The Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council commemorated the National Women’s Day on March 24, in a small get together at the Melanesian Haus, Port Moresby.

The theme for this year is ‘Take Action for an Empowered Future.’

In his opening address to the staff during the event, the Acting Chief Secretary to Government Ivan Pomaleu stated that we have days of observance like the National Women’s Day in our calendar simply because we are not doing enough to empower women and girls in our communities.

“Every time we nominate a day to celebrate an occasion, it is a reminder that we are not doing enough,” says Mr. Pomaleu.

He added that, that is why the UN agencies, the National Government and those who are in authority, in making decisions, allocate days like this so that we can continue to acknowledge those among us who are just as important as everyone else in our State and to remind ourselves that we are not doing enough to empower them.

Mr Pomaleu says that in terms of taking action to empower the future, he is an advocate of taking action, starting at home, in each family.

He said children must be thought at home that both male and female offspring’s have equal opportunities in life and that no one is more important than the other.

Mr. Pomaleu said when the values of respect and tolerance are embodied by parents and taught to their offspring’s, they will carry those values into the future and use those teachings to respect, value and empower others.

Main guest speaker of the day, the Hon. Kessy Sawang, Member for Rai Coast and Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations also urged the staff of the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council to do what they can do in their position to take action and empower others.

She added that no matter how small that action maybe, combined will millions more small actions by others can have a big impact on someone else’s life in the future.