May Newsletter 2026

Jul 22, 2026 | Newsletters | 0

May was a busy month for the Sista team — full of conversations, collaborations, celebrations, and moments that reminded us why this work matters. From feminist advocacy and community storytelling to strengthening partnerships and building resilience, we continued to show that change happens when we come together, learn from one another, and take action.

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Sista Participates in IWDA Partner Workshop Following Women Deliver 2026

Sista was pleased to have its Program Manager participate in the IWDA Partner Workshop – Women Deliver 2026 Post-Convening on 1 May 2026, joining approximately 40 IWDA partners to reflect on key learnings from the Women Deliver Conference and strengthen regional collaboration. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity to share experiences, explore practical approaches to advocacy, strategic communications, and feminist movement building, and strengthen partnerships through collective care and coordinated action. Sista was proud to contribute insights from Vanuatu, reaffirming the importance of regional solidarity and shared learning in advancing gender equality and women’s rights across the Pacific.

Advancing Feminist Dialogue in Vanuatu

On 12 May 2026, Sista’s Program Manager represented the organisation at “The Integration of Feminist Theories and Struggles in Vanuatu Society: Tensions, Resistance and Opportunities,” hosted by the Université Nationale de Vanuatu as part of the Forum des Femmes Influentes. The event brought together women leaders, advocates, academics, artists, and practitioners to discuss the progress and challenges of advancing gender equality in Vanuatu. Sista shared insights on empowering young women while highlighting the need for continued advocacy, education, and community dialogue to address persistent barriers. The discussions reaffirmed the importance of collective action and cross-sector collaboration in advancing women’s rights.

Sista Receives Continued Support from Alliance Française de Port-Vila Through Feminist Exhibition

Sista was grateful to receive another generous contribution from Alliance Française de Port-Vila, raised through the International Women’s Rights Day Exhibition, together with inspiring feminist t-shirts from @olsem_wanem. The Sista Team has truly loved wearing these shirts, which represent the shared values of solidarity, equality, and collective action for women’s rights in Vanuatu.

Alliance Française de Port-Vila has been a long-standing supporter of Sista’s work, creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and community engagement through exhibitions, film screenings, workshops, and events that celebrate both French and local cultures. This continued support is a powerful reminder of the importance of partnerships built on solidarity, creativity, and a shared commitment to uplifting women and advancing feminist work in Vanuatu.

Tank yu tumas Georges, Christelle, Alliance Française de Port-Vila, @olsem_wanem, and all the artists who contributed to the exhibition. Your generosity, kindness, and continued belief in Sista and the wider women’s movement mean so much. Together, you remind us that lasting change is built through community, creativity, and collective action.

Between the Waves: Amplifying Pacific Women’s Voices on Feminism, Culture and Identity

Last year, Sista’s Communications and Advocacy Coordinator was invited to speak on a Podcast called, “Between the Waves: Pacific Women Behind the Mic”.

This recently launched Podcast was created by and for Pacific Women to discuss a range of topics, from culture to the challenges of independent podcasting, to feminism, and other topics that resonate with women living in the Pacific today.

Our Communication’s and Advocacy Coordinator joined host ELvina Ogi (host of “Who Asked Her?”) and Mere Nailatikau (host of “Two Fishes/Vosa”) for a candid talanoa about what feminism means in their communities — the influence of culture and Christianity, taboo topics, women in politics, and being shamed into silence.

Tankiu tumas tufala for the great conversation!

Keen to listen to this episode? Join on Spotify: @betweenthewavespod

Advancing women’s leadership and representation

From Survival to Strength: Sharing Stories of Resilience After the 2024 Earthquake

Sista proudly launched From Survival to Strength on 26 May, a booklet sharing the experiences, reflections, and stories of women and communities impacted by the devastating 17 December 2024 earthquake in Vanuatu. Developed in partnership with ProMedical, the booklet highlights the resilience, strength, and solidarity shown by communities during times of crisis, while encouraging greater awareness around disaster preparedness and psychosocial wellbeing.

