Final Report: Safe Children and Healthy Mothers Endline and Final Evaluation (Papua New Guinea, 2025)

The Safe Children Healthy Mothers (SCHM) project aimed to reduce the prevalence and impact of chronic malnutrition among children aged 0 – 59 months, contribute to holistic child development, and develop social norms, behaviour and practices that promote zero tolerance of violence against women and children in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The SCHM project was implemented between August 2021 and July 2025, with support from the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) and East Sepik Provinces (ESP).

The overall purposed of the endline study and final evaluation was to provide an independent assessment of SCHM’s achievements, strengths, and weaknesses for the duration of the project, The evaluation was structured around the OECD-DAC criteria and used a mixed-methods approach.

The evaluation found that the SCHM project was highly relevant to local needs and well aligned with government priorities, contributing to measurable improvements in nutrition, gender equality, and violence prevention. Stunting rates among children under five declined, exclusive breastfeeding increased, and attitudes towards women’s rights and protection from violence improved. However, gaps remained in tackling food insecurity, equipping health facilities, and ensuring consistent delivery of community interventions. While sustainability will depend on government support for infrastructure, positive shifts in knowledge, practices, and institutional commitments indicate potential for lasting impact.