Vanuatu

The Republic of Vanuatu is a culturally and linguistically diverse nation of 83 volcanic and coral islands in the South Pacific. A 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey estimated the average of basic needs poverty at 13 per cent of the population.¹⁸³ Overall, basic needs poverty is decreasing, however there are indications that hardship is growing for vulnerable groups, particularly in Luganville, the country’s second largest city. Vanuatu is currently defined as a Least Developed Country, but is scheduled for graduation to Developing Country status in 2020.¹⁸⁴

Vanuatu has one of the highest population growth rates in the region, with growing demand for public services. Around 80 per cent of Vanuatu’s 288,000 people live in rural areas where subsistence livelihoods and traditional community welfare obligations provide an informal social safety net. The rural majority experiences “poverty of opportunity” with reduced access to education, healthcare, improved water supply, transport, communications, and energy. The internal movement of rural Ni- Vanuatu seeking better opportunities is seeing the emergence of squatter settlements in urban areas and is leading to overcrowding and over-exploitation of local resources. Urban poverty is contributing to a range of social problems including substance abuse, property crime, and transactional sex as well as poorer health outcomes, including unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, domestic violence, and child malnutrition.

Vanuatu shares many of the economic vulnerabilities of other Pacific Islands countries, including distance from markets, a narrow resource base, low productivity, and difficulty integrating into the global economy. However, Vanuatu has generally outperformed its neighbours with tourism, construction, and development partner funded infrastructure projects emerging as key economic drivers.  Low inflation, macroeconomic stability, and prudent  fiscal policies have helped Vanuatu to consistently achieve GDP growth. Despite the immediate downturn following Cyclone Pam, the economy is performing better than expected.¹⁸⁵ The informal economy showed great resilience during the Global Financial Crisis and helped to protect Vanuatu from the full impact of higher commodity prices.

Over half of Ni-Vanuatu are under 25 years old and this young and dispersed population presents both opportunities and challenges. The job growth rate has not kept pace with the growing working age population and absorbing school leavers into the labour market is a key concern. Vanuatu continues to have a high rate of adolescent births with fertility highest among poorly educated rural women aged 15-19. Child survival has improved significantly thanks to strong public health interventions, but child malnutrition is still unacceptably high. One in five Ni-Vanuatu children are stunted due to poor child feeding practices, low levels of breastfeeding, low rates of immunisation, and poor sanitation.¹⁸⁶ Immunisation rates are amongst the lowest in the region, making Ni-Vanuatu children especially vulnerable to vector-borne and communicable diseases. Net enrolment rates have increased since the Government introduced fee free primary level schooling.

While there have been some significant achievements, the challenges to improve all development indicators for women remain. There are very low levels of women’s representation in national, provincial, and municipal government. Enrolment for girls in primary and secondary education is high, but women have reduced access to post-secondary training. Land tenure is patrilineal and levels of labour force participation are lower for women in both rural and urban areas. Sixty per cent of women report experiencing some form of gender based violence. Maternal mortality has not yet met national targets and there is an unmet need for family planning of between 20 and 30 per cent.¹⁸⁷

Vanuatu is considered the world’s most at-risk nation to natural disasters. In 2015, Cyclone Pam, one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit Vanuatu, caused widespread damage to 22 islands and 166,000 people (two thirds of the population) required urgent humanitarian assistance. Severe weather events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change and threaten the social and economic progress of Vanuatu.

Treaty Ratifications: ICCPR, CEDAW, CAT, CRC, CRPD, OP-CEDAW OP-CRC-AC, OP-CRC-SC, CCPWCNH, CSICH, ICADS

Resident and Non-resident Agencies: FAO, IAEA, IFAD, ILO, IOM, UNCDF, UNCTAD, UNDP, UN Environment, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNISDR, UNOCHA, UN Women, WFP, WHO, WMO

Coordination: Vanuatu Joint Presence Office

Vanuatu 2030: “The People’s Plan”

• ¹⁸³Vanuatu Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 2010.
• ¹⁸⁴UN General Assembly Resolution, 2015
• ¹⁸⁵ADB Economic Outlook, Vanuatu, 2016.
• ¹⁸⁶Children in Vanuatu: 2011 An Atlas of Social Indicators, UNICEF.
• ¹⁸⁷Vanuatu: Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Needs Assessment, PSRHP and UNFPA Pacific, 2016.

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