November Newsletter 2022

Dec 15, 2022 | Newsletters | 0

November is gone and Christmas holidays are just around the corner!

The team at Sista started off the month by celebrating International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR)! The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) held the event from 1 – 3 November 2022 and despite it being held at Eton, it generated a huge audience. There were a number of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and government departments that came together to raise awareness on the importance of IDDRR. Unfortunately the team was not able to join in the fun but we played our part by sharing relevant social media posts on our platforms. We are currently in cyclone season so make sure you check out NDMO’s Facebook page for advice on how to prepare and plan for a natural disaster.

The Women In Media (WIM) Forum was finally held on 9 November 2022 where the results from The Oceanic Pacific Women in Media (WIM) Research 2022 survey were presented. These results were to help to understand the current status of women in the media and to better understand needs and opportunities in the future. The forum also generated an open discussion on what media organizations need to start implementing and improving, in order to create a safe and supportive working environment for women while also giving them the space to freely share their creative ideas.

The next big event for the team this month, and overall this year, was the National Feminist Forum (NFF) that happened on the 17th and 18th of November! The objective of the NFF was to mobilize Ni-Vanuatu women to share knowledge and experiences, celebrate achievements and strategize for collective action to achieve women’s human rights. It was also an opportunity for Ni-Vanuatu women to learn and grow together to advance gender equality through ‘storian’. There were over 70 people from over 20 different organisations who attended the closed event – the room was bustling with energy!

Towards the end of the month, the team welcomed a volunteer from Canada, Jane Spitz. Jane traveled to Vanuatu to explore the country but also to work with a charitable organization to capture their journey and key achievements. We cannot wait to share the video she has captured with you all!

And to close off the month, the communications team at Sista attended a meeting with representatives from the Department of Women (DWA), Stretem Rod blong Jastis, Vanuatu Women’s Centre and Balance of Power to discuss the 16 Days of Activism (DoA) official opening march and launch. The meeting was also a great opportunity for the comms team at Sista to get to know the other people working in the communications space. The comms team represented Sista and ventured out in the rain to the 16 DoA launch and brought Jane along to capture the activities going on.

As part of 16 Days of Activism, the Executive Director was thrilled to be a judge on the Vanuatu Family Health Association’s (VFHA) judging panel and left inspired by the youth of Vanuatu, and thanks VFHA for their important work.

The ED was honoured to be invited by the Public Prosecutor to share her experience as an activist dealing with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and how important it is to centre the survivor in the judicial process. Thank you to the Public Prosecutor for your trust and open-ness to allow Yasmine to speak freely on improvements and challenges.

Projects

Jesintha Tari – Sista Gat Style, Vanuatu Daily Post

This November we celebrate the beautiful and talented Jesintha Tari! Hailing from the island of Ambae, Jesintha is a quiet yet confident young woman filled with a firing passion for fashion. She is self-employed and teaches sewing classes with her mother who is the base of her inspiration with fabrics and a sewing machine! She believes that having a love for fashion can be a way to stand out of the crowd!

Make sure to check out her Facebook page, Woi2 creations, to see her beautiful designs and place your orders.

Women in Media Forum

The Oceanic Pacific Women in Media (WIM) Research 2022 is supported by PACMAS and facilitated by Sista with the endorsement of Media Association blong Vanuatu (MAV) in Vanuatu. It is a regional survey conducted in five countries, including Vanuatu, with Oceanics indigenous researcher and media practitioner, Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki, as lead researcher.

The project team held the Women In Media forum with the purpose to present the findings of the survey to the Ni-Vanuatu women practitioners who attended for validation and for input to create an outcome statement. There were a total of 17 former and current media practitioners who attended the forum.

It was such a wholesome and insightful experience for the team at Sista as the forum brought together some amazing women who have been and are currently involved in the Media world here in Vanuatu. The team at Sista would like to thank all the former and current media practitioners who have participated in this survey and for their attendance and feedback at the Vanuatu Women in Media forum.

Vanuatu National Feminist Forum, as part of the 3rd Pacific Feminist Forum

The team at Sista had about a month to prepare and plan for this two day event. This meant that all the departments at Sista had to pull together to get the ball rolling and ready for the biggest event of the year!

