Meri Seif Ples

Meri Seif Ples is a community initiative undertaken by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC).

What is Meri Seif Ples?

Meri Seif Ples is a practical opportunity for the community to offer respite for people under an immediate threat of violence. These ‘cool-off’ zones are available in;

- Business premises
- Industrial premises
- Private property

Meri Safe Campaign is an initiative of Amanda Adams of Corporate Express and it is now fully supported by Yumi Lukautim Mosbi Project, a crime-diversionary project under the Law and Justice Sector Program which is sponsored by both the governments of Australia and PNG.

What Does Meri Seif Ples Hope to Achieve?

An immediate and practical way to avoid potential domestic violence
An immediate and practical way to declare that domestic violence is not acceptable to us as individuals or as a community
It enables us to discuss the difficult subject of domestic violence in a practical way and bring about change

How Does Meri Seif Ples Work?

Any individual family or commercial/public organization may choose to participate.
When you see the Meri Seif Ples logo, as it appears here, the company or home displaying it’s image will guarantee to offer practical and immediate protection from a threat of violence to the best of their ability.

To offer shelter in the face of an immediate threat is often enough to prevent an assault.
Publicly declaring your premises to be a Meri Seif Ples will demonstrate the company’s, family’s or community’s commitment to help to address the damage caused through domestic violence.

Someone who is under the threat of violence may look for the Meri Seif Ples sign attached to gates to seek shelter. Once inside that gate, they are guaranteed shelter and support to the best of the family or organizations ability.

The potential victim will receive immediate shelter and the potential abuser has an enforced cool off period with the opportunity to avoid committing a crime.
Yumi Lukautim Mosbi Projek will provide supporting information for services available for longer term support for victims of domestic violence.

With the support of the community, there could be a Meri Seif Ples in every street throughout our town, in industrial and commercial areas as well as residential areas, enabling a person under threat to be able to seek support and protection anywhere around town.

Why Get Involved?

Domestic violence will have touched all of our lives here if only through the shock of seeing it perpetrated on the street, if not through personal stories or our workplaces.
Many of us as business managers and employers deal with domestic violence and have had to confront the immediate threat and results of it. Whether it be absenteeism, productivity, open threats to the workplace or the harrowing stories from the colleagues.

As an employer, protecting our staff from abuse and threats is a very real issue. Our ability to assure staff that there is security and understanding in the workplace is positively reinforced when the company participates in the Meri Seif Ples scheme.
As an individual, we demonstrate positive, practical action in improving our environment and community.

To be able to offer this environment to the larger community encourages us all to take a stand and slowly change the acceptance that enables domestic abuse.
It is not the sole responsibility of governments or support services, the business community or the community at large. It affects all of us in many ways and it will take all sectors of the community to eliminate this blight on our society.

We can choose to make a real and practical difference
Yumi mas halivim olgeta meri, olgeta taim

Supporting Activity

30,000 posters/signs have been printed and distributed nationwide on Wednesday, 28 May 2008 in the Post-Courier as part of the Yumi Lukautim Mosbi Projek Monthly News.
15,000 extra copies of this poster are available free of charge from Corporate Express, Ago Street, Gordons – 325 4199

Supportive presentations are available to organizations on application, please contact: Amanda Adams of Corporate Express, telephone as above, e-mail: amanda@corpex.com.pg
General supporting material available from Lukautim Mosbi Projek office, Rabura Aiga or Grace Maribu – 325 0284