelines were officially launched by Acting Deputy Secretary Ms Roselyn Gwaibo, representing Dr Lawrence Kalinoe, Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General and Chair of the FSVAC.

    Speaking on behalf of Dr Kalinoe, Ms Gwaibo said: “In multiple ways, family and sexual violence inhibits PNG from moving forward as a country. We all – each single one of us – have to do what we can to stop this cycle of violence from repeating itself. This also means government and non-government organisations working together and playing their part. The government is committed to tackling this issue.”

    Also speaking at the launch, Ms Ume Wainetti, National Coordinator of the FSVAC said: “These guidelines will support and strengthen coordination of a referral pathway to ensure survivors access high quality services. It is a guide that sets a bench mark for provincial partners to develop their own referral pathways and create directories of existing partners to work together to address family and sexual violence.”

    Susan Ferguson, Counsellor of the Australian High Commission said: “The referral guidelines will no doubt help you offer the range of services countless survivors of family and sexual violence need to recover and rebuild their lives. I commend the FSVAC and all partners on this significant achievement.

    “The scope and breadth of the 20 Days of Activism campaign is testament to the ongoing perseverance of all your organizations, and the broader PNG community, and shows that more good work is being done to prevent and eventually eliminate such violence. We must continue to confront this crime, for the wellbeing of our families and communities, and for the development of Papua New Guinea,” Ms Ferguson said.

    Partners contributing to the referral guidelines include: Department for Justice and Attorney General, Department for Community Development, Department of Health, NCDC Gender Desk, RPNGC, Office of the Public Prosecutor, Public Solicitor’s Office, Magisterial Services, Village Courts Secretariat, Development Law Association, UN Women, UNDP, PMGH Family Support Centre, Haus Ruth, Lifeline, PSI, Oxfam, Child Fund, Anglicare, FHi 360, Femili PNG, PNG Counsellors’ Association, Medicines Sans Frontieres and the Business Coalition for Women.

    The Australian Government is committed to support the PNG Government in its efforts to end violence against women and children. The workshops to develop the Referral Guidelines and their launch were coordinated by the FSVAC and funded by the Australian Government through the PNG-Australia Law and Justice Partnership – Transition Program.

Education & Training Sectoral Committee

  • The Education and Training Sectoral Committee is mandated to operate under the CIMC Terms of Reference as a thematic group to discuss education and training issues with the aim to provide expert advice on specific and cross-sectoral issues to support the Government's agenda on training and education in the country. It is also focused on contributing to broad-based sectoral discussions on policy and integrated policies and plans that are relevant to education service delivery. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary for the Department of Education.

    Purpose of the Committee

    To maintain constant and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting education and training service delivery in the country and propose appropriate strategies to address hindrances and impediments to service delivery.

    The Committee also has the role to share information both with policymakers and implementers of the education sector which includes key Government plans, policies and strategies and provide opportunities for stakeholders to find solutions. It is also an avenue to advocate and create awareness on education and training, and its impacts on economic growth and livelihood sustainability including the overall personal integral development, gender equality and social inclusion.

  • The Committee plays a vital role in engaging stakeholders and relevant partners to collaborate on education sector issues by facilitating quarterly meetings in a year for members and stakeholders to discuss issues and propose solutions to Government on how the identified issues can be addressed.

    Members share information and initiate plans to coordinate policy and advocacy initiatives in the overall provision of education and training in Papua New Guinea. As an advisory body to the Government through the National Department of Education and the National Executive Council on these matters the Committee deliberates through collaborations.

    The Committee also monitors implementation progress of key recommendations for education made to Government and report on implementation challenges and propose strategies to improve approaches. It also acts as a information-clearing house for key Government intervention aimed at addressing equitable, inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning in Papua New Guinea.

    The Committee also helps stakeholders to understand the bureaucratic processes and the different functions of agencies and constraints they face. The feedbacks derived from these consultations enable the Government to reassess its performance in key priority areas using the evidence-based information. Key stakeholders are identified for effective partnership and strategic alliance for the effective delivery of education services to all people in the country.

