Papua New Guinea

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to education in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Children of single mothers and sex workers, especially boys
• Single mothers, especially as a result of polygamy or being a child bride, due to insufficient welfare
• LGBTQIA+ people struggle to access their rights on a daily basis
• Many children don't go to school
• Street children, due to a lack of social services or care
• Most people in Papua New Guinea have a low level of education and literacy

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to food in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Indigenous people are exposed to high levels of river, land, and air pollution, due to waste being dumped by the government and foreign companies
• Children of single mothers and sex workers, especially boys
• Single mothers, especially as a result of polygamy or being a child bride, due to insufficient welfare
• LGBTQIA+ people struggle to access their rights on a daily basis
• Detainees do not have access to quality food and are often deprived of meals as a form of discipline
• Street children, due to a lack of social services or care
• The climate crisis is causing a significant amount of displacement and migration, which affects people's access to water, food, and basic services
• People living on atolls and low-lying islands face freshwater shortages and food insecurity

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to health in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Indigenous people are exposed to high levels of river, land, and air pollution, due to waste being dumped by the government and foreign companies
• Children of single mothers and sex workers, especially boys
• Single mothers, especially as a result of polygamy or being a child bride, due to insufficient welfare
• LGBTQIA+ people struggle to access their rights on a daily basis
• Detainees, due to poor hygiene standards in detention centres leading to sickness and sometimes death
• Street children, due to a lack of social services or care

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to housing in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Children of single mothers and sex workers, especially boys
• Single mothers, especially as a result of polygamy or being a child bride, due to insufficient welfare
• LGBTQIA+ people struggle to access their rights on a daily basis
• The government demolishes homes to create urban settlements without relocating locals
• Street children, due to a lack of social services or care

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to arbitrary or political arrest and detention by government agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• People from isolated and remote areas
• People who are affected by climate change, due to the government using the climate issue to receive funding but not helping these communities; they are at risk if they complain
• Women and girls put their lives at risk if they publicly express their opinions or demand rights
• Children are sometimes detained or killed without reason
• Men and boys with disabilities are considered to be criminals and are detained, especially due to a lack of understanding of their experiences
• People who expose corrupt politicians and other powerful people, especially journalists and politicians
• Detainees, especially human rights advocates, protesters, and journalists
• Internally displaced people, especially Indigenous people from remote and isolated areas where mining and extractive activities are operating
• People with a low social or economic status, especially those who are illiterate or have a low level of education
• People who are homeless are consistently criticised and detained
• Street children are victims of physical and sexual violence; they are defenceless
• Students who express or advocate for their rights

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to disappearance by government agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• People who are affected by climate change, due to the government using the climate issue to receive funding but not helping these communities; they are at risk if they complain
• Women and girls put their lives at risk if they publicly express their opinions or demand rights
• LGBTQIA+ people are marginalised in society and considered unacceptable by Christian norms, leading to a high level of vulnerability and risk of being killed
• People who expose corrupt politicians and other powerful people, especially journalists and politicians
• People who participate in non-violent political activity, especially human rights advocates, put their lives at risk and are killed by police and military forces
• Detainees, especially human rights advocates, protesters, and journalists
• Street children are victims of physical and sexual violence, they are defenceless

Expert respondents did not provide any specific information about who is especially vulnerable to violations of this right.

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to extrajudicial killing by government agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• People from isolated and remote areas
• Women and girls put their lives at risk if they publicly express their opinions or demand rights
• LGBTQIA+ people are marginalised in society and considered unacceptable by Christian norms, leading to a high level of vulnerability and risk of being killed
• Children are sometimes detained or killed for no reason
• People who expose corrupt politicians and other powerful people, especially journalists and politicians
• Detainees, especially human rights advocates, protesters, and journalists
• Internally displaced people, especially Indigenous people from remote and isolated areas where mining and extractive activities are operating
• People with a low social or economic status, especially those who are illiterate or have a low level of education
• Street children are victims of physical and sexual violence; they are defenceless
• Students who express or advocate for their rights
• People who participate in non-violent political activity, especially human rights advocates, put their lives at risk and are killed by police and military forces

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their rights to assembly and association by the government or its agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• LGBTQIA+ people cannot gather in public, due to discrimination
• Members of labour unions are bribed by companies and the government, and widely seen as puppets; anyone who tries to defend workers’ rights is dismissed
• People who engage in non-violent political activity, especially human rights defenders and women's rights defenders
• People suspected of political violence are considered criminals and discouraged from participating in political activity
• Stateless people are considered criminals and outcasts
• Sex workers, especially LGBTQIA+ people
• Single parents and people who cannot have children

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their rights to opinion and expression by government agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• People with particular religious beliefs are considered cults
• LGBTQIA+ people must hide their identities in order to live normal lives, otherwise they are considered outcasts and shameful
• Single mothers are sometimes viewed as sex workers and mistreated
• Journalists are often criticised and mocked for their opinions, and risk defamation
• Human rights advocates risk detention and physical and sexual assault, especially women, while men are bribed to stop exposing issues that reflect negatively on the government
• Members of labour unions are bribed by companies and the government, and widely seen as puppets by the general public; anyone who tries to defend workers’ rights is dismissed
• Stateless people are considered criminals and outcasts
• Indigenous people with a low level of education
• Sex workers, especially LGBTQIA+ people, are viewed as shameful and not accepted in society
• Single parents and people who cannot have children

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their political participation by the government or its agents in 2023, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• The rights of Indigenous people are overlooked by the national government in favour of economic progress, especially in negotiations with multinational corporations or extractive industries
• Women and girls are considered a minority, which restricts their ability to participate in political decision-making
• LGBTQIA+ people must hide their identities in order to live normal lives, otherwise they are considered outcasts
• Journalists are often criticised and mocked for their opinions, and risk defamation
• Human rights advocates risk detention and physical and sexual assault, especially women, while men are bribed by the government to stop exposing issues that reflect negatively on them
• Members of labour unions are bribed by companies and the government, and widely seen as puppets; anyone who tries to defend workers’ rights is dismissed
• People suspected of political violence are considered criminals and discouraged from participating in political activity
• Stateless people are considered criminals and outcasts
• Indigenous people with a low level of education
• Sex workers, especially LGBTQIA+ people, are viewed as shameful and not accepted in society
• Single parents and people who cannot have children
• Some people do not have a choice who they vote for in elections
• Indigenous people own the land, seas, and waters, but extraction and industrial activities by the government and foreign investors violate these rights