The communications team had the one month time frame to use the social media platforms to start up the discussion amongst the online followers about feminism and what it means, and most importantly the key messages and objectives of this event. The comms team had a fun time designing the graphics and creating short videos of each member of the NFF working group explaining what feminism meant to them. It was great to see the different perspectives and understanding around the word feminism.

The project team had all of the procurement and logistics responsibilities – from budgeting to sourcing out items and finally purchasing them for the event. It was a long process for the team but it was worth it as the venue looked wonderfully organized and put together.

The Finance and Administration Coordinator had a massive role to play before and during this event. Along with Georgilla Worwor, who provided major support in the preparation for the forum, they had the responsibility of piecing everything together. They were in charge of contacting people, asking people to make speeches, ensuring everything went according to plan, and many more tedious tasks.

Vanuatu Women’s Centre Coordinator, Tatavola Matas, opened the first day with a speech about her journey at the Vanuatu Women’s Centre, highlighting their achievements and their challenges.

The team was honored to have the Third deputy speaker and Hon. MP Gloria Julia King who opened the second day with an empowering speech about her political journey.

And Leikita Kalorib from CARE in Vanuatu mentioned that, ‘even though feminism is a new word to us in Vanuatu, the movement is historical and on going.’

The forum created such an empowering space for everyone to share their opinions! The outcome statement which Dr Astrid Kersten from HCDI put together, will help guide and hopefully create a stronger and more meaningful foundation to support the women’s movement in Vanuatu.

Other News

16 Days of Activism (DoA)

The 16 DoA campaign started on 25 November! The communications team at Sista, along with several other Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) and governmental departments, came together at Independence Park field to launch the annual campaign and acknowledge the theme, ‘UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls ‘. The comms team at Sista have also taken to the social media platforms to help spread awareness during the campaign, by re-sharing 16 DoA campaigns from the previous years such as Rod Blong Jenis and Rispek Hemi Honorobol. And on 29 November, which is International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, SISTA was recognised by the Australian High Commission for the work done to empower women and raise awareness on issues affecting women and girls in Vanuatu.

Donation by Stephanie Mahuk

The team at Sista would like to thank Stephanie Mahuk for her generous support.

We used some of her donation to purchase 3 filing cabinets, 2 shelves, a five tier book case for the Vanuatu Feminist Library, and stationary and cashbox for the finance and project team. These items have created a positive shift in the office space at Sista as it has given us the opportunity to organise and store things better.

Thank you again Stephanie for your continuous support with the work we do at Sista!

Jane Spitz Visit

The team at Sista have had the privilege of meeting Jane Spitz who uses her skills and experience through filming to end inequality and injustice for women and children. She traveled all the way from Canada to Vanuatu and offered to shoot a film to uncover Sista’s journey. This film will include positive impacts of different projects and initiatives that have been carried out in the Sista organization over the years. The team at Sista would like to thank Jane for her time, effort and vibrant energy she brought to our office and wish her all the best in her future endeavors!

Finance Department

This month, the finance team has assisted the project and comms team to prepare budget activity for the NFF event.

Sista has engaged an Operational Consultant, Tiffany Peters, to support the Finance team to establish and strengthen Sista’s overall operational processes. Tiffany has developed a budget forecast for 2023 which will be very helpful for the Finance team next year.

In addition to that, we have purchased some filing cabinets for the Finance department, thanks to our wonderful donor, Stef Mahuk!

We have also finally received the 20% tranche payment from Fiji Women’s Right Movement for the Sexual Harassment project that was implemented in March until July this year.

Dissolution of old board and development of new board

Sista officially registered in 2019 and as of 2022, the original board has fully dissolved from November 4th 2022, with many moving forward to be part of the Advisory Committee, which Sista will include in its governance in its restructure in 2023.

The original board dissolved fully in 2022 with some members resigning in past years due to personal reasons (leaving the country, conflict of interest, etc) and others for competing priorities such as heavy workload.