The launch created an important space for partners, supporters, artists, and community members to come together, reflect on the impacts of the earthquake, and discuss the importance of placing community voices at the centre of disaster response and recovery. Participants engaged in a collaborative first aid illustration activity and contributed messages of advice, encouragement, and preparedness to the Emergency Tapestry, creating a meaningful reflection of the knowledge, care, and resilience held within communities.

Following the launch, Sista began its school outreach and booklet distribution campaign throughout June, bringing these stories and lessons to young people across Vanuatu. Through this initiative, Sista hopes to encourage conversations on preparedness, resilience, and collective responsibility, while supporting communities to learn from past experiences and strengthen their ability to respond to future challenges. The launch was a celebration of shared experiences, healing, and the collective strength that continues to shape a safer and more resilient Vanuatu.

Menstrual Health Online Campaign

Sista’s Communications team delivered a month-long online awareness campaign across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to promote menstrual health awareness and encourage open conversations around menstruation through the promotion of Reemi reusable period underwear. In collaboration with Lucie Nauka from Yumi Patna, the team developed content that reflected both educational information and lived experiences, including posters, testimonial videos, product demonstrations, and messages encouraging shared responsibility in reducing menstrual stigma.

The campaign produced 12 posters and five videos highlighting the benefits of reusable menstrual products, including their economic and environmental advantages. Through this initiative, Sista worked to normalise conversations around menstruation, challenge stigma, and promote more inclusive and supportive discussions within communities. Sista is grateful for the collaboration with Lucie and Reemi in advancing menstrual awareness and education. Tank yu tumas!

Menstrual Hygiene Day Workshop

To mark Menstrual Hygiene Day, Sista partnered with REEMI and Yumi Patna to host a half-day workshop bringing together advocates and practitioners working in the menstrual health space. The workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on the current challenges and progress in menstrual health education, access to products, and support for women and girls in Vanuatu.

The session highlighted Sista’s ongoing menstrual health initiatives, including the Menstrual Cup Survey, the Sikmun Storian booklet, the short film Olsem Wanem Sapos Yumi No Sem, and the recent Reemi reusable period underwear awareness campaign. Facilitated by Lucie Nauka from Yumi Patna, the workshop included panel discussions and shared learning from local and regional advocates on strengthening menstrual health education, improving access to menstrual products, and creating more supportive environments for girls and communities. Sista extends its appreciation to REEMI, Yumi Patna, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), and all participants for supporting this important conversation.

Celebrating 10 Years of Sista Through Community Stories and Solidarity

As part of Sista’s 10th birthday celebrations, our online community was invited to reflect on the realities facing women in Vanuatu today, the progress made over the past decade, the challenges that remain, and the impact of Sista’s work over the last 10 years. The thoughtful and inspiring responses shared through the birthday giveaway highlighted the importance of collective action, solidarity, and continued advocacy for women’s rights.

Congratulations to our winners—Kalulu Mavillie, A siSTAR, and Miah Wellz—and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and shared their reflections. Sista also extends special appreciation to the family of the late Grace Mera Molisa for donating two of her books for the birthday gift packs, helping honour her legacy as a powerful voice for women’s rights and justice in Vanuatu. We are also grateful to the women-owned businesses and supporters who contributed prizes and helped make the celebration possible. Celebrating 10 years of Sista is a celebration of the incredible women across Vanuatu who continue to lead, create, build, and strengthen their communities every day.

Mother’s Day video

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Sista brought together a group of incredible mothers and their children to create a heartfelt video honouring the women who nurture, support, and shape our lives. The video celebrates mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and mother figures, recognising the love, strength, sacrifices, and care they give every day.

Through this celebration, Sista invited its online community to share the video and take a moment to appreciate the special women in their lives. The initiative was a simple but meaningful reminder of the important role mothers and caregivers play in strengthening families and communities. Watch the video here!

