Outcome VUT_D_3.2

Women and Girls, especially from particular groups (with disabilities, rural, sexual and gender minorities) from target countries, who experience violence have access to quality essential services (health, social service, police and justice) to recover from violence.

Progress has been made in ensuring that women and girls who experience violence in Vanuatu have access to quality essential services to recover from violence. The Vanuatu Government is able to plan, budget and implement actions to EVAWG based on a new e National Gender Equality Policy (2020-2024) and National Service Delivery Protocol ( SDP ) for responding to cases of GBV [ UN Women successfully supported the Department of Women's Affairs ( DWA ) to achieve two key outcomes in quarters 3 and 4 , including the launch of this Policy documents, by provid ing technical support to the Department of Women's Affairs to co-develop them in a participatory manner. The high-level launch of the National Gender Equality Policy was significant as it was launched by the Prime Minister with 106 attendees from other Ministries, Government staff, NGO s and UN agencies acknowledged t his document as essential that lays the foundations to ensuring women and girls who experience violence have access to quality essential services to recover from violence . Another key progress towards finalizing and launching the National Service Delivery Protocol ( SDP ) for Responding to Cases of Gender-Based Violence. 4 consultations occurred across four provinces including Malampa, Torba, Sanma and Shefa, attended by 168 individuals (95 female, 73 male and 3 people with a disability). The consultations also built the knowledge of participants on concepts of GBV , referral pathways and survivor-centred care. The pre and post tests highlighted the knowledge increase in relation to understanding the roles and responsibilities of service providers in responding to GBV . The development of the SDP and eventual roll-out will contribute to ensuring better access to quality and more coordinated referral and response services, specifically for women in rural areas. The SDP will also support frontline responders and improve coordination and quality of services, across multiple sectors.

Women and Girls, especially from particular groups (with disabilities, rural, sexual and gender minorities) from target countries, who experience violence have access to quality essential services (health, social service, police and justice) to recover from violence.

Progress has been made in ensuring that women and girls who experience violence in Vanuatu have access to quality essential services to recover from violence. The Department of Women's Affairs has strengthened its capacity to coordinate services through the Gender and Protection Cluster (GPC) to respond to women and children affected by violence during disasters through the use of online 4W, Sitrep, mapping and contact lists. The GPC includes three Subclusters addressing child protection, disability inclusion and GBV and UN Women coordination support has resulted in the identification of needs and delivery of services including dignity kits by UNFPA; crisis counselling and referral by VWC; dissemination of food, sanitary items and referral information by VCC; and assistance by Disability Desk with devices and support for people with disabilities within quarantine facilities. Vanuatu Women's Centre has increased its reach in rural and remote areas through the establishment of one CAVAW (Committee Against Violence Against Women) and re-establishment of two CAVAWs that ceased functioning due to evacuation of the whole of Ambae island as a result of volcanic eruptions. These CAVAWS are able to increase awareness raising of GBV and assist in referral to services providers. Vanuatu Women's Centre has been providing essential crisis counselling, legal, safehouse and protection services to women and children in Penama Province and nationally through the client support fund that ensures women and children survivors across Vanuatu can receive emergency support for shelter, protection, legal support and other needs. From January to June, 31 women and girls in Penama Province were assisted through the client support fund, 24 women and two girls were assisted by VWC through emergency safehouse services, 63 women received legal assistance for family protection orders and 61 other women and girls receive other forms of legal support. The skills and capacity of Penama Counselling Centre counselors to provide survivor centred crisis counselling have been strengthened through the provision of supervision, case review and training VWC was able to provide services across the humanitarian development spectrum through the availability of its toll free hotline, recording an increase of clients using this hotline to access counselling and referral during lockdown. VCC, for the first time, has distributed COVID kits to 132 single mothers and widows. The kits contained information on what constitutes GBV and referral pathways, food, hygiene and sanitary items. This support was acknowledged by the recipients, chiefs and communities.