  • Membership remains open and consist of the following;

    Government Departments and Agencies

    Department of Education

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology

    Department of Implementation and Rural Development

    Department of Provincial and Local Level Government and Provincial Affairs

    National Statistical Office

    Private Sector

    Digicel

    PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

    Oil Search

    Exxon Mobil

    Research and Academia

    National Research Institute (NRI)

    Pacific Adventist University (PAU)

    Institute of National Affairs (INA)

    University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG)

    National Training Council (NTC)

    National Apprentice Trade and Testing Board (NATTB)

    Professional Association and Civil Society Service Providers

    PNG Teacher’s Association (PNGTA)

    Churches Education Agency

    PNG Education Advocacy Network (PEAN)

    National Council of Women

    PNG Trade Union Congress

    PNG Council of Churches>/li>

    Churches Partnership Program

    ADRA PNG

    Anglicare PNG

    World Vision

    Media

    e). Development Partners • DFAT Australia and Australian High Commission • JICA • European Union • UNICEF Others with interest in these areas are welcome

Governance & Service Delivery Sectoral Committee

  • The Governance and Service Delivery Sectoral Committee is one of the 10 Committees of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC). This Sectoral Committee was established as the Budget Committee in 2013 in response to recommendations at a CIMC Development Forum. People at the Forum recommended that CIMC should facilitate the dissemination of Government budget information to the public and citizens. The people realized the importance of having access to timely, accurate and reliable fiscal data and budget information to enable them to voice concerns and monitor sources and use of public resources.

    The Sectoral Committee was renamed as the Governance and Service Delivery in 2016. The name change was done to enable the officers coordinating the Committee to accommodate additional activities, including Open Government Partnership (OGP) District Accountability Initiative and others as directed.

    The purpose of the Committee is to provide opportunities for Government agencies, development partners, the business community and civil society organizations to dialogue on change and issues of service delivery and identify pathways for improvement. In particular, to support and compliment Government programs and initiatives and to engage citizens to meaningfully participate in contributing towards improved governance and service delivery outcomes.

    Background

    The idea to set up a “Governance & Service Delivery Sectoral Committee” resulted from CIMC’s work in promoting the theme “Opening up the Budget Process” in its annual Development Forums from 2006 – 2008, and also participation in the International Open Budget Partnership Survey conducted annually. One of the key concerns raised in the Forums were that there was a significant information gap in the communities on the budget and service delivery processes, resulting in development of the Budget Advocacy Program. The aim of the Program is to bridge the information gap. The Program had its first district information workshop in Sohe, Oro Province and since then had 5 workshops in different districts around the country. The feedback has been very positive with many people appreciating the information that has empowered them to be active participants in decision making processes at various levels of Government.

    These workshops and other advocacy activities were conducted without an advisory Committee. Therefore, creating this Committee is important for all key stakeholders to participate and contribute effectively to the promotion and advocacy of social accountability.

    ‘Social Accountability’ refers to a broad range of actions and mechanisms that citizens, communities, independent media, and civil society organizations can use to hold public officials and servants accountable. In particular, in the areas of encouraging participatory policy development and budgeting, public expenditure tracking, monitoring of public service delivery, investigative journalism, public commissions and citizen advisory.

    Purpose of the Committee

    To maintain constant and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting education and training service delivery in the country and propose appropriate strategies to address hindrances and impediments to service delivery.

    The Committee also has the role to share information both with policymakers and implementers of the education sector which includes key Government plans, policies and strategies and provide opportunities for stakeholders to find solutions. It is also an avenue to advocate and create awareness on education and training, and its impacts on economic growth and livelihood sustainability including the overall personal integral development, gender equality and social inclusion.

  • Purpose

    The main goal of the Committee is to advocate for social accountability in participatory policy and budget formulation and implementation; budget analysis, expenditure/input tracking, participatory performance monitoring and evaluation by equipping communities, civil society organizations and citizens with relevant budget information that is accessible and understandable.

    Specific Objective

    To act as a forum in which members share information (updates on implementation of key Government plans, policies and budgets), recommend follow up actions on areas requiring attention, and to foster and support advocacy in the areas of Good Governance, Budget Transparency, and Accountability.

    To support the ongoing district budget advocacy program and initiate complimentary activities that would enhance capacity of communities and civil society for them to promote social accountability at various levels in collaboration with other partners and its members.

    Scope

    The CIMC Budget Sectoral Committee takes a national perspective. It is intended to facilitate on-going and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on budget and related matters not only at the National level but sub-National levels as well. The outcomes will be available to the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs and National Economic Fiscal Commission, as well as the public.

