Corruption is a cancer that kills and destroys institutions and nations and people, if not detected and prevented in its track earlier and promptly. The prevention of corruption and ensuring anti-corruption measures are established in the Judiciary, is necessary to building public confidence, trust in the judiciary and protection of its integrity.

These were the opening remarks made by Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi during the training on Human Rights, Anti-Corruption and Gender Equality for Judges and Magistrates.

Deputy Chief Justice Kandakasi further stated that Human Rights and Gender Equality are very important subjects that are enshrined in our constitution.

“Section 57 speaks to the enforcement of guaranteed rights and freedoms. Section 55 addresses equality of the sexes. Sections 35 to 53 cover a myriad of specific human rights including but not limited to the right to freedom of movement, expression, right to life, privacy and freedom from inhuman treatment”.

The two-day training was delivered by UNDP anti-corruption legislation expert on the EU-funded PNG Anti-Corruption Project, Mr. Drago Kos. It was designed to provide awareness and to discuss the implementation of the anti-corruption and integrity framework in the day-to-day work of the PNG judges and magistrates.

The PNG Anti-Corruption Project aims to strengthen the Government’s commitment and capacities to address corruption to effectively progress the Sustainable Development Goals for the benefit of all Papua New Guineans and to support the network of Non-State Actors in their anticorruption efforts. The Project is part of the EU-PNG Partnership for Good Governance Program.

Topics covered in the training included:

– global anti-corruption developments;

– substantial features of the international anti-corruption legal instruments;

– importance of human rights and gender equality for judicial work and integrity;

– identification of corruption/integrity problems of the PNG judiciary; and

– enhancement of integrity of the PNG judiciary.

The training was attended by twelve judicial officers (judges and magistrates) from the Waigani District and National Courts.