Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has a called on all MPs to turn up this week and vote for laws that will give women 22 parliamentary seats after the June 2012 election.
PNG late last year passed a constitutional amendment to guarantee the seats but parliament needs to pass two enabling laws to define the size of the new electorates.
While most government MPs attended the opening of parliament on Tuesday, the opposition benches remain mostly empty, with members loyal to former PM Sir Michael Somare boycotting the chamber in protest at Mr O'Neill's claim on the prime ministership.
Read the complete story at The Sydney Morning Herald, published 14 February 2012.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has a called on all MPs to turn up this week and vote for laws that will give women 22 parliamentary seats after the June 2012 election.
PNG late last year passed a constitutional amendment to guarantee the seats but parliament needs to pass two enabling laws to define the size of the new electorates.
While most government MPs attended the opening of parliament on Tuesday, the opposition benches remain mostly empty, with members loyal to former PM Sir Michael Somare boycotting the chamber in protest at Mr O'Neill's claim on the prime ministership.
Read the complete story at The Sydney Morning Herald, published 14 February 2012.