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Sista and REACH Explore Opportunities for Future Collaboration

Throughout May, the Sista team engaged with the REACH team to explore opportunities for future collaboration and shared learning. The teams exchanged knowledge on their internal systems, approaches to community engagement, and ways of working, while discussing how their combined strengths can contribute to building healthier, safer, and more supportive communities.

The collaboration discussions highlighted the importance of community-led approaches, healthy relationships, and coordinated action in preventing and ending violence against women and girls. Sista valued the opportunity to learn from REACH’s work and looks forward to continuing to strengthen this partnership and explore ways to create greater collective impact.

Strengthening the Sista Team Through New Support and Transitions

This month, Sista welcomed Mael Andronick to the team as a Project and Communications Volunteer. Mael is a third-year student at ILERI Bordeaux Campus and will be supporting the Sista team over the next three months, contributing his skills and knowledge to strengthen our projects and communications work.

This month also marks one month since Ms Emily Free joined Sista as our Projects and Operations Support Officer. Emily commenced with the team in April and will continue supporting Sista until 30 July. We are grateful to have both Mael and Emily joining us during this important period as they provide valuable support while our Executive Director and Projects Coordinator begin their maternity leave.

Sista wishes our Executive Director and Projects Coordinator all the very best as they enter this new chapter of their lives. We wish them a safe and healthy journey, a smooth delivery, and look forward to welcoming them back to the office when the time comes.

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organisation

Sista Completes PACMAS Financial Reporting and Audit for Financial Year 2025–2026

Between 18 and 31 May 2026, Sista completed its first PACMAS financial audit for the 2025–2026 financial year. The process provided an important opportunity to review project financial activities, strengthen financial accountability, and ensure transparency in the management and use of funds.

As part of the reporting process, Sista prepared a summary of project financial activities and provided supporting documentation, including receipts, invoices, payslips, bank statements, and other relevant records to verify expenditures. This milestone reflects Sista’s ongoing commitment to responsible financial management, accountability to partners and supporters, and ensuring that resources are used effectively to support its work and community impact.