    Function

    The Committee is to hold annual quarterly meetings, maintaining constant and sustained dialogue between members:

    To act as an advisory body to the Government on budget and service delivery mechanisms through the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs (DPLGA) and National Economic Fiscal Commission (NEFC). Also share information, initiate plan and coordinate budget and expenditure advocacy initiatives in the areas of good governance, expenditure tracking or social auditing, empowering the communities through training/workshops at the District and local Government level.

    To act as a rear view for the Government to reassess itself and take stock of its performance in key priority areas (interventions) overtime from the stakeholder views gauged through the Committee so as to pave the best way forward in a more informed manner.

    To work innovatively identifying gaps in service delivery, map out key players in the sector, and harness a spirit of partnership to narrow the gaps by drawing on the linkages.

    The Committee is responsible for coordinating issues of governance, transparency and accountability to ensure that basic services are delivered to 85% of people in the rural and urban periphery of the country.

    It has facilitated and conducted a number of information trainings in the districts around the country informing citizens on the types of funds that are available for development such as Provincial annual budget allocations including Service Improvement Program grants (SIP) ,PSIP, DSIP, and LLGSIP. Based on this information communities reacted by establishing District Monitoring Teams a collective community voice to demand accountability and response from elected leaders and public servants.

    Based on extensive consultation and discussions with stakeholders throughout PNG, there is a clear consensus that basic service delivery at sub-national levels is sub-standard and therefore requires a sustainable consultative approach to solving this persistent needs.

    The Committee is comprised of representatives from Government, leaders of Business community, representatives of civil society (including churches) and eminent citizens. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs.

  • The Governance & Delivery Sectoral Committee is made up of the following Members

    Government

    Department of Treasury

    Department of Finance

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Implementation and Rural Development

    Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs

    Department of Health

    Department of Education

    Internal Revenue Commission

    Department of Prime Minister and NEC

    National Economic Fiscal Commission

    Auditor General’s Office

    Ombudsman Commission

    Institute of Public Administration

    National Training Council

    National Research Institute

    Bank of Papua New Guinea

    Central Provincial Government

    Private Sector

    Institute of National Affairs

    PNG Chamber of Commerce

    Business Council of PNG

    Price Waterhouse Coopers

    PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

    Non Government Organisations (NGOs)

    Trade Union Congress

    Public Employees Association

    PNG Council of Women

    Transparency International of PNG (TIPNG)

    PNG Education Advocacy Network

    PNG Council of Churches

    YWCA

    CSO/Government Partnership

    Donors

    DFAT

    UNDP

    World Bank

    SPSN

    Care International PNG

    The committee is chaired by the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Finance

    Search

  • The core function of the Committee is to host annual quarterly Committee meetings to advocate for Social Accountability in the areas of participatory policy and budget formulation and implementation and provide recommendations to Government through NEC submissions.

    Additional activities undertaken by the Committee

    Budget and Services Charters

    CIMC worked in partnership with PLJP (JSS4D) to produce Budget and Service Charters on Village Courts, Health Centre and Provincial Hospital and Primary Schools and Land Mediators and had them launched. The Budget and Service Charters not only informs and empowers the sectors at their level but also facilitates accountability and transparency.

    Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    The Open Government (OGP) is a Global Initiative and PNG officially became a Member Country on 28 October 2015 at the OGP Summit in Mexico. As a member state, PNG is required to develop and submit a National Action Plan (NAP). CIMC is to provide a lead role in coordinating the formulation of the National Action Plan of Cluster 1 on Public Participation that requires Citizens Participation in Policymaking. The Governance and Service Delivery Service Delivery Committee has since taken up this role in providing oversight and coordination.

    In June 2018, CIMC hosted the OGP High-Level Conference in Port Moresby in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Institute of National Affairs (INA), and Transparency International PNG (TIPNG). The conference was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. The conference attracted regional speakers from Mongolia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

    The Conference Theme was: “Re-engaging in Open Government Partnership in PNG learning and Building from local and global experiences”

    The conference was hosted to facilitate the development of the OGP National Action Plan (NAP) for the country. Although there was a draft NAP that was co-created by an Interagency Committee of Government and Civil Society led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Transparency International PNG respectively, the draft NAP is now 2 years behind its original schedule.

