Women's rights in Papua New Guinea have recently being a heated issue among many circles of the civil society. It probably stems from two main sources; western feminist influence and human rights activity. The Western feminist influence brings into the country promoting women as equal to the necessary exclusion of women as an integral part and parcel of human family and cultural society. It influences women through general media and special educational avenues, and action groups to make women become completely equal to point of being ignorant that they are biologically female to have children, care and love them. The influence becomes a threat to the social and cultural societal fabric of the people. At times the feminist influence brings disharmony and causes instability in what was a good harmonious community of men and women doing what they were expected of.  Women rights activities, in other words, are done in the way, the western society see what lacks in the other society from their standards and perspectives. The feminist influence destabilizes familial unity- a basic social unit that is crucial to uniting the bigger country.

The human rights groups which formed specialist groups like PNG council of women try to address, on the other hand, very specific problems that cultural beliefs and restriction put on women that affect women to total enjoy the freedom as human being and a citizen of a modern vibrant democratic country. They handle issues such as violence against women, gender inequity in education, employment, socio-economic activity in politics and development of Papua New Guinea. They address issues which are more familiar and close the cultures and traditions of the people which the men folk can see and act toward a better understanding of women and their role in the society and their treatment as fellow human beings.

Many cultures in Papua New Guinea are patriarchalism. It is from this background that many men treat woman indifferently that many time violates fundamental rights and freedoms of women. Both men and women are educated to see their basic rights that respecting each others’ rights and freedoms guaranteed them by the constitution of Papua New Guinea. This education is an ongoing process for women to achieve total equal rights as men.

More and more women are sent to schools and getting qualification and jobs that once thought were only meant for men like, auto mechanic, solider, police, pilots, engineers and drivers etc. Many men begin to respect women.

Schools are agents in which rights of people are taught. NGOs are other groups that provide education and also humanitarian relief to women who faced problem. News papers provide two functions to this issue- a voice for the silent majority women, but also sensitize women issue to attract its readers as they are profit driven, sometimes they do not help, but hinder by portraying men as valiant. Special days like mothers’ day and international women’s day brings awareness to the community on the rights of women. There is a government department- the Department of the Women’ s Affairs to specifically deal with issues of women, children and Youth.