As of December 2022, the new board is still being put together after meeting in person and virtually on November 10th 2022. Personal IDS and documents are still being gathered before the board meets again in February 2022 for the first official meeting.

Board governance and strengthening is made possible with the support of the We Rise Coalition

Finalization of Human Resource Consultancy

Sista is pleased to finally announce we finished our Human Resource (HR) consultancy with Carmen Meyer and it’s been a wonderful learning journey for everyone. It gave us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of policies and procedures to ensure effective, transparent and accountable governance. We have now updated our policies, manuals and contracts including our organizational structure to ensure they reflect Sista’s feminist values, Vanuatu labour laws and donor requirements. Who knew HR could be so exciting!? On a serious note, it really is, because it ensures sustainability of the organization and sets us up to enable strategic and succession planning. This consultancy was made possible with support of CARE in Vanuatu.

Operations Consultancy

Sista hired Tiffany Peters for an operational consultancy to establish and strengthen appropriate operational processes and practices. Her primary role has been to coordinate the relevant departments to ensure that the business component of SISTA runs smoothly and align the finance department, human resources, information technology, compliance, communications and administration.

This organizational strengthening is made possible by We Rise Coalition and Ambassade de France.

Development of organizational strengthening activities, project timeline and donor finance tracker for 2023

As we held our first board meeting with new board members, and were undergoing two consultancies for HR and Operations, we also developed a list of organizational strengthening activities for the year 2023. This includes report writing workshops, team building exercises, PSEAH and CP refreshers and much more! We also developed a timeline on all the projects we are rolling out and a tracker of all our donor grants and reporting timelines. Every month we feel ourselves getting stronger as an organization and it all comes down to PLANNING, COMMUNICATION, DELEGATION AND TEAMWORK!

Coming soon

Menstrual cup campaign

Sista is thrilled to receive a new grant from Ambassade de France and is developing a campaign to open a new dialogue and direction on menstrual health and hygiene management in Vanuatu that provides an alternative option to promote dignity and good practice in hygiene. Keep your eye out in the coming months for the campaign and distribution of menstrual cups!

!ANNOUNCEMENT!

Sista would like to inform the public that our office will be officially closing on the 16th of December at 12:00PM until the 9th of January 2023.

We are wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2023!!

