Outcome VUT_D_3.1

Favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours are promoted at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls.

Significant progress towards achieving favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls has been achieved. In support of the continuum of prevention and response, the male leadership program run by VWC (and supported by PPEVAW) for the Malmetenvanu Malekula Island Council of Chiefs in Malekula in January 2021 led to changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes about VAWG (captured in pre and post testing). In addition, the Malampa Counselling Centre has seen clients referred by chiefs who participated in the male leadership workshop. A new Committee against Violence against Women (CAVAW) was also established in the North West A region of Malekula which was a follow up outcome from requests that were made in this workshop. A pproximately 1000 community members have increased the knowledge of and promoted favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours across the community and individual levels, to prevent violence against women and girls. Progress towards this outcome was achieved through UN Women’s partnership with DWA , to support the launch and outreach on the Provincial Gender Action Plans and conduct a series of consultations on Establishing the EVAWG taskforce across Malampa, Torba, Sanma and Shefa provinces. 184 participants attended the consultations which also included training sessions on the concepts of gender, EVAWG laws and policies. 19 communities across Malampa, Sanma and Torba were reached by the 4 DWA program staff funded by UN Women. Furthermore, a total of 710 people were reached with awareness raising on the Provincial Gender Actions Plans and 1 ,141 IEC materials were distributed on EVAWG . These outputs are strengthening the foundation and landscape for promoting favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours across the social-ecological model to effect hearts and minds and prevent violence against women and girls.

Favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours are promoted at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls.

Significant progress towards achieving favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls has been made through Government and civil society partners, with the technical and financial support of UN Women. Department of Women’s Affairs (DWA) Approximately 200 community members in Penama Province have increased their knowledge of and promoted favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours across the community and individual levels, to prevent violence against women and girls. Progress towards this outcome was achieved through UN Women’s partnership with DWA, to support the launch and outreach on the Penama Provincial Gender Action Plan and conduct consultations in Penama Province on the EVAWG Taskforce. The consultations also included training sessions on the concepts of gender, EVAWG laws and policies and were attended by 37 participants across the 3 islands of Penama. The launch of Orange the World-Unite to take a stand against violence against women and girls” by DWA and the Ministry of Justice and Community Services as part of 16 Days of Activism, united community, government, CSOs and private sector to stand together against gender-based violence against women and girls. The face to face, virtual and radio campaign reached over 15,000 people. Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) has increased the institutional reach of favourable social norms through its 7 member churches endorsing the first ever VCC Gender Statement. VCC also completed Faith Mapping of its 7 member churches, documenting the practices of members towards gender equality commitments for the first time. VCC’s launch of the first Break the Silence Sunday service in Vanuatu demonstrated the public support of the Church and faith leaders towards creating safe communities free from violence and helping survivors of violence to heal. The service reached 56 participants live (20 male and 36 female) and over 413 people through livestream. Vanuatu Women’s Centre: The launch of VWC’s herstory at VWC’s 30 th Anniversary celebration was milestone in documenting the vision and impact of the Vanuatu Women’s Centre and its founder, Merilyn Tahi. A significant example of an action taken by stakeholders is the President of Vanuatu attending VWC’s 30th anniversary celebrations and presenting medals to several long-term VWC former and current staff, publicly acknowledging both the scale and impacts of VAW, and work that these staff and others have done to eliminate it. In support of the continuum of prevention and response in Penama Province, Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) conducted one male advocacy training, leading to changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes about VAWG (captured in pre and post testing). Community awareness raising has also been successful, as evidenced through VWC case studies which show that the initial outreach to communities has had an impact and also been followed up by community leaders who continue to have a positive relationship with VWC and branch staff: “There is a chief who has been coming to TCC a lot recently who is an Area Council Chairman. He first attended a Mobile Counselling in his community in 2021, and since then he has frequently come into the TCC office for legal information when problems arise in his community. He told the TCC Project Officer that the information in VWC’s brochures helps him to deal with issues when victims/survivors refer their cases to him and he wanted to thank Vanuatu Woman Centre again. He also mentioned that he has shared his experiences and knowledge with other Chiefs, who have witnessed him advocating for women during custom meetings” “Another chief is 60 years old and attended a special event, Rural Women’s Day, in his community in 2021. He was a special guest at that event. After the celebration, he spoke about how he felt. He said that he had learned a lot about domestic violence. He shared his testimony to the whole community, that he had been a violent man most of the time too, and he admitted that he had also behaved in the way that TCC had described as coercive control. Recently in the last few months, there was a very risky incident in his community. The Chief remembered the information from last year, and called on TCC to provide mobile counselling. When the counsellors went to his village, he was very happy and supported them to assist the women and children to deal with their emotions, fear, and feelings of injustice, and to ensure that they felt safe. He also assisted by accommodating women and children who had run to the bush to hide during the incident. He thanked the Counsellors for their good work. During this follow-up visit, counselling was provided to 33 new domestic violence cases. In addition, 15 boys and 10 girls were counselled and assisted to deal with child physical abuse”. VWC also strengthened its communications and dissemination strategy to promote favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours through the launch of its first ever website and increased number of media occurrences including 10 radio programs and interviews, 106 FB posts, 17 twitter posts, 2 newsletters and 3 livestreams to raise awareness on gender based violence, human rights and accessible services. For the first time PECC was invited to participate in the Pentecost Youth Festival, with 25 women, 13 girls, 45 men & 17 boys coming to the booth to request information on VAWC for the first time. Information booths at public events have proved to be an effective way for people new to the issue of VAWC to access information and make their first contact, particularly boys & girls under 18, & young women and men. VWC also promoted favorable norms and behaviour change across 12 communities in Penama Province reaching 1332 people through mobile counselling and awareness (316 women, 322 girls, 358 men, 336 boys). The annual Vanuatu Pride fashion parade reached a live audience of over 600 people and included 20 designers and over 160 models from diverse abilities, sex, genders, sexualities, and ethnicities. The fashion parade promoted gender equality and inclusivity and in the lead up awareness raising on gender-based violence, human rights and referral pathways was provided by V Pride executive staff and Vanuatu Women’s Centre to the models and designers. UN Women provided technical assistance for the awareness raising on GBV and financial assistance for the fashion parade.