Betty Lovai, from Papua New Guinea (PNG), is a professor and the executive dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG).
Betty Lovai, from Papua New Guinea (PNG), is a professor and the executive dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG).
Lovai was born on a village mission station in the Western Province of what would become Papua New Guinea, following its Independence in 1975. Her father was a pastor and one of the first people from PNG to be educated as a teacher. He and his family later moved to the capital of PNG, Port Moresby. Lovai later graduated from UPNG and was offered a position at the university as a tutor, subsequently becoming a teaching fellow when she obtained her honours degree in 1989. She required further qualifications in order to advance her teaching career and first obtained a master's degree in social policy and administration from the University of Nottingham in England, and followed that with a PhD from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Lovai was appointed as executive dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of UPNG in 2007. In February 2021 she was made acting pro (deputy) vice chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs). While at the university she has taken on many roles on various important committees within PNG and internationally. These include being the chair of the HIV and HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee; PNG's representative on the Pacific Women Research Strategy Advisory Group; a member of the Environment Council of Papua New Guinea; a member of the Lands Development Advisory Group; a member of the Women in Political Leadership Reference Group, and member of Coalition of Public Service Women in Leadership. She has also served as a commissioner on the country's Constitutional and Law Reform Commission, as a director on the PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd Company Board, and on the Council of the PNG National Research Institute. [1] [4] [5] [6]
Lovai is married with three children.
With 1.28 percent of the adult population estimated by UNAIDS to be HIV-positive in 2006, Papua New Guinea has one of the most serious HIV/AIDS epidemics in the Asia-Pacific subregion. Although this new prevalence rate is significantly lower than the 2005 UNAIDS estimate of 1.8 percent, it is considered to reflect improvements in surveillance rather than a shrinking epidemic. Papua New Guinea accounts for 70 percent of the subregion's HIV cases and is the fourth country after Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma to be classified as having a generalized HIV epidemic.
Agnes Binagwaho is a Rwandan Politician, pediatrician, co-founder and the former vice chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity (2017-2022). In 1996, she returned to Rwanda where she provided clinical care in the public sector as well as held many positions including the position of Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health of Rwanda from October 2008 until May 2011 and Minister of Health from May 2011 until July 2016. She has been a professor of global health delivery practice since 2016 and a professor of pediatrics since 2017 at the University of Global Health Equity. She has served the health sector in various high-level government positions. She resides in Kigali.
The Development Policy Centre (Devpol) is an aid and development policy think tank based at the Crawford School of Public Policy in the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University. Devpol undertakes independent research and promotes practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian aid, to support the development of Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands region, and to contribute to better global development policy.
Sarah Haoda Todd is an entrepreneur, fashion designer and activist from Lae, Papua New Guinea.
Fiona Sonia Karejo Hukula is a Papua New Guinean activist. She advocates against gender-based violence, including women accused of witchcraft or sorcery.
Evelyn Lavu was the most senior pathologist in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and a recognised leader in the fight against HIV, malaria and drug-resistant tuberculosis. She was Director of the Central Public Health Laboratory in Papua New Guinea for over a decade and, in June 2021, became PNG's first and only female Professor of Medicine.
Maria Linibi is the founder and president of the Papua New Guinea Women in Agriculture Development Foundation.
Margaret Nakikus was the first Papua New Guinean woman to head that country's National Planning Office. She is also known as the wife of Rabbie Namaliu, who was Papua New Guinea's prime minister between 1988 and 1992.
Dame Jean Lucilla Kekedo is a Papua New Guinean activist who has held senior roles in the country's public service, including that of Ombudsman and High commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Ruth Kissam is a community organizer and a human rights activist who has focused on Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SRV) in Papua New Guinea. She was awarded the Westpac Outstanding Woman (WOW) Award in Papua New Guinea in 2018.
Betty Palaso is a Papua New Guinean diplomat and civil servant. She is the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to the Philippines. Prior to that appointment, she headed PNG's Internal Revenue Commission.
Ellen Maev O'Collins, MBE was an Australian social worker by training, who became Emeritus Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Papua New Guinea.
Jane Kesno is from Papua New Guinea (PNG). She is the founder and chair of the PNG Women and Children's Rights Centre and co-founder of the Coalition of Public Sector Women in Leadership. She is a member of the board of the Australian Aid project, Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development.
Anne Dickson-Waiko (1950–2018) was an academic from Papua New Guinea (PNG) who taught history and pioneered the teaching of gender studies in the country.
Avia Koisen is a lawyer from Papua New Guinea (PNG) who runs her own law firm. She was a founder member of Papua New Guinea Women in Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PNGWCCI) and has been its president. She is a campaigner against gender-based violence in the country.
Miriam Supuma is a conservationist in Papua New Guinea (PNG). She was the co-founder and co-director of the PNG Institute of Biological Research (PNGIBR), a scientific research NGO. Her field research has centred around Birds of Paradise, particularly in relation to the use of their feathers for traditional adornment by people in the highlands of PNG.
Matilda Pilacapio is a human rights activist and an environmental rights activist from Papua New Guinea (PNG). A former member of the provincial government of Milne Bay Province, she is particularly known for her campaigns against the oil palm industry. More recently she has been active in the Papua Hahine Social Action Forum, a group campaigning against gender-based violence.
Julienne Kaman, from Papua New Guinea (PNG), is Pro-Chancellor of the University of Goroka in PNG's Highlands Region.
Pamela Toliman is a medical researcher from Papua New Guinea (PNG) who has researched areas such as sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and COVID-19.
Sir Alkan Tololo was the director of Papua New Guinea's education department and the first Papua New Guinean to be chancellor of both the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (Unitech). He also became chancellor of Vudal University, as well as holding diplomatic posts in Australia and Malaysia.