    Failing to meet the NAP submission deadline by 2016 resulted in the Government of Papua New Guinea being given a new deadline, June 30, 2017, to submit a two-year NAP which should end on June 30, 2019. This means that Papua New Guinea was shifted from the “even year” grouping to the “odd year” grouping of OGP countries, which should submit new action plans in 2017, 2019, 2021, and so on.

    Since the PNG Government did not fulfill the requirement to submit an OGP-NAP in 2017 PNG now gets shifted back to join the “even year” group of OGP countries and the deadline for submission of the NAP for countries in this grouping is 31st August 2018. Hence there was a need to demonstrate solid progress to secure membership as an OGP member country.

    CIMC is a key partner of Open Government Partnership (OGP) in PNG and joins the Civil Society Coalition led by Transparency International PNG to take carriage of the OGP Cluster Commitments on Public Participation, Fiscal Transparency (with the Institute of National Affairs), and Extractive Industry Transparency.

    The objectives of the Conference are to:

    1. Seek immediate sponsorship for an NEC Submission for endorsement of the PNG OGP NAP

    2. Bring all stakeholders together to re-engage and support OGP PNG and progress the finalization of the National Action Plan and

    3. Create a National OGP Dialogue platform for relevant Government agencies and civil society partners to improve dialogue and enhance partnership in implementing the OGP NAP in PNG.

    4. Identify and establish a place to house OGP in Papua New Guinea

    Together for Education Project (T4E)

    Enhancing Access to Quality Elementary Education for Girls and Boys in Papua New Guinea. The Together for Education project is focused on enhancing access to quality elementary education for girls and boys in Central, Madang, and Morobe provinces, with a special focus on literacy and numeracy skills. T4E is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea through the PNG Partnership Fund. World Vision leads the project consortium comprising of ChildFund, CIMC, Library For All Australia, and the University of Canberra.

    CIMC is working with World Vision and Child Fund in Madang, Morobe, and Central provinces to develop School Accountability Agreements (SAA) in selected schools. SAA was derived from the Service Charter program developed by CIMC and rolled out for some service sectors (Health, Education, Village Courts, and Land Mediation) in Oro and Morobe provinces a few years ago in partnership with the Law and Justice Sector Program funded by Australian Aid (now is called JSS4D). Service Charter is a public document that sets out basic information on the services provided, the standards of service that customers can expect, and how to make complaints or suggestions for improvement. CIMC uses 17 Social Accountability Tools out of the 21 noted by the World Bank.

    Open Budget Survey (OBS)

    Assessing transparency and timely release of budget documents and information in PNG. The team is involved annually in Open Budget-related research and assists the Institute of National Affairs (INA) with the annual launch of the results and takes on board the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for improvements to ensure an open budget process in the country.

    Budget Training Initiative Training (BTI)

    Empowering people with budget information for social accountability. In 2019, the Committee completed two pieces of training in partnership with Oxfam PNG in Goroka at the request of the District Administration for NGO leaders working with Oxfam PNG and the Goroka District administration in Eastern Highland Province.

    In 2020 three pieces of training were completed for Student Leaders of UPNG, UoG, and UoT in partnership with “The Voice Inc.". The team also ran training in Mendi for the Department of Justice & Attorney General (DJAG) Anti-corruption Pilot Project.

    Compiling Budget Information

    Compile important National Budget information about the types of grants that are provided to Districts and Local Level Governments and make the information readily available for distribution. This is to cater for information and communication voids that exist at national and sub-national levels. The absence of Government communication and presence between the people and their representatives and the lack of information on budget and specific grants such as PSIP, DSIP, and DSG for the benefit and empowerment of local communities. Through this process, people are informed about their rights and entitlements and how they can engage in participatory planning, budgeting, and community management or becoming members in decision-making bodies and mechanisms.

  • Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    Some presentations at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) High-Level Conference in Port Moresby can be accessed using the links below.

