Outcome VUT_D_1.1

By 2027, more people, especially those at risk of being left behind, contribute to and benefit from sustainable, resilient, diversified, inclusive and human-centred socio-economic systems with decent work and equal livelihoods opportunities, reducing inequalities and ensuring shared prosperity [PCF Strategic Priority 3: Prosperity]

This outcome is on track. In 2023, Vanuatu found itself in the throes of a six-month State of Emergency, a period that marked a pivotal shift in the nation's priorities. During this time, the Government of Vanuatu redirected its focus and resources, galvanizing efforts towards critical response and recovery endeavours. This urgent pivot was necessitated by the aftermath of three catastrophic tropical cyclones and a 6.6 magnitude earthquake, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and homes across the nation. As a result, the momentum toward advancing new policies with government partners was slowed down, haltering the progression of market ordinances and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that had been poised for adoption. Despite the economic and environmental challenges and setback in the policy development process, in Vanuatu, UN Women through the Markets for Change (M4C) project continued its work in the markets by promoting sustainability, resilience, diversification, inclusivity, and human-centeredness, while providing decent work and equal livelihood opportunities for individuals, especially women market vendors. Individuals, particularly women market vendors, are prioritized in the human-centered socio-economic approach undertaken by the Markets for Change (M4C) programme. Through a multifaceted strategy encompassing capacity building, resource access, and women's leadership development, these efforts aim to enhance the well-being and agency of all members of society. By emphasizing dignity, agency, and prosperity, these initiatives contribute to a more compassionate and equitable socio-economic landscape. Market Vendors Associations (MVAs) continue to be the backbone of support for market vendors, particularly women, championing their welfare and ensuring that economic development initiatives are tailored to meet their specific needs. The leadership of twelve women executive members from six MVAs in Vanuatu is evident in their effective governance and participation in decision-making processes within their respective associations. These women leaders play a crucial role in elevating the voice and agency of women market vendors and shaping their MVAs into inclusive, efficient, and representative advocacy groups. By providing platforms for vendors to voice challenges and recommend solutions, MVAs contribute to a more resilient marketplace. The MVAs proactively engage with stakeholders, for the collective benefit of vendors, such as through consultations with government bodies like the Shefa Provincial Government and leading vibrant community events like the International Day of Rural Women celebration. In 2023, a dedicated emphasis on inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development, particularly aimed at women market vendors in the informal sector, prioritized resilience for the long-term viability of businesses, livelihoods and prosperity in Vanuatu. Central to this resilience-building effort were capacity-building programmes tailored for women market vendors. These equipped 490 women market vendors with essential skills and resources, including financial literacy training and access to mobile money apps, enabling them to better withstand and recover from crises. Additionally, agricultural training focused on resilient farming practices empowered vendors to adapt to climate variability and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters on their livelihoods. Furthermore, the women market vendors had improved access to and utilisation of essential services, resources, protective goods and information through the programme. By addressing specific needs and challenges faced by women vendors, such as gender-based violence services and maternal health, the programme has created a more supportive and inclusive marketplace environment. This has broken barriers to access and empowered women market vendors to actively engage in economic activities and decision-making processes to support a landscape where all individuals can thrive and contribute to economic growth. Market administrators in Vanuatu continue to grow in their capacity to provide support to market vendors to enhance decent work conditions. Through their emphasis on promoting gender equality and embracing a collaborative, inclusive approach to socio-economic development, these institutions guarantee that decision-making processes at both the local and provincial levels are responsive to the diverse needs of market vendors. In 2023, the work of market administrators focused on the ensuring safe and hygienic marketplaces and tackling the real-life challenges encountered by vendors, ranging from damages to market shelters due to natural disasters to issues concerning land resources. Importantly, the initiative extends its impact beyond safeguarding against potential pandemics and diseases, to also instigate a cultural shift within the marketplace. By promoting a culture of collective responsibility, a collaborative community environment is being nurtured among all stakeholders. This holistic approach to health and safety represents a fundamental behaviour change, emphasizing shared responsibility marketplace well-being and prosperity.

