Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea 1975, as amended to 2016
Political Rights and Association
  • English

    (2) EQUALITY AND PARTICIPATION.
    We declare our second goal to be for all citizens to have an equal opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, the development of our country.
    WE ACCORDINGLY CALL FOR-
    (1) an equal opportunity for every citizen to take part in the political, economic, social, religious and cultural life of the country; and
    (2) the creation of political structures that will enable effective, meaningful participation by our people in that life, and in view of the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of our people for those structures to provide for substantial decentralization of all forms of government activity; and

    (5) equal participation by women citizens in all political, economic, social and religious activities;
    … (Preamble, National Goals and Directive Principles)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    WE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE that, subject to any restrictions imposed by law on noncitizens, all persons in our country are entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever their race, tribe, places of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the legitimate public interest, to each of the following:-

    (b) the right to take part in political activities; and

    (d) freedom of conscience, of expression, of information and of assembly and association;
    … (Preamble, Basic Rights)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    Every person has the right peacefully to assemble and associate and to form or belong to, or not to belong to, political parties, industrial organizations or other associations, except to the extent that the exercise of that right is regulated or restricted by a law-
    (a) that makes reasonable provision in respect of the registration of all or any associations; or
    (b) that imposes restrictions on non-citizens; or
    (c) that complies with Section 38 (general qualifications on qualified rights). (Sec. 47)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    (1) Subject to the express limitations imposed by this Constitution, every citizen who is of full capacity and has reached voting age, other than a person who-
    (a) is under sentence of death or imprisonment for a period of more than nine months; or
    (b) has been convicted, within the period of three years next proceeding the first day of the polling period for the election concerned, of an offence relating to elections that is prescribed by an Organic Law or an Act of the Parliament for the purposes of this paragraph; or
    (ba) has dual citizenship of another country,
    has the right, and shall be given a reasonable opportunity-

    (d) to vote for, and to be elected to, elective public office at genuine, periodic, free elections; and
    … (Sec. 50)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    (1) Only citizens other than citizens who have dual citizenship may-
    (a) vote in elections for, or hold, elective public offices;
    … (Sec. 56)
Political Rights and Association
  • English

    (3) The members of the Parliament (other than the nominated members) shall be elected under a system of universal, adult, citizen suffrage in accordance with Section 50 (right to vote and stand for public office) and the other Constitutional Laws, and the voting age is 18 years.
    … (Sec. 126)
Links to all sites last visited 1 March 2024
2
Section 65 on Automatic Citizenship on Independence Day, Section 66 on Citizenship by Descent and Marriage, Section 67 on Citizenship by Naturalization.
3

Section 64 on Dual Citizenship.

4
Division 3 on Basic Rights.
5

Division 3 on Basic Rights.

6

Division 3 on Basic Rights.

7

Division 3 on Basic Rights.

8
Subdivision C on Qualified Rights.