Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard launched the Pacific Women in Business initiative during her visit to Papua New Guinea last week, which establishes a mentoring program to assist women to access management positions and tackle violence against women.

The focus is on supporting female employees with high potential into positions of leadership through mentoring, networking and training. The initiative will also support businesses to introduce workplace policies, addressing the issue of violence against women.

‘Employers in PNG understand that tapping into the full potential of women isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,’ she said.

Gillard announced that Lady Winifred Kamit would be Patron of the initiative.

The initiative will be supported by AUD$1 million from AusAid over five years plus funding and technical support from the IFC, with funds being channelled through the Business Council of Papua New Guinea and the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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Australia will also help PNG develop a new Infrastructure Development Authority by 2015, which would initially scope three development projects, including the Madang–Ramu Road, as well as identify and speed up the construction of other major projects.

Gillard said Australia had committed A$180 million (K395 million) a year, or 37% of its aid budget, to infrastructure development in PNG.