Port Moresby – Community champions, local volunteers, representatives of community-based organizations, and government officers in Hela and Southern Highlands provinces can now better respond to conflict and displacement situations following the successful delivery of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) training by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The three-day training, delivered concurrently in Tari and Mendi, improved the knowledge and skills of 65 participants from Hela (39) and Southern Highlands (26) to respond in a timely manner to the needs of conflict-affected communities and internally displaced persons.

Hela and Southern Highlands provinces have been affected by conflict-induced displacement. Readily available and reliable data is crucial to inform efforts by the local authorities and partners in delivering assistance to affected populations and planning for peace and reconciliation efforts.

“This training will help me to identify and understand the challenges faced by persons affected by violence, conflict, and displacement. I am glad that I now know what to do, what to write, and whom to share the assessment reports with” said Alice Wale, a teacher at Kupari Primary School.

Kepagi Heisi from Hela Provincial Government highlighted, “I am glad to receive this important training. It is relieving to learn about the usefulness of DTM in complementing the government’s efforts to address displacement and sustain peace in Hela.”

In addition to DTM operations and capacity building initiatives, IOM is promoting peacebuilding efforts in Hela and Southern Highlands through the implementation of its Community Peace for Development Programming funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and implemented under the broader United Nations Highlands Joint Programme.

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For further information, please contact IOM Port Moresby, Getachew Mekuria, Tel: +675 4 3213655 Email: gmekuria@iom.int or Peter Murorera, Tel: +675 321 36 55, Email: pmurorera@iom.int