    Fiscal Openness Reforms in the Philippines

    Moving Beyond Transparency Philippine Experience in implementing the EITI

    PNG Resource Governance Coalition (PNG RGC) OGP Extractive Sector Cluster Commitments

    Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    Mongolia's NAP Development and Implementation

The Natural Resources Sectoral Committee

  • The Governance and Service Delivery Sectoral Committee is one of the 10 Committees of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC). This Sectoral Committee was established as the Budget Committee in 2013 in response to recommendations at a CIMC Development Forum. People at the Forum recommended that CIMC should facilitate the dissemination of Government budget information to the public and citizens. The people realized the importance of having access to timely, accurate and reliable fiscal data and budget information to enable them to voice concerns and monitor sources and use of public resources.

    The Sectoral Committee was renamed as the Governance and Service Delivery in 2016. The name change was done to enable the officers coordinating the Committee to accommodate additional activities, including Open Government Partnership (OGP) District Accountability Initiative and others as directed.

    The purpose of the Committee is to provide opportunities for Government agencies, development partners, the business community and civil society organizations to dialogue on change and issues of service delivery and identify pathways for improvement. In particular, to support and compliment Government programs and initiatives and to engage citizens to meaningfully participate in contributing towards improved governance and service delivery outcomes.

    Background

    The idea to set up a “Governance & Service Delivery Sectoral Committee” resulted from CIMC’s work in promoting the theme “Opening up the Budget Process” in its annual Development Forums from 2006 – 2008, and also participation in the International Open Budget Partnership Survey conducted annually. One of the key concerns raised in the Forums were that there was a significant information gap in the communities on the budget and service delivery processes, resulting in development of the Budget Advocacy Program. The aim of the Program is to bridge the information gap. The Program had its first district information workshop in Sohe, Oro Province and since then had 5 workshops in different districts around the country. The feedback has been very positive with many people appreciating the information that has empowered them to be active participants in decision making processes at various levels of Government.

    These workshops and other advocacy activities were conducted without an advisory Committee. Therefore, creating this Committee is important for all key stakeholders to participate and contribute effectively to the promotion and advocacy of social accountability.

    ‘Social Accountability’ refers to a broad range of actions and mechanisms that citizens, communities, independent media, and civil society organizations can use to hold public officials and servants accountable. In particular, in the areas of encouraging participatory policy development and budgeting, public expenditure tracking, monitoring of public service delivery, investigative journalism, public commissions and citizen advisory.

    Purpose of the Committee

    To maintain constant and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting education and training service delivery in the country and propose appropriate strategies to address hindrances and impediments to service delivery.

    The Committee also has the role to share information both with policymakers and implementers of the education sector which includes key Government plans, policies and strategies and provide opportunities for stakeholders to find solutions. It is also an avenue to advocate and create awareness on education and training, and its impacts on economic growth and livelihood sustainability including the overall personal integral development, gender equality and social inclusion.

  • Purpose

    The main goal of the Committee is to advocate for social accountability in participatory policy and budget formulation and implementation; budget analysis, expenditure/input tracking, participatory performance monitoring and evaluation by equipping communities, civil society organizations and citizens with relevant budget information that is accessible and understandable.

    Specific Objective

    To act as a forum in which members share information (updates on implementation of key Government plans, policies and budgets), recommend follow up actions on areas requiring attention, and to foster and support advocacy in the areas of Good Governance, Budget Transparency, and Accountability.

    To support the ongoing district budget advocacy program and initiate complimentary activities that would enhance capacity of communities and civil society for them to promote social accountability at various levels in collaboration with other partners and its members.

    Scope

    The CIMC Budget Sectoral Committee takes a national perspective. It is intended to facilitate on-going and sustained dialogue between members and relevant stakeholders on budget and related matters not only at the National level but sub-National levels as well. The outcomes will be available to the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs and National Economic Fiscal Commission, as well as the public.

    Function

    The Committee is to hold annual quarterly meetings, maintaining constant and sustained dialogue between members:

    To act as an advisory body to the Government on budget and service delivery mechanisms through the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs (DPLGA) and National Economic Fiscal Commission (NEFC). Also share information, initiate plan and coordinate budget and expenditure advocacy initiatives in the areas of good governance, expenditure tracking or social auditing, empowering the communities through training/workshops at the District and local Government level.

    To act as a rear view for the Government to reassess itself and take stock of its performance in key priority areas (interventions) overtime from the stakeholder views gauged through the Committee so as to pave the best way forward in a more informed manner.

    To work innovatively identifying gaps in service delivery, map out key players in the sector, and harness a spirit of partnership to narrow the gaps by drawing on the linkages.

