Papua New Guinea is the first country in the Pacific Region to successfully host and complete a Population Situation Analysis Consultation, from the 7th-18th of October, 2023.
The consultation involved a two-day in-depth dialogue with important stakeholders and government partner.
Led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with strategic donor support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the PSA process involves an examination of the connections between various population trends, economic advancement, and the sustainability of development.
According to UNFPA’s Deputy Representative Dr. Rena Dona, the PSA is an analytical tool that looks into population variables like:
- Economic aspects of sustainable development
- Sexual and reproductive health and rights
- Adolescents and youth related issues
- Gender equality
- Women’s empowerment and gender-based violence
- Demographics and population dynamics, and see how the population is affected by these variables.
“PSA also uses both the available data and the information on existing data gaps to identify opportunities that are beneficial for the country, and the areas for further investment. This PSA Draft will be used to update the Common Country Analysis for the United Nations that guides joint-UN development assistance in Papua New Guinea. It is a first for Papua New Guinea and also the first PSA in the Pacific sub region.”
More than 30 participants from various stakeholders which included the National Statistics Office, The National Research Institute, academic institutions, government institutions, civil society organizations and the partners of UNFPA to inform the PSA process with their viewpoints and to share information, particularly from their specific areas of work.
Elsie Stanley Buka, Family Health Program Manager at the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority said it was a privilege for her to participate in this first of its kind PSA, stating how important data is, especially in planning.
“Real time population data is much needed for programme planning and provincial forecasting when it comes to service delivery coverage.”
Angela Dioo, a Population and Demography student at the University of Papua New Guinea, shared how much she has learned through these two day sessions especially with qualitative data and qualitative methods of data collection.
“Qualitative methods of acquiring demographic data are very important in making informed decisions when delivering government services throughout the country.”
“Because numbers never lie.”
The PSA Draft from this 2-day consultations will be ready by the end of October.