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NEWS

In Unity Our Advocacy Becomes a Chorus The women working to end violence in Vanuatu September 14, 2023
What comes to mind when you think of the Pacific? The rhetoric usually centres on happiness and holidays, cocktails by the beach and the cordial welcome received from locals wherever one may travel. The shout of Bula in Fiji, a Welkam in Vanuatu, or a Malo e lelei in Tonga. While that story does indeed ring true for many, there is another story that needs to be told: the work of an incredible cohort across the region working to combat, and end, all forms of violence against women. The Pacific region has some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world, with up to 68 percent of women having reported experiencing physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime. This figure is more than twice the global average. Pacific Women Lead’s 2021 National Survey on Women’s Lives and Family Relationships evidenced amongst those women who have ever had an intimate sexual relationship with a partner in Vanuatu: 60 percent had experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime 68 percent had experienced emotional violence 28 percent were subjected to several forms of control by their partner 69 percent experienced at least one form of coercive control, and most of these were continuing to live lives involving physical and sexual violence Women are constantly at risk of violence and threats, regardless of where they are. Women are not safe on the streets, in their homes, at work, in places of study, places of worship, or places of recreation. Any small change is a step in the right direction The global Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls is a United Nations joint initiative supported by the European Union and other partners. The Spotlight Initiative in the Pacific focuses its work on four key pillars: Policy and legislation Institutions Prevention Data A comprehensive approach is being implemented within the Pacific nations through the targeting of multiple settings for change such as the education sector, government, churches, the justice sector, and civil society organisations (CSOs), and by working across a variety of levels of the socio-ecological model. UNDP’s support to Vanuatu via the Spotlight Initiative sees it working with small, grassroots organisations – making an impact from the ground up. Through the establishment of a grantee program, UNDP Pacific has undertaken a second phase and partnered with six grassroots organisations on empowering women in rural communities, initiating a range of activities that, in many cases, support service provision, innovative solutions and engagement activities that aim to provide information and basic services to those who otherwise lack access. These grants go a long way and have made significant impact thus far, with the program also identifying those grassroots organisations who have the capacity to engage communities nationwide in the provision of justice, health, and economic support services to survivors of intimate partner violence. However, in Vanuatu, it is a far greater challenge to change this deeply ingrained behaviour; it is the kind of change that requires more than the delivery of an awareness session in a small community, or within the nakamal, should deep, long-lasting behavioural change occur. The way we now frame the topic has completely changed And as a result, the narrative is now changing. For sustainable, long-term progress on ending violence against women, men, women, and children; young, old and those in between, all must unite in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV). “The way we now frame the topic has completely changed, it’s no longer just a women’s problem. While the vast majority of perpetrators are men, if we want to make change, we need to realise that this can only be done via a whole-of-community approach,” said Dr. Astrid Kersten, Executive Director of Human Capacity Development International (HCDI). HCDI take a whole-of-community approach to their work, collaborating with village chiefs all the way through to younger members of the community. This approach sees a broad cross-section of voices and opinions accounted for, ensuring that through community buy-in the behaviour change work they undertake is sustainable in the long-term. As one of the recipient organisations (alongside their partner, Sista) to receive a grant via the Spotlight Initiative, HCDI and Sista focused on two key activities: The development of community resources to assist in community awareness development and collective action, related to reducing GBV; and To build on and promote the Stanap Strong website as a resource to support victims, families of victims, and the general population. HCDI and Sista are making inroads and inspiring change, no doubt, but Astrid still has moments of self-doubt as to just how much progress they are making on ending violence against women. “I do keep thinking, ‘is this really making a difference?’ It is still hard going, training and capacity building are still key right across Vanuatu, and we need continued support to help us beyond the Spotlight Initiative. “These grants may be small but with our work it doesn’t take a whole lot of money to ensure that we can have significant impact,” she said. When you lift up women you lift the entire community When the grassroots organisation Sista was established in 2016, its main purpose was to create a space for Ni-Vanuatu women to connect, share and uplift each other. Sista began its journey as an online magazine and over the past eight years has evolved into a women’s rights organisation driven by feminist values. Josephine Tarianga serves as Sista’s Resource Coordinator, a powerhouse of a young woman. Having worked as a journalist, at just 22 she is not only working with Sista, and Vanuatu’s We Rise Coalition, she is also studying a double degree of Law and Commerce with the University of the South Pacific. Blending her passions of media and communications with furthering women’s rights, Josephine says that just because you’re a feminist, it doesn’t equate to you not being committed to your community. “Things are still very male dominated here, but at the same time change is in the air. Women are the focal read more…

