Port Moresby - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been supporting Megi village in the Southern Highlands province in Papua New Guinea to sustain peace by applying IOM’s community-based planning.    

A fight broke out in Megi village in 2021 due to violence. Community focal points from Megi highlighted that several houses were burned down, and properties and livestock destroyed during the fight. 

IOM, through generous financial assistance from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, worked in partnership with the Southern Highlands Provincial Government to build peace in Megi community. IOM worked closely with women, men, and youth from Megi village, and district and local level government authorities to develop the Magi’s Community Peace for Development Plan (CPDP), a live document that is helping Megi villagers undertake many of their development projects that also sustain peace at the local level.  

As part of the CPDP initiative, IOM has constructed a community resource centre and potable water points in Megi Village. Up to 600 women, men, girls and boys are already benefiting from clean and safe drinking water and using the resource centre to undertake peace negotiations and various other purposes.  

“The peace and development work done in this community has played a significant role in reconciling conflicts related to sorcery accusations,” said a community member.  

“We now live in peace and are better able to address conflicts that may arise in a peaceful manner,” she added.  

“The water supply is such a huge relief especially to many women and children. It was a burdensome daily routine for mothers and children to walk up to the hilltop to fetch drinking water. The water supply and resource centre are helping us a lot and we will take good care of them,” said Julie Peter from Megi village. 

Funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, IOM will continue to build and sustain peace while strengthening community-driven sustainable development initiatives in several communities in Southern Highlands and Hela province.   

*** 

For further information, please contact at IOM Port Moresby,Peter Murorera, Tel: +675 321 36 55, Email: pmurorera@iom.int