The United States government has recognised Bougainville women for their contribution to peace building before, during and after the Crisis.

EM TV reports that a two year $US1.5 million, ‘Women’s Peace Building Initiative Project’ is to be implemented in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province, to support more inclusive, sustainable and transparent economic growth.

The US Aid Regional Director Maurice Knight says that Bougainville women are effective peacemakers, community leaders and champions of civil and human rights.

He says Bougainville women have been at the forefront of steering recovery efforts and influencing policies such as the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

Above: Maurice and the US Ambassador recently visited Bougainville and met with Arawa Women’s Training Centre board

Under the funding, a series of grants are to help counselling for victims of violence and programmes to improve living conditions.

Background Maurice Knight

Maurice Knight is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and currently under appointment as the director of the Pacific Mission of the United States Agency for International Development based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

As a senior member of USAID’s staff, he is directly responsible for ensuring USAID’s full portfolio (environment [terrestrial and coastal/marine], climate change, health, economic development, conflict mitigation and HIV/AIDS [in PNG]) is meeting its objectives in the Pacific including the countries of Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

He reports directly to the US Ambassadors in the region, and to the USAID Mission Director in Manila, Philippines on progress of all USAID Pacific programs and projects.

As its Chief of Party (team leader), Maurice in January 2014 completed the 5.5 years Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), the largest component of USAID’s support to the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF).