Respect for
women by Peter Barnabas Pamula
I
come from the populous and volatile Highlands region of Papua New Guinea, where polygamy is a norm of the society. In this region, the practice of polygamy is associated with power, wealth, fame and influence. Generally, women are considered less important than men, and are confined to domestic duties. The Highlands are not alone. In contemporary Papua New Guinea, rates of violence against women, gender discrimination and abuse are alarming. Rape, sexual assault, discrimination and inequality are the hallmarks of a society racing with time and ignorance. The mistreatment of half our population is a national disaster! Given this crisis, a lone female politician in our male-dominated national parliament recently proposed legislation that would reserve 22 seats for women. The reason for her radical proposal is that it is necessary
16 MARCH 31, 2012 • record.net.au
to ensure women are involved in national decision-making and nation building. The proposed bill attracted stiff opposition from all sectors of society but it finally became law in November 2011, to great rejoicing among women and their male supporters in PNG. The issues of gender inequality, violence, abuse, prejudice and intolerance not only challenge society, but also the Church, and they not only challenge PNG but the entire world. Personally, I was influenced by cultural presuppositions and ignorance of feminine importance in the Scripture, and held reservations of promoting the idea of gender equality and tolerance in my community and the Church. But recently my perception has been challenged by the way Jesus treated women. In fact, I’ve discovered in Scripture that Jesus did not embrace anti-women views. Especially, in the five narratives in the Gospel of John, He underscored