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‘The scars children carry can last a lifetime’ August 13, 2026
Amid the public outrage and questions over the President’s recent pardoning of convicted rapists and the alarming increase in child abuse cases in Vanuatu, the REACH Family Centre is calling on Parliament to pass the proposed Child Protection Bill, saying stronger laws are needed to hold people who abuse children accountable. Every day at the REACH Family Centre, Mansen Roy and Salokie Narfi work alongside children experiencing challenges no child should face. Some are struggling with overwhelming stress. Others are navigating violence at home, bullying, online harm and the fear of speaking out. For Narfi, a counsellor and group work practitioner for children and adolescents, the hardest part is seeing how many suffer in silence. “Children want to come for help, but they are scared of the consequences,” she says. “Some are afraid their parents will find out. Others are afraid nobody will believe them.” Using drawing, play therapy and other child-friendly approaches, Narfi helps children express emotions they cannot find the words for. She remembers one child who repeatedly blacked out at school. “Through counselling, the child understood the emotional pain carried,” she says. “The mother also received counselling. Today that child is brighter, more confident and looking forward to the future.” But not every story has such a hopeful ending. Roy, REACH’s Acting Executive Director, says many of the challenges children face are made worse by gaps in protection and understanding. “Violence against children remains one of the biggest issues,” he says. “We should teach, guide and love children,” he says. “Wrong treatment can create trauma that children carry for their whole lives, like a scar that never goes away.” Against this backdrop, REACH is pushing for the proposed Child Protection Bill to reach Parliament and become law. Both Roy and Narfi say the legislation would strengthen their work by creating a clearer approach to responding when children are at risk of serious harm, including sexual abuse. It would also help place children’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making. “This Bill will support our work in the field,” Mansen says. “The justice system punishes perpetrators, but what about the survivors? Children also need healing, psychological support and protection to move forward into the future.” Narfi says the law would also ensure serious cases of abuse are recognised early and responded to properly. “Children are the future of the country,” she says. “If this Bill passes, we can build a stronger Vanuatu with children who are supported, protected and able to become the future leaders of our nation.” REACH is one of the few organisations in Vanuatu providing holistic support to entire families, working with mothers, fathers and children together because lasting change begins at home. Yet the demand for counselling and mental health support continues to grow, while resources remain limited. Roy believes passing the Child Protection Bill is no longer simply a legal decision – it is a moral one. “Child protection affects everyone because every one of us was once a child,” he says. For the children who are too frightened to speak, and for those still carrying invisible scars, the time to act is now. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Man remanded over alleged sexual assault of four-year-old girl August 13, 2026
A man from Tanna has been remanded in custody after being charged over the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl at Salili on Efate last week. The accused, identified in a remand warrant as Simeon Tom Yatika, appeared before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026. He is charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, contrary to section 97(1) of the Penal Code [CAP 135]. The prosecution applied for the accused to be held in custody, and the court granted the application. The warrant directs the officer in charge of the Correctional Centre to keep Yatika in custody until his next appearance on 25 August 2026 at 9am. A source close to the Magistrates’ Court said the court was informed that the alleged victim suffered injuries and experienced difficulty using the toilet after the incident. The court also reportedly heard that the accused had been receiving mental health care but had not attended medical appointments for some time. The circumstances surrounding that information remain matters for the court and relevant medical professionals to consider. The allegations have not been tested at trial. The accused has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case has caused concern and renewed public frustration over the protection of children and the handling of sexual offence cases in Vanuatu. Many members of the public are expected to question whether vulnerable children are receiving adequate protection, medical care and support after alleged abuse. The case also comes amid wider criticism from women’s groups over the treatment of child sex offenders and calls for stronger safeguards in decisions involving pardons and accountability. Women’s groups have recently urged the Government to review the presidential pardon process following the pardoning of men convicted of sexually abusing children. Community members have called for the justice system to respond firmly to allegations involving children, while also stressing the importance of allowing the courts to assess the evidence fairly and independently. Under Vanuatu law, sexual intercourse with a child under 13 is a serious criminal offence, with the law providing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The prosecution must nevertheless prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt before a conviction can be entered. The matter remains before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court. The child’s identity has been withheld to protect her privacy. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Cervical cancer preventable, yet a leading cause of death among Vanuatu women August 12, 2026