    The Committee is responsible for coordinating issues of governance, transparency and accountability to ensure that basic services are delivered to 85% of people in the rural and urban periphery of the country.

    It has facilitated and conducted a number of information trainings in the districts around the country informing citizens on the types of funds that are available for development such as Provincial annual budget allocations including Service Improvement Program grants (SIP) ,PSIP, DSIP, and LLGSIP. Based on this information communities reacted by establishing District Monitoring Teams a collective community voice to demand accountability and response from elected leaders and public servants.

    Based on extensive consultation and discussions with stakeholders throughout PNG, there is a clear consensus that basic service delivery at sub-national levels is sub-standard and therefore requires a sustainable consultative approach to solving this persistent needs.

    The Committee is comprised of representatives from Government, leaders of Business community, representatives of civil society (including churches) and eminent citizens. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs.

  • The Governance & Delivery Sectoral Committee is made up of the following Members

    Government

    Department of Treasury

    Department of Finance

    Department of National Planning and Monitoring

    Department of Implementation and Rural Development

    Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs

    Department of Health

    Department of Education

    Internal Revenue Commission

    Department of Prime Minister and NEC

    National Economic Fiscal Commission

    Auditor General’s Office

    Ombudsman Commission

    Institute of Public Administration

    National Training Council

    National Research Institute

    Bank of Papua New Guinea

    Central Provincial Government

    Private Sector

    Institute of National Affairs

    PNG Chamber of Commerce

    Business Council of PNG

    Price Waterhouse Coopers

    PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum

    Non Government Organisations (NGOs)

    Trade Union Congress

    Public Employees Association

    PNG Council of Women

    Transparency International of PNG (TIPNG)

    PNG Education Advocacy Network

    PNG Council of Churches

    YWCA

    CSO/Government Partnership

    Donors

    DFAT

    UNDP

    World Bank

    SPSN

    Care International PNG

    The committee is chaired by the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Finance

    Search

  • The core function of the Committee is to host annual quarterly Committee meetings to advocate for Social Accountability in the areas of participatory policy and budget formulation and implementation and provide recommendations to Government through NEC submissions.

    Additional activities undertaken by the Committee

    Budget and Services Charters

    CIMC worked in partnership with PLJP (JSS4D) to produce Budget and Service Charters on Village Courts, Health Centre and Provincial Hospital and Primary Schools and Land Mediators and had them launched. The Budget and Service Charters not only informs and empowers the sectors at their level but also facilitates accountability and transparency.

    Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    The Open Government (OGP) is a Global Initiative and PNG officially became a Member Country on 28 October 2015 at the OGP Summit in Mexico. As a member state, PNG is required to develop and submit a National Action Plan (NAP). CIMC is to provide a lead role in coordinating the formulation of the National Action Plan of Cluster 1 on Public Participation that requires Citizens Participation in Policymaking. The Governance and Service Delivery Service Delivery Committee has since taken up this role in providing oversight and coordination.

    In June 2018, CIMC hosted the OGP High-Level Conference in Port Moresby in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Institute of National Affairs (INA), and Transparency International PNG (TIPNG). The conference was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. The conference attracted regional speakers from Mongolia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

    The Conference Theme was: “Re-engaging in Open Government Partnership in PNG learning and Building from local and global experiences”

    The conference was hosted to facilitate the development of the OGP National Action Plan (NAP) for the country. Although there was a draft NAP that was co-created by an Interagency Committee of Government and Civil Society led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Transparency International PNG respectively, the draft NAP is now 2 years behind its original schedule.

    Failing to meet the NAP submission deadline by 2016 resulted in the Government of Papua New Guinea being given a new deadline, June 30, 2017, to submit a two-year NAP which should end on June 30, 2019. This means that Papua New Guinea was shifted from the “even year” grouping to the “odd year” grouping of OGP countries, which should submit new action plans in 2017, 2019, 2021, and so on.

    Since the PNG Government did not fulfill the requirement to submit an OGP-NAP in 2017 PNG now gets shifted back to join the “even year” group of OGP countries and the deadline for submission of the NAP for countries in this grouping is 31st August 2018. Hence there was a need to demonstrate solid progress to secure membership as an OGP member country.

