AT in Papua New Guinea
By Rosita Njeumi
Background
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is home to an estimated one million persons with disabilities (PWDs): roughly 10-15% of the population. PWDs remain excluded from education, employment, and community life. Only 2% of PWDs in PNG currently access formal services. The vast majority are left without assistive devices, rehabilitation, inclusive schooling, or income support. Most live in rural areas where a combination of geography and poor infrastructure further hinders access. Deep-seated stigma and cultural attitudes further isolate PWDs. Disability is often seen as a source of shame or associated with sorcery, leading families to hide their children with disabilities at home. Women with disabilities face even more discrimination and high rates of violence [3].
Similar to some nations in Africa, Papua New Guinea has a stigma around disabilities and a rural population. Some policy options that could work in PNG, based on countries like Kenya, are the development of assistive technology policies and strategies by deliberate multi-stakeholder collaboration. Governments lead most processes, but policy formulation is co-created with a broad spectrum of partners to ensure legitimacy, inclusiveness, and technical rigor [6]. Another option would be the expansion of international partnerships and cooperation and the development of awareness campaigns on AT. This combination can help deliver, sustain, and improve AT access. International partners' resources can be utilized to enhance the existing resources of their partner country [2].
Reformation Efforts
There have been efforts to improve access for those with disabilities; a prominent example is the National Policy on Disability. Former Minister for Religion, Youth, and Community Development, Delilah Gore, enacted the National Policy on Disability (NPD) 2015–2025—she said that this is their national strategy and plan of action for the disability sector. The policy is focused on promoting responsible and coordinated action to remove barriers that hinder persons with disabilities from enjoying the same rights as all others. The former secretary for the Department of Community Development and Religion, Anna Solomon, went on to say the NPD is a policy for all Papua New Guineans to implement. We need to acknowledge that bringing down barriers and enhancing Persons With Disabilities participation in economic and social life is a shared responsibility to making rights real. The NPD is a road map for doing this; it focuses resources on the common priorities of strengthening policy, budget, and legislative aspects of the disability sector; enhancing advocacy and mainstreaming programs, and improving service delivery results for Persons With Disabilities [4].
Another example is when Papua New Guinea officially ratified their involvement in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities back in 2013. This agreement advocates, supports, promotes, and protects the equality of all those with disabilities. It states the importance of how human rights are rights for everyone regardless of disability. The signing and recognition of this document by PNG can further facilitate the development of clear disability policies, acts, and reforms [5].
Possible Improvements
To address issues surrounding disabilities in Papua New Guinea, it’s important to raise awareness to combat stigma, fund disability organizations through the government, and improve infrastructure and services for those with disabilities. Stigma can be challenged through the churches; this is a core part of Papua New Guinea's culture. These churches and local leaders can help shift attitudes by showing that disability is not something to be hidden. The more insight and education on the subject matter, the less ignorant people can become. The PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons (PNGADP) is an organization that supports, advocates, and monitors those with disabilities. They need funding to keep working towards the goals listed in National Policy on Disability 2015-2025. The government budgets need to include clear policies to improve the allocation of resources for assistive technology, rehabilitation, social protection, and accessibility retrofits. With the help of allocated governmental funding, PNGADP can have the necessary backing to implement more initiatives and programs for those with disabilities. Inclusion starts with the schools, clinics, and transport systems; these infrastructures should meet universal ADA standards. Within these institutions and hospitals, professionals must be trained to better implement and integrate disability support [3].
There have been some attempts to improve access, like the training in assistive products (TAP). The Papua New Guinea (PNG) pilot was carried out in June 2019, in collaboration with the National Department of Health (NDOH) Health Facilities Standards Branch, National Capital District Community (NCDC) Health Services, Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) Eye Clinic, and the National Orthotics and Prosthetics Service (NOPS). TAP is an open access online learning platform, developed in response to the widespread shortage of personnel trained to provide assistive products (AP). TAP intends to equip primary/community health and other community-level personnel to provide a range of simple AP, selected from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Priority Assistive Products List. The Papua New Guinea (PNG) pilot included the introduction to assistive products, walking aids, and the introduction to vision: reading glasses, magnifying glasses, and telescopes. The overall program showed promise for increasing AT knowledge. The study concluded that skilled personnel are needed to help mentor and supervise new learners for safe and effective competency. The study also found that there are still resource and time constraints experienced in healthcare delivery systems. This could be solved by international collaboration and governmental allocation of resources for the purposes of assistive technologies [7].
Recently the governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia have been working together to strengthen disability inclusion by improving referral pathways and access to assistive technology for children with disabilities. The partnership focuses on two key areas: mapping referral pathways across sectors and developing a streamlined process for the procurement and delivery of assistive technology. Evidence shows that improving access to assistive technology requires more than increasing supply. It depends on strengthening the full system—from early identification and referral to assessment, fitting, user training, and follow-up support. Without this continuity, children risk receiving devices that are ineffective or unsuitable for their needs [1]. This collaboration demonstrates the improved efforts that can come from international collaboration. Educational access is imperative for the youth since those children will become the adults of society. If successfully fully implemented, there should be an improvement for the equality of the peoples of PNG.
Limitations
Papua New Guinea’s AT access for those with developmental disabilities is not as widely researched as those with physical disabilities. The paper covers a mix of both but is primarily physical. There could be other factors that are preventing enhancements for assistive technologies in PNG not listed or understood outside their cultural climate. Suggestions made are based on other countries' efforts and the already existing efforts made in PNG. More effective change would need to be done within the system itself by those who are native Papua New Guineans. Some newer efforts are not fully realized yet, and so the resulting magnitude is yet to come.
Conclusion
Papua New Guinea is a rural country that is still making an effort to implement assistive technologies. Though they have not reached all those with disabilities, they are making efforts to reach them. The government and its organizations are a good basis for the continual progress of access to assistive technologies.
References
[1] Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2026). Addressing gaps to inclusion for children with disabilities in PNG. Australian High Commission, Papua New Guinea. https://png.embassy.gov.au/pmsb/1692.html
[2] Gaiotto EMG, Gabriel M, Fernandes MFP, Andrade OG, Hedlund Jardim N, Ramos VD, Souza NM and Aguiar BGA (2026) Access to assistive technology in Africa: findings from evidence-informed deliberative dialogues on trade and fiscal policies. Front. Rehabil. Sci. 7:1866962. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2026.1866962
[3] Hensen, J. (2026). Disability support in PNG: Bridging policy and reality. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre. https://devpolicy.org/disability-support-in-png-bridging-policy-reality-20260415/
[4] PNG National Disability Policy. (n.d.). Papua New Guinea National Policy on Disability. https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/PNG_National_Disability_Policy.pdf
[5] Secretary-General of the United Nations. (2026). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. United Nations. United Nations Treaty Collection. https://treaties.un.org/pages/viewdetails.aspx?chapter=4&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=iv-15&src=treaty
[6] Stellenbosch University .(2026). Assistive technology landscape in Africa. Mastercard Foundation. https://mastercardfdn.org/en/our-research/assistive-technology-landscape-in-africa/
[7] Tebbutt, E., Mines, K., & Oggero, G. (2019). Online training in assistive products Pilot report Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. World Health Organization. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/assistive-technology-2/tap/tap-pngpilot-report.pdf?sfvrsn=902e5acc_2
