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Papua New Guinea
Women in decision-making positions
No data on number of women in elected local deliberative bodies
No woman is Head of Government
3%
Parliamentarians are women
3%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Papua New Guinea is a federal monarchy with three spheres of government: federal, intermediate (the Autonomous Region of Bougainville), and local.

One tier of central government, one tier of partial intermediate government (the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) and one or two tiers of local government: a partial tier of 21 provinces, and a full tier of 296 localities.

  • Head of State: The Governor-General is appointed by the Monarch.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General in accordance with a decision of the National Parliament.
  • Legislative body: The National Parliament is a unicameral legislature whose members are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The National Executive Council consists of the Prime Minister and additional ministers appointed by the Governor-General, in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.

  • Legislative body: The Bougainville Legislature (House of Representatives) is the unicameral legislature, which is composed of 28-38 members directly elected by voters and six nominated members.
  • Executive body: The Bougainville Executive Council is composed of the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the Vice-President, and 12 members appointed from amongst the members of the House of Representatives. The President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is directly elected by voters; the President appoints a Vice-President from amongst the members of the House of Representatives.

  • Organization: Local government is organized into two tiers, with an upper tier of 22 provincial-level local government units and a lower tier of 296 locality local government units, consisting of 31 urban localities and 265 rural localities. An urban locality can be classified as a city when its population exceeds 15,000 inhabitants.
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for making laws, which are afforded full faith and credit. Provinces can make laws regarding trade and industry, development, transportation, and land. Localities can make laws regarding licensing, social services, village communities, and community planning.
  • Ministerial oversight: Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The provincial assembly is composed of all of the National Parliament members representing electorates within the province, three to four paramount chiefs, an appointed woman’s representative, and a maximum of three additional members appointed by the provincial assembly. The provincial governor presides over the provincial assembly; the provincial governor is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The provincial executive council is composed of the provincial governor, the provincial deputy governor, and the chairperson of each permanent committee of the provincial executive council as appointed by the provincial governor, to not exceed a total of five members or 1/3 of total membership of the provincial assembly, whichever number is greater. The provincial governor is the member of the National Parliament representing the provincial electorate; the provincial deputy governor is elected by the provincial assembly from amongst members of the National Parliament representing electorates in the province.

Deliberative body: The local council is composed of one elected member per each ward, two to three appointed members, and a lord mayor (in cities), mayor (in other urban localities), or president (in rural localities). The lord mayor/mayor/president presides over the local council; the lord mayor/mayor/president is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The lord mayor/mayor/president, assisted by a deputy, is the executive of the locality level of government.

Local government elections

Electoral system for local councils: majority/plurality (alternative vote)

  • The candidate receiving the largest number of first preference votes, if that number is an absolute majority of votes, is elected. If no one has an absolute majority of first preference votes, the candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated, and the votes are transferred to the voters next preferred candidate until one candidate has at least half of the remaining votes.

Electoral system for lord mayors/mayors/presidents: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

  • The lord mayor/mayor/president is directly elected by voters.

Source: Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections, 1997 (amended through 2006), article 68

Gender quotas: Non electoral quota (reserved seats)

  • In the provincial council, there is one appointed women’s representative nominated by the provincial council of women in the province, or, if there is not one, the joint provincial planning and budget priorities committee for province nominates three women. One nominee is then appointed by the provincial executive council.
  • In the local council, the respective provincial council of women nominates one women's representative (in urban areas) or two women's representatives (in rural areas) to be appointed.

Additional quotas: Workers, employers

  • The following two additional members are appointed to each urban council:
    • One representative of workers’ organizations nominated by the Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress;
    • One representative of employers’ organizations nominated by the Employer’s Federation.

Sources: Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments, 1994 (amended through 2014), article 29; Local-level Governments Administration Act, 1997 (amended through 2022), article 6

  • Term length: 5 years
  • Last local elections: 2019
  • Next local elections: 2024

Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea

National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of Papua New Guinea, 1975 (amended through 2016);
  • Constitution of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 2004 (amended through 2015);
  • City Authority Act, 2015;
  • District Development Authority Act, 2014 (amended through 2016);
  • Provincial and Local Government Act, 2014;
  • National Capital District Commission Act 2001 (amended through 2009);
  • Law on National and Local-level Government Elections, 1997 (amended through 2012);
  • Local Level Governments Administration Act, 1997 (amended through 2022);
  • Provincial Governments Administration Act, 1997;
  • Cities Act, 1971.

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Papua New Guinea. According to Articles 187A and 187C of the 1975 Constitution of Papua New Guinea (amended through 2016), “there shall be a system of Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments for Papua New Guinea in accordance with this Part. An Organic Law shall make provision for the devolution and delegation to each Provincial Government and Local-level Government of substantial powers of decision-making and substantial administrative powers in respect of matters of direct concern to the province and to the local-level government area.”

The National Parliament is responsible for establishing the legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation that regulates local government is the Provincial and Local Government Act of 2014. According to Article 26 of the Provincial and Local Government Act, “a Local-level Government shall in principle be an elective government whose role shall be to make laws for the purpose of governing the local community.”

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.