Critical Review of the National Population Policy 2015-2024

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  By: Dulcie. Awali

Introduction

The National Population Policy (NPP) 2015–2024, drafted in July 2014 and endorsed by NEC in January 2015, builds on lessons from the poorly implemented 1991 and 2000–2010 NPP policies. This updated framework aligns with PNG’s National Security Policy (NSP) 2013 and the first three pillars of Vision 2050, focusing on responsible, sustainable development. It aims to strengthen healthcare delivery, especially in rural areas and promote population education. The Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DPNM) leads its coordination, with support from the National Population Council, provincial governments, NGOs, and churches. This critical review will further explore mixed responses to the NPP’s focus areas.

Summary

There were three main key areas that stood out from the discussion of this policy.

Firstly, one key area of the NPP noted, emphasized on awareness programs on population growth and population education. PNG’s population has been gradually increasing since Independence and this continuous increase poses a significant pushback to the lack of government service delivery and education levels within the country. Therefore, awareness programs on population education are essential for youths, women, national and provincial government bodies, NGOs, and churches, as emphasized in Policy Goals ‘3, 13, 14, and 15’. This is particularly important given that previous NPPs were poorly implemented, largely due to limited knowledge and awareness. A lack of understanding about population growth continues to limit service delivery, increase unemployment, and contribute to rising crime—posing a significant impediment to building a successful economy.

Secondly, another key focus of the NPP is strengthening national capacity to generate relevant population data. Effective coordination and implementation of any national policy relies heavily on how well responsible government bodies plan and act. The NPP highlights in Goal ‘6’, the need for provincial governments and districts to understand the importance of population growth in both rural and urban settings. Learning from the shortcomings of previous NPPs, this policy places emphasis on guiding all levels of government to integrate its objectives and strategies into their five-year provincial plans. Doing so will help ensure the availability of relevant and up-to-date census information—critical for voting, planning, and other areas of national development. The NPP also emphasizes that all stakeholders must collaborate and coordinate effectively to deliver services that truly benefit everyone.

The final key area of the NPP is to improve the status of women, promote efforts to reduce fertility rates, and raise awareness on responsible actions to manage population growth in PNG. In many cases, women’s participation in society is limited by persistent cultural norms that restrict their freedom of movement and access to essential services like education and social support. As such, the NPP—particularly under Goals 9, 10, and 11 aims to ensure that women and girls are given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and equally in the political, social, cultural, and economic life of their communities and the country as a whole. With equal access to education and stronger legal frameworks supporting women’s rights, population growth can be reduced while boosting economic productivity across both urban and rural areas of PNG.

Critique

The strength of the NPP is emphasized under Goal 14, where the DPNM envisions that from 2015 onwards, there should be improvements in reproductive healthcare services for both women and men throughout communities in PNG. However, in this rapidly changing society, PNG continues to experience poor service delivery and limited opportunities for women and girls. Since the formulation of the NSP 2013, emphasis has been placed on issues like gender-based violence (GBV), HIV/AIDS, unemployment, youth bulge, and population growth—challenges the NPP is designed to help address.

Improvements in reproductive healthcare services are crucial to tackling these threats. According to UNFPA (2023), significant gaps still exist in rural service provision. The study found that only 26% of rural health facilities had consistent access to modern contraceptives, and many lacked trained midwives—both of which are critical for reducing unplanned pregnancies and ensuring safe deliveries (UNFPA, 2023). Enhancing these services is essential for addressing high fertility and maternal mortality rates, which are perceived as serious threats to national development.

Despite the NPP outlining strategic measures, its success depends on effective implementation, committed resources, and collaborative stakeholder engagement.

One major weakness of the policy is the lack of updated census information to track population growth. The NPP is built on statistics from the 2011 National Census, and no updated data had been collected until recently. This weakens the effectiveness of the policy, especially when stakeholders fail to collaborate on updating PNG’s demographic information. The policy itself does not mention any concrete timeline for a new census. Kubani (2024) argues that census efforts have been disrupted by political disorganization and lack of coordination led by DPNM, which undermines policies like the NPP that rely heavily on accurate data.

Moreover, relying on outdated statistics raises the question: How can the NPP achieve its goals without understanding the current population situation? Coordination among stakeholders to complete the national census is essential for responding to future economic and development challenges. As Prime Minister James Marape stated in 2024, the national census that began on June 17th, 2024, had yet to be completed—highlighting ongoing issues with implementation and urgency (DPNEC, 2024).

This continued delay reflects the minimal progress made over decades, despite having clear policy frameworks like the NPP.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the DPNM, along with key stakeholders such as provincial governments, invest in awareness initiatives and build technical capacity in population education and its impact on sustainable economic growth. Without this foundational knowledge, the importance of the NPP is often overlooked, leading to poor coordination between the DPNM, provincial authorities, and critical sectors like health and education. This review aims to help clarify and revise stakeholder responsibilities to ensure more effective implementation of the policy.

Another recommendation is for an updated National Census to start or to continue from where it last progressed. This will help in reviewing the current NPP 2015-2024 and draft a proper structure of policies and strategies to tackle issues pertaining to population growth in an updated manner. Doing so will help in effectively implementing the policy in the next 10 years to come.

Conclusion

Overall, the NPP 2015–2024 sets out a clear vision to improve services and manage population growth in PNG in alignment with the NSP and Vision 2050. But without up-to-date census data, stronger coordination, and better awareness, it’s hard for the policy to truly make an impact. For it to work, all key players need to come together, finish the national census, and commit to making the policy part of real change. With the right support and teamwork, the NPP can still help build a better, more sustainable future for everyone in PNG.


References

Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council. (17 June 2024). Prime Minister Hon. James Marape reiterates importance of 2024 national census. Government of Papua New Guinea. https://pmnec.gov.pg/prime-minister-hon-james-marape-reiterates-importance-of-2024national-census/

Kubani, M. (5 July 2024). The political risks of a failed census in PNG. BenarNews. https://www.benarnews.org/english/commentaries/png-census-political-risk-07052024010813.html

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2023). Facility-based survey of reproductive health commodities and services in Papua New Guinea. UNFPA PNG. https://png.unfpa.org/en/publications/facility-based-survey-reproductive-health-commodities-and-services-papua-new-guinea

 

 

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