Dame Carol says women MPs face a tough time
25 July 2012
RADIO AUSTRALIA
DAME CAROL KIDU, Papua New Guinea's only female MP for 15 years, has given a vote of confidence to the two women who won seats in this year's elections.
Delilah Gore became the first female to be elected - for the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party - after winning the Sohe Open seat in Oro province.
Singer and activist Loujaya Toni, from the Indigenous People's Party, toppled incumbent Bart Philemon in the seat of Lae Open.
Dame Carol Kidu retired as an MP before these elections, and told Radio Australia she thinks the women will cope with the challenges.
"I think they will face a hard time," she said.
"But it must always be remembered that even many of the men get marginalised on the floor in PNG because they go into politics and they don't really comprehend what it's about at national level.
"These women are well-educated - I think they'll soon find their feet, especially if we give them a little bit of back-up."
Comments