Region:Asia Pacific
Current UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
outcome XM-DAC-41146-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 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.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-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 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.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-VUT_O_1
To enhance organizational effectiveness, with a focus on robust capacity and efficiency at the Multi Country Office level.
The Vanuatu NRA has in year enhanced coordination and accountability of the UN system for commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment (in its role as part of the Vanuatu UNJPO); increased engagement of partners in support of UN Women’s mandate (particularly partners of the new Women’s Resilience to Disasters programme); improved the quality of programmes through knowledge exchanges for staff and results-based management and improved management of finances and human resources. Programme implementation rate at the end of 2022 stood at 94%.Showing 6 - 8 of 8
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References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).