    CIMC is a key partner of Open Government Partnership (OGP) in PNG and joins the Civil Society Coalition led by Transparency International PNG to take carriage of the OGP Cluster Commitments on Public Participation, Fiscal Transparency (with the Institute of National Affairs), and Extractive Industry Transparency.

    The objectives of the Conference are to:

    1. Seek immediate sponsorship for an NEC Submission for endorsement of the PNG OGP NAP

    2. Bring all stakeholders together to re-engage and support OGP PNG and progress the finalization of the National Action Plan and

    3. Create a National OGP Dialogue platform for relevant Government agencies and civil society partners to improve dialogue and enhance partnership in implementing the OGP NAP in PNG.

    4. Identify and establish a place to house OGP in Papua New Guinea

    Together for Education Project (T4E)

    Enhancing Access to Quality Elementary Education for Girls and Boys in Papua New Guinea. The Together for Education project is focused on enhancing access to quality elementary education for girls and boys in Central, Madang, and Morobe provinces, with a special focus on literacy and numeracy skills. T4E is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea through the PNG Partnership Fund. World Vision leads the project consortium comprising of ChildFund, CIMC, Library For All Australia, and the University of Canberra.

    CIMC is working with World Vision and Child Fund in Madang, Morobe, and Central provinces to develop School Accountability Agreements (SAA) in selected schools. SAA was derived from the Service Charter program developed by CIMC and rolled out for some service sectors (Health, Education, Village Courts, and Land Mediation) in Oro and Morobe provinces a few years ago in partnership with the Law and Justice Sector Program funded by Australian Aid (now is called JSS4D). Service Charter is a public document that sets out basic information on the services provided, the standards of service that customers can expect, and how to make complaints or suggestions for improvement. CIMC uses 17 Social Accountability Tools out of the 21 noted by the World Bank.

    Open Budget Survey (OBS)

    Assessing transparency and timely release of budget documents and information in PNG. The team is involved annually in Open Budget-related research and assists the Institute of National Affairs (INA) with the annual launch of the results and takes on board the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for improvements to ensure an open budget process in the country.

    Budget Training Initiative Training (BTI)

    Empowering people with budget information for social accountability. In 2019, the Committee completed two pieces of training in partnership with Oxfam PNG in Goroka at the request of the District Administration for NGO leaders working with Oxfam PNG and the Goroka District administration in Eastern Highland Province.

    In 2020 three pieces of training were completed for Student Leaders of UPNG, UoG, and UoT in partnership with “The Voice Inc.". The team also ran training in Mendi for the Department of Justice & Attorney General (DJAG) Anti-corruption Pilot Project.

    Compiling Budget Information

    Compile important National Budget information about the types of grants that are provided to Districts and Local Level Governments and make the information readily available for distribution. This is to cater for information and communication voids that exist at national and sub-national levels. The absence of Government communication and presence between the people and their representatives and the lack of information on budget and specific grants such as PSIP, DSIP, and DSG for the benefit and empowerment of local communities. Through this process, people are informed about their rights and entitlements and how they can engage in participatory planning, budgeting, and community management or becoming members in decision-making bodies and mechanisms.

  • Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    Some presentations at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) High-Level Conference in Port Moresby can be accessed using the links below.

    Fiscal Openness Reforms in the Philippines

    Moving Beyond Transparency Philippine Experience in implementing the EITI

    PNG Resource Governance Coalition (PNG RGC) OGP Extractive Sector Cluster Commitments

    Open Government Partnership (OGP)

    Mongolia's NAP Development and Implementation

Law & Order Sectoral Committee

  • This Committee is set up to deliberate on existing and emerging trends of Law & Order issues and the related challenges confronting the country and explore opportunities for collaboration and active participation from the private sector, civil society, churches, and the Government in addressing the issues. It is also focused and committed to contributing to broad-based law and order policy and plans and has done that over the years pushing for certain reports and policies relating to organs working in the law and justice sector to be implemented to make them robust and effective entities to address law and order related issues in the country.

    The Committee also has the role to share information both with policymakers and implementers on key Government plans, policies and strategies and provide opportunities for stakeholders to come together to dialogue and find solutions. It is also an avenue to advocate and create awareness on law and order and its impacts on economic growth and overall development in a safe society.

