Papua New Guinea Womens Chamber - Progress in 2014

Papua New Guinea Women’s Chamber of Commerce (PNGWCCI) was launched in November 2013. Since its inception, the chamber has been able to attract over 100 members.

Our activities range from conducting workshops for members to organizing policy roundtables to encourage private sector participation, particularly women in the policy making process.

We also organize networking events such as business breakfasts and participate in trade exhibitions.

In the last eighteen months, PNGWCCI was able to conduct twelve workshops which were attended by over 275 women businesses. Over 300 participated in PNGWCCI organized conferences.

Policy advocacy roundtable was the first ever initiative to bring women businesses in limelight with policy makers to consider their recommendations for improving the SME policy being developed by PNG Government. PNGWCCI was not only the first women’s organization to convene a policy roundtable event in PNG, it was the first business organization to hold such an event as well

Our outreach extended up to Madang where PNGWCCI was invited by Madang Chamber President to conduct two workshops for their women members.

PNGWCCI President Avia Koisen says “Our chamber is the only representative body of business women in PNG. We work in a democratic environment in the collective interest of our members. Believe me, empowering business women and supporting them to grow their businesses is a great feeling. In the past eighteen months, PNGWCCI has interacted with over 1000 women owned business in PNG. Our partnership with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has helped us realize our vision. With a continuation of our partnership with CIPE, our work to economically empower women in PNG will be taken to the next level.”