By 2027, more people, especially those at risk of being left behind, contribute to and benefit from sustainable, resilient, diversified, inclusive and human-centred socio-economic systems with decent work and equal livelihoods opportunities, reducing inequalities and ensuring shared prosperity [PCF Strategic Priority 3: Prosperity]

In 2024, Vanuatu achieved significant progress in creating inclusive, resilient marketplace systems through UN Women's Markets for Change project. This comprehensive approach encompassed economic empowerment, leadership development, institutional strengthening, and infrastructure enhancement. The initiatives directly impacted over 600 individuals across multiple programs, with a strategic focus on those most at risk of being left behind in the informal economy sector. Quantitative Reach and Impact Building on these foundational efforts, the project's reach extends across multiple dimensions: Financial Inclusion : Through the Save Plus Initiative partnership with ANZ Bank, 33 urban market vendors (31 women, 2 men) gained access to formal banking services, established personal emergency funds, and implemented documented cash flow management techniques. Economic Empowerment : 73 market vendors participated in economic empowerment programs, with structured training addressing business development needs. Leadership and Governance : Over 140 women vendors and leaders engaged through governance initiatives, including 19 participants (14 women, 5 men) who completed the Gender-Responsive Market Leadership training program. Institutional Capacity Building : 42 institutional stakeholders strengthened their capabilities through targeted interventions. Food Safety Certification : 40 women market vendors from Shefa Province achieved comprehensive food safety certification using WHO methodology, delivered in indigenous Bislama language to ensure accessibility and cultural appropriateness. Infrastructure Enhancements : More than 400 vendors benefited from market improvements, including ergonomic workspace solutions and enhanced sanitation facilities. Women's representation remains consistently high across all interventions, ranging from 76% to 97% of participants. Notably, women now comprise 85% of Market Vendors Associations leadership roles across Vanuatu. This commitment to inclusive development is further demonstrated through capacity building initiatives delivered in Bislama, ensuring accessibility for all participants regardless of educational background. The quantitative achievements highlighted above have led to several qualitative transformations in Vanuatu's marketplace systems: Enhanced Market Governance Structures Port Vila and Luganville municipal councils and market management bodies have developed more structured governance frameworks, improving transparency, efficiency, and equity in market operations. This shift represents progress toward more consistent and sustainable market management practices. To support this governance evolution, the Gender-Responsive Market Leadership training equipped participants with analytical tools to conduct comprehensive gender analyses on marketplace action plans, systematically evaluating them against the National Gender Equality Policy. These structured approaches are enabling Market Vendors Associations (MVAs) to improve resource management through successful maintenance of financial records and implementation of transparent budget allocation processes. Furthermore, MVA representatives have also successfully influenced municipal council policy processes through their strategic participation in both the Project Working Committee (17 women among 20 total participants) and Project Management Committee. This remarkable 85% female representation in the Working Committee demonstrates women vendors' growing leadership in decision-making spaces traditionally dominated by men, creating pathways for gender-responsive policy development that addresses the specific needs of women in marketplace settings. Economic Agency and Financial Resilience While governance structures provide the framework, economic empowerment initiatives deliver tangible benefits to individual vendors. The Save Plus Initiative has created a replicable model that integrates vendors into the formal financial system. After success with 33 vendors in Port Vila, the initiative is expanding to Luganville Market. This transformation advances women's economic empowerment through multiple channels: Women vendors now engage in strategic financial planning rather than day-to-day survival Formal banking access represents a shift from financial exclusion to inclusion Training delivered in Bislama ensures accessibility regardless of education levels The partnership structure creates institutional accountability for women's financial inclusion These elements collectively strengthen women's economic resilience, decision-making power, and ability to manage financial challenges independently. Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Complementing the financial and governance improvements, physical marketplace enhancements create the necessary environment for sustainable economic activity. Physical marketplace environments have been transformed into healthier, more efficient trading spaces while enhancing vendor safety and wellbeing. Key improvements include: 350 market benches and stools distributed between Port Vila Central Market (250) and Luganville Market (100), addressing vendors' ergonomic needs during long selling hours Water blasting equipment provided to Luganville Municipal Council and Sanma Provincial Council for regular market maintenance ICT equipment for Northern Islands Market Vendors Association (NIMVA) for vendor registration and security monitoring Reorganized market layouts improving circulation, reducing crowding risks, and creating clearer emergency evacuation routes These enhancements create marketplaces that function as more efficient economic hubs while prioritizing the comfort and safety of vendors. Enhanced market infrastructure reduces congestion and improves visibility, embedding protection and safety considerations throughout the project implementation. The improvements reflect a rights-based approach that ensures equal access to improved facilities for all vendors. Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Development To sustain and amplify the impact of these physical, financial, and governance improvements, the project has established knowledge-sharing mechanisms that extend benefits beyond immediate participants. Knowledge sharing between market organizations has evolved into structured, sustainable systems extending beyond Vanuatu's borders: Two women vendors from Port Vila Central Market participated in the four-day Manaia Women's Market during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa Ten executives from Northern Islands and Silae Vanua Market Vendors Associations participated in a structured learning exchange program The forty women vendors who received food safety certification now conduct peer-to-peer knowledge sharing These formalized relationships facilitate ongoing knowledge exchange on marketing techniques, product development, and food safety practices, benefiting approximately 2,000 vendors across combined membership bases. Future Opportunities Building on the solid foundation established in 2024, several strategic opportunities have been identified to further enhance the project's impact: To further enhance impact, opportunities exist to: Expand digital transformation elements across market operations Enhance geographic coverage to reach additional marketplaces Develop formal handover strategies to ensure long-term sustainability Strengthen local resource mobilization capabilities These strategic enhancements will build upon the demonstrated success in creating sustainable pathways for economic participation while preserving the unique characteristics of local market systems. UN Women provided technical and financial support towards these initiatives through the Markets for Change project, with UNDP as implementing partner.

By 2027, more people, especially those at risk of being left behind, contribute to and benefit from sustainable, resilient, diversified, inclusive and human-centred socio-economic systems with decent work and equal livelihoods opportunities, reducing inequalities and ensuring shared prosperity [PCF Strategic Priority 3: Prosperity]

In 2025, progress was observed in Vanuatu toward more inclusive, resilient, and gender-responsive market systems. Women in the informal economy demonstrated strengthened economic agency, collective voice and adaptive capacity, alongside improved institutional responsiveness to their needs. These changes reflect both behavioural shifts among women market vendors and performance improvements within local governance, market management, and partner institutions. Results across the year were driven by three reinforcing dynamics: women vendors’ increased capacity to manage livelihoods, recover from shocks and engage with formal systems; strengthened collective organisation through Market Vendor Associations (MVAs); and improved institutional coordination, regulatory readiness, and use of evidence to advance gender-responsive market governance. Together these shifts indicate movement beyond isolated capacity building toward more durable and systemic changes in how informal women workers participate in and are supported by local economic systems. Behaviour Change Among Women in the Informal Economy Women market vendors demonstrated sustained improvements in economic decision-making, financial behaviour and resilience. Women increasingly apply structured budgeting, record-keeping, pricing and savings practices within their enterprises and households, enabling greater control over income and more informed decision-making. Confidence engaging with customers, financial institutions and service providers strengthened, reflecting a shift from survival-oriented trading toward more deliberate livelihood management. Expanded access to formal and digital financial services increased women’s economic autonomy. Greater use of banking services, mobile money platforms and structured savings mechanisms reduced reliance on cash-based systems and informal coping strategies, improving the safety and predictability of income management. These changes were particularly significant for rural and disaster-affected women, for whom distance, mobility constraints and limited service access have historically restricted participation. By reducing these constraints, the programme contributed to Leaving No One Behind through more equitable access to financial systems and livelihood support. Women vendors also demonstrated increased adaptive capacity in the context of recovery from the December 2024 earthquake. Adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and value-adding