In commemorating the UN’s International day of a Girl Child, Basketball PNG under its #HWHR campaign raised awareness about right of a girl child, bridge the gender gap and the importance of education and the value of school attendance.

This year, we extended the opportunity to our girls in three distinct communities, including Rabia gini settlement, Rabia tari Section, and Korobosea Motuan Village; Those who can't go to school or have an attendance roster to follow; With most girls only attending school only on Tuesday and Thursday.

Through the #HWHR campaign, we discovered that as the population of Port Moresby, the nation's capital, grows and people from other areas migrate to the city in search of a better life, one major unspoken reality is that adults enrol in primary and secondary schools in the hope of obtaining a school certificate through bribery, leaving younger children, particularly girls, behind.

The day began with opening remarks given by the Basketball Federation of PNG’s President, Mrs Emma Waiwai, who was followed by Lucy Maino, a beauty pageant champion, football player, and entrepreneur.

With the support of our national 5x5 mens and womens teams, we hosted a successful event which included an introduction to basketball, basketball terminology, fundamental basketball movement, and a basketball game to round off the day.

The BFPNGs MiPikininiMeri (I'm a girl child) program is a reality, thanks to FIBA's HWHR (HerWorldHerRules) campaign, that aims to unite women and girls through basketball, supported by EuroLeague Women and FIBA's global strategy.

#HWHR @FIBA_OCEANIA