Paper 9: Annex 6.7

Annex 6.7
Sound development in the Motu Koitabu urban villages, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Revision Date:	1st March 2001
Title:	Sound development in the Motu Koitabu urban villages, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Goal:	To address, through generating awareness and self-realization, the social, economic and environmental problems affecting the livelihood of the Motu Koitabu people.
Location:	Motu Koitabu villages in Port Moresby, the National Capital of Papua New Guinea.
Starting date:	1998.
Partners:	Representatives of the Motu Koitabu villages; Motu Koitabu Council; Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA), National Commission of Papua New Guinea for UNESCO; UNESCO: Associated Schools Project (ASP), Growing up in Cities (GUIC), Management of Social Transformations (MOST), Coastal Regions and Small Islands (CSI) platform.
Pilot project leader:	Mr. Haraka Gaudi, Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA), PO Box 1216 Boroko, Papua New Guinea. Tel: + 675 3260433, 3267345, 3267163, Fax: + 675 3261654. e-mail gaudichn@upng.ac.pg
Description:	The Motu Koitabu, numbering around 30,000 of the city’s 250,000 total population, are the traditional landowners of the greater Port Moresby area. The city’s current population is a cross-section of people from all the provinces of the country and the world over. Problems faced by the local people are related to rapid urbanization and limited space. Major development projects contribute to exacerbate these problems. The project seeks to assist the Motu Koitabu address their immediate environment and conservation problems. It seeks to link the urban village population with municipal authorities, government agencies, as well as aid donors in a multidisciplinary approach and team effort to promote wise practices. The main activities under the project can be listed as follows:
	Phase 1 (completed 1998): An awareness campaign in Baruni, Tatana and Hanuabada villages, together with site surveys, data collection and meetings with villagers, were conducted. A final report covering Phase 1 was prepared.
	Phase 2: The activities have included:
	Awareness seminars conducted in Baruni and Hanuabada villages. Baruni seminars targeted church-based youth groups, while the Hanuabada session formed part of the United Church Urban Region Youth Convention, attended by 600 youths from urban areas like Port Moresby, Madang, Lae (Morobe Province), Goroka (Eastern Highlands Province), Popondetta (Oro Province), Manus, Wewak and Vanimo. The findings of the Phase 1 Final Report were disseminated to the participants. The successful and historical Inaugural Summit on Motu Koitabu Development was held in Baruni Village on 31 August – 1 September 1999. The theme of the summit was Identity and Survival of Motu Koitabu People in Year 2000 and Beyond. A Working Group adopted by the Summit, the Motu Koitabu Task Force, was established under the leadership of Mr. Gaudi. A general meeting was organized on 20 December 1999 at Parliament House by Lady Carol Kidu, Member of Parliament for Moresby South Electorate. A workshop on ‘Growing up in Cities’ was held in Port Moresby in November 1999. Young people from the National Capital District and all over Papua New Guinea took part. Participants gained experience in co-operation and interaction amongst themselves and other agencies to influence their own human and physical environment. A Youth Declaration was also prepared. Lady Kidu was appointed as Chairperson of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Urbanisation and Social Development. In December 2000, the final report of this Special Committee was submitted to Parliament. Mr Kabua Kabua and Mr Gaudi presented a set of Motu Koitabu position papers to this parliamentary committee in a public hearing in early March 2000.
Achievements & Assessment:	1	The Motu Koitabu are slowly becoming aware of the complex social, economic and environmental problems affecting their livelihood.
	2	The leaders, Motu Koitabu councilors, task force members and invited community leaders believe that the only way for their people to meaningfully participate in sustainable development, is to work within the established structures and systems.
	3	An identified constraint has been a lack of co-operation among community leaders and MotuKoita councilors, leading to petty jealousies, bickering and the promotion of self-interest.
Future directions:	1	Extend and develop advocacy activities targeting minority groups in the Motu Koitabu society.
	2	Plan and prepare supplementary educational curriculum materials focusing on the Motu Koitabu.
	3	Together with researchers and students from the University of Papua New Guinea, conduct research and social profiles of Motu Koitabu villages, with special reference to land ownership and land-use issues.
	4	Organization of strategy meetings with representatives of all stakeholder groups to exchange views and develop action plans for addressing issues of relevance to the Motu Koitabu cause.
	5	Full documentation of all activities.

Start		Introduction		Activities	Publications	Search
		Wise Practices	Regions		Themes