  • The Committee ideally is supposed to meet quarterly each year to discuss emerging Law & Order (including security) issues and concerns and propose approaches to address them as well as provide input to broader national policies. Facilitate discussions on Law and Order issues and propose alternative advice to Government and relevant agencies to address them. Facilitate discussions on broader national policies and legislations for the Law and Order Sector and monitor progress on implementation of Law and Order related recommendations made to the Government and report on problems encountered during implementation.

    The Committee is coordinated by a senior project officer from CIMC whose role is to organize quarterly meetings, forums, webinars, and workshops annually. The officer is also responsible to carry out research into Law and Order related areas, derive findings and bring them to the attention of the Committee for deliberation and make recommendations for appropriate action by Government.

  • This Committee is comprised of the Law & Justice Sector Agencies which include:

    The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary;

    Correctional Services;

    Ombudsman Commission;

    Department of Justice and Attorney-General;

    Magisterial Services;

    National and Supreme Courts of PNG;

    National Judicial Staff Service;

    Office of Public Prosecutor, and

    Office of Public Solicitor.

    Government Departments and Agencies including Department of National Planning & Monitoring, the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council (PM&NEC), the Security Industries Authority, PNG Business Council, PNG Chamber of Commerce, other Private Sector Industries, Research Institutions, Civil Society representatives including Churches and respected individuals. The Committee is chaired by Mr. Graham Ainui, Executive Officer of the Papua New Guinea Rural Industries Council (RIC).

  • Over the years the Committee has worked on a number of initiatives, mostly monitoring the implementation of initiatives by various Law & Justice Sector Agencies. Some important initiatives advocated for implementation by sector stakeholders include;

    Urging Government to pass the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) Bill;

    Endorsed the National Anti-Corruption Strategy for Implementation;

    Fast-tracking the National Security Policy;

    Calling on Government to provide adequate resources for the implementation of the recommendations from the 2004 Police Review and Guns Control Reports.

    Calling on Government to fast-track review of the Security Industry (protection) Act 2004 with a view to confer adequate powers to regulate, protect and develop the industry.

    Law & Order Summit

    The Committee hosted a Law and Order Summit in NCD on the 18th of July 2019 under the theme "Promoting Positive Initiatives, Creating a Platform for a Safe City”. The Summit was funded by Paladin in partnership with the National Capital District Commission and the PNG Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Summit is intended to assess the key trends in PNG’s Law & Order especially the security environment with a view to considering how they are likely to affect the country’s political and economic stability. It also considers PNG’s internal security environments and the respective challenges they pose including the struggles of public policing and rise of private security, which indicates the shifting landscape of security governance in Papua New Guinea and the risks and opportunities it presents. The Summit has attracted more than 50 participants from all works of life. It is intended that local experiences, skills, and knowledge from local presenters will assist to form the basis to develop a Platform for a safe city.

    Workshop Purpose:

    To bring together National Security Agencies of Government, Security Organizations in the private sector, other Private Sector Representatives, Civil Society and Churches to dialogue on issues and challenges of National Security and Stability in Papua New Guinea;

    To deliberate on the existing national security policy with a view to generating rethinking and innovative ideas to inform national security legislations, policies, and government decisions based on evidence for inclusive, progressive, and sustained efforts to achieve medium to long term socioeconomic stability and prosperity;

    To facilitate collaboration and cohesion amongst security agencies of both government and private sector to work together and share information and resources to provide a unified national security response;

    To present to the National Executive Council (NEC) through the Minister for Internal Security Key Recommendations for appropriate Policy Directions for National Security and Stability.

    Workshop Outcomes:

    The public is informed of the National Security Policy and enabling legislation on Internal Security and Stability;

    A dialogue platform is created for security agencies both in government and private sector, especially private security companies and other partners;

    Key Recommendations are consolidated and submitted to the government;

    An NEC Submission is sponsored to direct agencies of government to coordinate and establish a National Strategy on Internal Security and Stability for Papua New Guinea.

    All recommendations made through the presentations were compiled by the Law & Order Sectoral Committee as an outcome of the Summit. These recommendations were to be presented to the National Executive Council (NEC) through the Minister for Internal Security for appropriate Policy Directions for National Security and Stability. The recommendations are expected to push for a platform to be developed to ensure Port Moresby is a safer city. An outcome report of this Summit is also be made available on the website.