Minister of Health Robert Bohn said cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Vanuatu, yet it is entirely preventable through vaccination, screening and early treatment. Speaking at the official launch of the Vanuatu National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy 2026–2035 yesterday, Minister Bohn said access to these highly effective prevention measures had previously been limited or unavailable in Vanuatu. As a result, women were often diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, when treatment options were limited and survival rates were lower. Minister Bohn said the launch reaffirmed a collective commitment to ensuring women and girls have access to prevention, screening and treatment services, with their health, dignity and future at the centre of the national effort. “The Vanuatu Strategy aligns with the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem and its 90-70-90 coverage targets: 90 per cent of girls fully vaccinated with HPV by age 15; 70 per cent of women screened with an HPV test or other high-performance test by ages 35 and 45; and 90 per cent of women with cervical pre-cancer treated and women with invasive cancer appropriately managed,” he said. The Minister of Health said the Government of Vanuatu, through this strategy, is reaffirming its commitment to achieving these goals by 2035. Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu now has accessible, culturally appropriate and scalable approaches to prevention, and together the country can make a difference for women and families across the country. “The country has already made significant progress on this pathway, and today I would like to acknowledge the persistence, advocacy and hard work of health and community workers to reduce the preventable burden, incidence, illness and death caused by cervical cancer,” he said. “An opportunistic screening programme has existed since 2008, with national Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening implemented in 2022, and close to 20,000 women screened to date. The hard work of the Vanuatu Ministry of Health, the Vanuatu Family Health Association and the Ikkana Cancer Society has meant that access to screening has been made available across all provinces, with over 3,500 women receiving treatment.” Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu is also protecting girls from cervical cancer through HPV vaccination, with the national HPV vaccination programme beginning in 2023 and 16,412 girls vaccinated to date. He said this ensures that today’s girls grow up protected, empowered and free from a disease that previously often arrived too late for treatment. “With continued awareness and coordinated delivery strategies, communities learn that the HPV vaccine protects their children and they therefore want their children to be vaccinated,” he said. “As we endorse this document, we acknowledge the journey of women and families affected, the conscientious efforts of health and community workers to improve health outcomes and the valued collaboration of international partners which strengthens our progress. “The Strategy presents a roadmap to strengthen and sustain current efforts, prioritising primary health care, public health approaches and people-centred service delivery tailored to the Vanuatu context.” Minister Bohn said sustained progress would require long-term, sustainable financing and continued coordinated efforts across sectors and disciplines to ensure Vanuatu remains on the path to eliminating cervical cancer. He said the Government of Vanuatu is committed to ensuring activities are adequately coordinated, funded and maintained over time. “Government commits to ensuring that no woman is left unseen, no girl unprotected, and no life lost to a preventable disease,” he said. The senior consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, medical lead for the cervical cancer screening programme and chairperson of the development of the cervical cancer elimination strategy, Dr Boniface Damutalau, said the document launched yesterday provides a roadmap for combating cervical cancer. He said cervical cancer screening began in 2022 using new technologies to detect pre-cancerous lesions, and the launch of the strategy provides guidance for screening, vaccination, treatment and sustainability of the programme through to 2035. “It’s a document that helps us with a roadmap of how we do our screening, our vaccination, our treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, and also it will help us with the sustainability of the programme for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. Dr Damutalau said available data shows around 18 per cent of women have HPV infection, although he believes the figure could be higher because the hospital continues to see two or three new cervical cancer cases each month. He explained that the best way to prevent cervical cancer is through immunisation of young girls aged around 9 to 14 years and regular screening. Dr Damutalau said screening is the only way to detect cervical cancer early, allowing treatment to begin before the disease progresses. He said Vanuatu can currently treat stage 1 cervical cancer locally, while women with more advanced stages must travel overseas for further treatment. “There are a lot of challenges. I think the biggest ones that we encounter are that Vanuatu is very sparse, with different islands, so there is a lot of geography we have to go through, and human resources are also one of the important things that we combat every day,” he said. “Human resources across ministries are not enough, but we always try to reach as far as where women live, from remote places in the north down to the south.” Dr Damutalau acknowledged the efforts made by women who come forward to clinics for screening. He said there are currently two clinics providing services, one in Port Vila and one in Luganville. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, and once a woman becomes infected, the virus can change cells on the cervix, causing them to become cancerous. Dr Damutalau said most HPV infections clear naturally, but some remain and can increase the risk of cervical cancer. He said about 90 per cent of cervical cancers are linked to HPV, which is why vaccination and early screening are important. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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More boys than girls drop out of school August 12, 2026