behaviours enabled diversification of income sources, reduced post-harvest losses and stabilised earnings across seasons. These shifts indicate increased preparedness for future shocks and reduced vulnerability to market disruptions. Strengthened Collective Agency and Participation At the collective level, women in the informal economy strengthened their ability to organise, advocate and participate meaningfully in decision-making processes affecting market governance and service delivery. MVAs increasingly functioned as structured and legitimate representative bodies, demonstrating improved internal governance, leadership continuity and accountability. Women leaders showed increased confidence and competence in navigating formal governance spaces, presenting evidence-based market reports, articulating priorities, and engaging constructively with municipal councils, provincial authorities, and project partners. Participation through the Project Working Committee (PWC) enabled sustained and safeguarded engagement marking a shift from ad hoc consultation toward institutionalised participation pathways. This change is particularly significant for women who face exclusion from governance processes due to informality, geography and limited access to institutional systems. By consolidating individual concerns into collective advocacy, MVAs reduced structural barriers related to voice, legitimacy and recognition. Women vendors were increasingly recognised as stakeholders whose perspectives inform decisions on market operations, infrastructure, safety and access to services, strengthening accountability between duty-bearers and women in the informal economy. Institutional Performance and System-Level Change Local governments, market management authorities and development partners demonstrated improved capacity to design, coordinate and operationalise gender-responsive market governance frameworks. Through sustained engagement in the Project Management Committee, institutions strengthened cross-sector coordination, clarified roles and responsibilities, and improved their ability to translate gender equality commitments into practical governance and regulatory actions. Institutional readiness to advance and implement gender-responsive market by-laws increased. Stakeholders demonstrated stronger understanding of how regulatory frameworks affect women vendors’ safety, sanitation, service access and economic participation, particularly for vendors who remain overnight in markets. Increased use of monitoring data supported more evidence-informed decision-making, reflecting a shift from reactive responses toward more systematic governance approaches. These changes signal improved institutional performance in addressing structural barriers embedded within market systems, including unsafe infrastructure, inadequate sanitation and inconsistent service delivery. Strengthened coordination and regulatory pathways position institutions to deliver safer, more accessible and more resilient market environments that support women’s livelihoods. Inclusive Recovery and Resilient Market Systems Post-disaster recovery efforts improved access to safer and more resilient trading environments for women vendors, supporting livelihood continuity following the December 2024 earthquake. Restoration of essential market facilities reduced immediate health and safety risks while reinforcing longer-term resilience. Recovery processes increasingly incorporated women vendors’ perspectives, strengthening inclusive coordination and ensuring support reached those most affected. These improvements reduced participation barriers for women who rely on informal markets as their primary source of income, particularly in peri-urban and rural contexts. Stabilized operating conditions and vendor-led coordination supported women’s ability to remain economically active during periods of disruption, contributing to income security and adaptive capacity. Overall, the results indicate meaningful shift toward more inclusive and gender-responsive market systems in Vanuatu. Women in the informal economy demonstrated strengthened economic agency, collective voice and resilience, while institutions improved their capacity to respond to women’s needs through coordinated governance, regulatory readiness and evidence-based planning. These outcomes contribute to reducing structural inequalities within local market systems and advancing Leaving No One Behind by expanding access, voice, and protection for women who have historically operated at the margins of formal economic and governance structures. The combined changes observed strengthen the foundations for sustained progress toward income security, decent work and economic autonomy for women in the informal economy. These changes contribute to Vanuatu’s National Gender Equality Policy Area 2 (Enhancing women’s economic &skills development) and Action 5.3.3 (Embedding gender equality &social inclusion outcomes within productive sectors that rely on accessible and well-governed marketplaces). The outcome advances UNSDCF Pillar 3 on Prosperity, Output 3.5.3 on strengthening financial inclusion strategies for SMEs and Output 3.4.2 on strengthened institutional capacities, mechanisms and policies to enhance equal opportunities for decent jobs and livelihoods. These results were led by UN Women through the Markets for Change programme with financial support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.