Family Protection Orders: Court Processes in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This report outlines some findings and observations about how courts in Papua New Guinea (PNG) handle the family protection orders (FPOs) introduced under the Family Protection Act 2013. It is based on direct observations of 33 court hearings in Port Moresby and Lae conducted between 28 January and 24 March 2020. These findings and interpretations of the court observations are informed by a larger study on FPOs that included interviews with stakeholders across seven locations: Port Moresby, Lae, Popondetta, Buka, Arawa, Mount Hagen and Minj.