More boys than girls are dropping out of secondary schools in Vanuatu, with TORBA Province recording the highest dropout rate. Boys are repeating grades more than girls at both primary and secondary levels across all provinces, and TORBA Province again has the highest repetition rate. These findings were conveyed by the Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), John Gideon, in his presentation to set the tone for discussions at the National Education Forum in Port Vila. He said more boys are leaving school for reasons beyond the classroom, such as the cost of education, distance to school and boarding challenges. In 2016, Vanuatu came up with a policy requiring children to start formal primary school at age 6. Director Gideon revealed that the net enrolment rate has been declining since 2023, with girls recording a higher rate while boys’ participation remains lower. Girls also recorded higher gross enrolment rates than boys at every level. Director Gideon also mentioned that the education system is not retaining students, especially at the secondary level. He said about 41 out of every 100 children who start Year 1 remain in school by Year 6, and only about 5 out of every 100 continue through to Year 13. Director Gideon highlighted that the number of early childhood centres has decreased since 2022, primary schools have remained stable, while secondary schools have grown the most, with 67 new schools established since 2015. “There are over 5,400 teachers, but they are not where the students are,” he said. SHEFA, TAFEA and SANMA have the most senior secondary schools, while TORBA faces a severe shortage of junior secondary teachers. Director Gideon encouraged participants at the forum to examine what the data reveals about boys’ engagement in the education system, how to increase enrolment in early childhood and the relationship between enrolment and student progress. Currently, 104,510 students are enrolled across more than 1,000 registered schools in Vanuatu. However, Director General Cherol Ala pointed out that not all children are in school, highlighting the need to improve access, enrolment and participation. While literacy and numeracy outcomes continue to decline, she said monitoring of the nationwide Curriculum Improvement Program (CIP), launched last year, is showing improved outcomes in student learning. Other challenges she mentioned include student and teacher attendance, high dropout rates, limited access to formal training and qualifications, school infrastructure, access to schools and rolling out internet connectivity. She reminded everyone about the ministry’s mission to provide young people with lifelong skills, values and confidence to become self-reliant and contribute to development. Throughout the four-day National Education Forum, government leaders, educators and partners have discussed what has not worked and what needs to be done to improve education outcomes. The forum ends today. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Vanuatu’s education crisis a ‘national disaster’ – Pikinini Playtime CEO August 12, 2026
Pikinini Playtime founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Batten has described Vanuatu’s education situation as a “national disaster”, warning that poor literacy outcomes among children could affect the country’s future development. Speaking during an interview on Kava Mo Kajap, Mr. Batten said reports that around 70 per cent of children are unable to read and write at the expected level should be treated as a serious national concern. “I think it is a national disaster, like a hurricane or an earthquake,” Mr. Batten said. He said Vanuatu’s greatest resource is not its land or natural resources, but its people, and education is the foundation needed to develop that human resource. “Human resources are the number one resource for Vanuatu,” he said. Mr. Batten said countries that have successfully moved from being less developed to more advanced economies have done so by investing heavily in education and building a skilled population. However, he said Vanuatu’s current education results remain a major concern despite the country spending a significant amount of its national budget on education. “Vanuatu gives a lot of money per capita into education, but the results are still among the lowest in the Pacific,” he said. The Pikinini Playtime founder said the challenge is not only about funding but about how the education system delivers results. He questioned why many students continue to leave school without basic reading and writing skills despite years spent in classrooms. Mr. Batten said the impact of poor education outcomes can also be seen in the country’s workforce, where businesses often recruit skilled workers from overseas to fill positions. “We bring people from the Philippines and other countries to do accounting, bookkeeping, management, building and supervisory work, but many ni-Vanuatu are not able to take those opportunities because they do not have the basic education,” he said. He said the literacy issue must be addressed early because children who fail to develop strong reading skills in their early years often struggle throughout their education journey. Mr. Batten also raised concerns about the value placed on education within the system. He said teacher absenteeism, weak accountability and a lack of support for educators contribute to children losing confidence in learning. “When children see that school is not important, they begin to believe they don’t need school,” he said. Mr. Batten acknowledged that many teachers are working under difficult conditions but said the system needs stronger support, training and leadership to improve outcomes. He believes improving education requires everyone involved — government, schools, teachers, principals and parents — to work together. “Children are smart. They have the ability. But they need the right support and the right opportunities,” he said. Mr. Batten said addressing literacy must become a national priority because the future of Vanuatu depends on the quality of education provided to today’s children. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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May Newsletter 2026

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Advancing women’s leadership and representation

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organisation

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Sista i Shine

Where the Crown Jewels of the Ocean Sparkle – Leina Isno

May Newsletter 2026

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Advancing women’s leadership and representation

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organisation

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Where the Crown Jewels of the Ocean Sparkle – Leina Isno