The European Union, a long-standing partner of civil society organisations in partner countries, has announced a new Call for Proposals in Papua New Guinea aimed at strengthening civic engagement, accountability, and the promotion of human rights, democracy and gender equality.

Through this initiative, the EU will provide two grant opportunities totalling approximately 7 million kina. A key priority is increasing women’s political participation and leadership, particularly in the lead-up to and beyond the 2027 national elections.

This programme reflects the EU’s continued commitment to supporting democratic governance and human rights in Papua New Guinea. Civil society organisations remain central to these efforts, playing an important role in promoting transparency, improving access to information and holding institutions accountable through monitoring corruption and public policy implementation.

The initiative also aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which supports the development of sustainable, high-quality infrastructure in partner countries. A core aspect of this strategy is fostering an enabling environment for responsible investment, grounded in strong social, environmental and governance standards. Civil society contributes significantly to building and sustaining this environment.

Despite progress in addressing discrimination, gender inequality remains a serious challenge in Papua New Guinea. Although the Government has ratified international conventions and introduced national policies to support gender equality, women’s representation in political leadership remains low.

Broader governance challenges also persist, including overlapping formal and customary systems, limited institutional responsiveness, corruption, inconsistent service delivery, and the structural exclusion of women and young people. Development partners, including the EU, continue to support initiatives that strengthen social accountability, such as improving access to public information, enhancing budget transparency, and enabling citizen monitoring of public spending and services.

The European Union in Papua New Guinea is now inviting eligible organisations to submit proposals in line with the published guidelines.