SEMOSA MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE ASSISTANT SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT

By Lethisa KOLOKOL

On Wednesday 13th March, a new historic milestone was carved in the history books of the Parliament, with a first woman to sit in the chair of the speaker of Parliament.

Since Papua New Guinea received its independence from Australia in 1975, the speakers of the Parliament have all been male, with the current speaker of Parliament being Member for Lorengau, Job Pomat.

Today in the absence of the speaker of Parliament, Job Pomat, the 10th Parliament of the country for the first time since 1975 saw the role of speaker of Parliament being assumed by a woman, the member for North Bougainville, Francesca Semoso.

Semoso in assuming the Speaker’s chair thanked the Marape Rosso government for their recognition saying after 50 years, the government has recognized the role of women in Parliament.

This highlights the Marape Rosso’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, stressing that without fundamental respect for women, all other efforts for national development would be meaningless.

Over the years, women leaders have emerged but sadly were out-numbered by the male dominance in Politics.

Since independence in 1975, there have been 10 women in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, the member for North Bougainville has left her mark in the history books.