Research and Rhetoric on Women in Papua New Guinea's Village Courts‪.‬

INTRODUCTION Claims have been made recently in academic literature that women are disadvantaged, or mistreated, in Papua New Guinea's village courts. These claims have the common theme that village courts are male-dominated institutions, and that, particularly in 'the highlands', the courts apply 'custom' or 'customary law' which discriminates against women. Overall, the rhetoric that women are mistreated in village courts has become powerful enough to be accepted as unquestionable fact beyond the research community. Indeed, when I mention my own research interest in village courts to people who have an educated acquaintance with Papua New Guinea (PNG) nowadays, their response as likely as not includes an assertion that the courts discriminate against women, and a consequent degree of incredulity if I do not immediately concur.