Breaking Barriers: A male advocate’s fight against GBV in rural PNG

Mr Wayne Polout - HEO Pomio Health Centre. (Image: Supplied)

“The biggest challenge as a male advocate in a male-dominated society is trying to change the perception of men,” says Wayne Polout, his voice steady but weighted with experience.

Wayne Polout is a Health Extension Officer at the Palmalmal Rural Health Centre in Pomio District, East New Britain Province.

For nearly five years, he has served his community through healthcare, but his impact reaches far beyond medicine.

Wayne is also a passionate advocate for Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion [GEDSI], leading efforts to combat Gender-Based Violence [GBV] through male advocacy.

Wayne participated in the Sapotim Lida Program, an initiative implemented by Care International and funded by the Australian Government through the PNG Aus Partnership.

As part of this program, he joined a team of male advocates who took on the challenge of addressing GEDSI [Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion] issues within their respective programs and workplaces.

The outcome this training helped boost is confidence to team up different partners and individuals to
address GEDSI related issues in his district.

In Pomio, GBV remains a deeply rooted issue, often hidden from public view. Cultural norms and traditional customs discourage open discussion or reporting of abuse, especially within families.

In this rural district, where exposure to westernized ideas is limited, community values tend to prioritize family privacy and male authority.

As a result, incidents of violence are frequently resolved within the home, away from legal or social intervention.

“Most cases of GBV are never reported. In one month, we may attend to at least one or two cases,” Wayne explains.

“When we do, we ensure victims are safe and perpetrators are arrested.”

Yet even when cases reach authorities, justice is not guaranteed.

“Perpetrators often resist accountability, especially when they hold status in the community,” Wayne adds.

“This is particularly common in cases involving older individuals.”

To navigate these challenges, Wayne and his team partnered with the Police, Local Level Government, and the Community Development Office to launch inter-agency advocacy programs aimed at educating the public and reducing GBV in the community.

Wayne Polout doing a presentation with fellow colleagues from Pomio. (Image: Supplied)

“We received positive feedback from the community after the awareness”, Wayne shared.

“With continued outreach, we believe we can shift how men perceive Gender Based Violence and ultimately reduce the number of cases”.

Encouraged by such feedback, Wayne and his team are now working to develop programs that are both engaging and capable of reshaping how men perceive Gender-Based Violence. But the path is far from easy.

In Pomio, traditional beliefs position men as unquestioned leaders within their homes and communities.

This deeply ingrained hierarchy often leads to resistance whenever initiatives challenge the status quo.

Cultural values further reinforce these perceptions. Many men grow up believing that their role is inherently superior to that of women, an idea passed down through generations. Wayne’s advocacy seeks to dismantle this mindset by fostering dialogue around shared responsibility, mutual respect, and the value of both genders in building a healthy society.

Through his efforts, Wayne hopes to spark a shift in understanding: that leadership is not about dominance, but about care, protection, and partnership. By highlighting the complementary roles of men and women, he aims to influence how men see themselves not as rulers, but as allies in the fight against violence and inequality.