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VANGO Chairman Calls for NGO, CSO Registration Ahead of Mapping Exercise September 14, 2023
Mr. William Nasak, the chairman of the Vanuatu Association of Non-Government Organisations (VANGO), is calling on all Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) established in the provinces to register with VANGO before the mapping exercise visits begin. The mapping exercise will visit all six provinces with tentative dates across September and October, hosting workshops for NGO/CSOs to ensure there is better coordination between organisations and with government, increase NGO/CSOs visibility and align NGO/CSO programs and interventions to the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP). “The ultimate goal of the project, as the next step, is to develop a standardised reporting template for NGO/CSOs to ensure that their achievements and interventions in Vanuatu are recognised in the NSDP progress reporting,” Ms Abraham, Secretary General (SG) of VANGO, shared. “After the mapping VANGO will collaborate with the NGO desk office and the Department of Strategic Planning, Policy and Aid Coordination (DSSPAC) to bring this reporting template to life so NGO/CSOs can be acknowledged for their work.” As part of the mapping exercise, registered organisations will have the opportunity to complete Institutional Assessment Mapping (IAM). The IAM supports organisations to increase their profile as well as assess and map out their resources and organisational capacity, contributing to development effectiveness. This will be beneficial for wide range of stakeholders including the NGO/CSOs, international agencies and policy makers. Preparations for the provincial mapping visits are well underway with a pre-workshop to train enumerators (selected from current VANGO members) hosted on the 6th of September. To ensure the mapping is successful and reflects the wide range of NGO/CSOs across all provinces of Vanuatu, all community organisations should reach out to VANGO now to become members. VANGO acknowledges the DSSPAC Unit for the funding support to implement this exercise. It also extended its acknowledgement to the Government of Australia through the Oxfam Australia and Save the Children for the operational funding of VANGO. _________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Quai to Launch New EP Album and Raise Funds for Children’s Ward September 14, 2023
Vanuatu’s music icon, Vanessa Quai, is gearing up for a special concert on the 5th of October. The primary objective of this event is to unveil her highly anticipated Extended Play (EP) Album, while also mobilising resources to support the Children’s Ward. Miss Quai revealed that her inspiration for this charitable endeavour stemmed from a conversation with a doctor from the Children’s Ward. The doctor had shared the pressing need for a new heart-scanning machine dedicated to paediatric patients, as the current one is outdated and unreliable. “Upon learning of this critical need, I felt compelled to leverage my platform to raise funds and contribute to the Children’s Ward,” explained Quai. She announced the release of six exceptional songs, marked by the lyrical inspiration she has poured into them. These tracks are the result of collaborations with talented producers and featured artists. “After a hiatus of five years since my last album, ‘Light it up,’ I am excited to release new songs this year in the form of an EP album,” she said. The concert, slated for the Warwick Le Lagon, promises to be a delightful evening reminiscent of a buffet night. Attendees can savor a sumptuous buffet dinner and enjoy complimentary drinks while being entertained. Quai will grace the stage with an hour-long performance, followed by other esteemed artists from Port Vila, including Sheila Wilz, Dalinda, Max Albert, Tujah, and the KR dancers. Ms Quai disclosed ticket details, with adult tickets priced at VT7,000 and children’s tickets at VT5,000. Attendees are encouraged to hold onto their tickets, as there will be raffle prizes to be won, and some lucky patrons may even depart with a complimentary EP album. Quai encourages everyone to support the concert, adding the money spent on tickets not only grants access to an unforgettable event but also serves as a meaningful donation towards enhancing the Children’s Ward. “Your attendance will make a real difference in the lives of our young patients,” she said. _________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Consultation on GBV Response Marks Progress in Gender Equality Policy September 11, 2023
A consultation on the Multi-Service Delivery Protocol (MSDP) for responding to Gender-based Violence (GBV) against women and girls ended on Thursday this week. More than 20 partners were involved in the two-day consultation as the government of Vanuatu is taking strides to implement the first strategic area of the National Gender Equality Policy. The consultation was jointly hosted by United Nations (UN) Women and the Department of Women Affairs and aligns with the ongoing development of the National Policy on Gender Equality, which comprises five distinct strategic areas. The Acting Director General (DG) of the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MOJCS), Pacco Siri, officially opened the two-day meeting on the 6th of September. Mr. Siri expressed his satisfaction in witnessing the dedication of partners and the national government to craft a comprehensive national document addressing the coordination of services for survivors, a vital necessity for victims and survivors of violence. The Acting DG shared a vision where all family members can reside in secure and safe environments, spanning homes, communities, islands, and the entirety of Vanuatu as a secure nation. The national consultation on MSDP builds upon earlier provincial consultations conducted in 2019 and 2020. However, the completion of this crucial work was delayed due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of hurricanes in recent years. According to the MOJCS, Vanuatu’s current focus lies on strategic area 1, which aims to “eliminate discrimination and violence against women and girls”. The MOJCS also stated that within the Pacific region, Vanuatu grapples with one of the highest rates of GBV, with statistics revealing that 60 percent of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetimes. “Additionally, 68 percent have encountered emotional violence, and 69 percent have been subject to coercive control by intimate partners. “The National Sustainable Development Plan 2030 identifies the importance of working together to address gender-based violence under the Society Pillar,” the Ministry reported. Reports from the Ministry show that during natural disasters the rate of GBV in Vanuatu is very high. _________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Vanuatu Introduces Provincial Disability Officers and Committees September 6, 2023
The Vanuatu Disability Desk and the Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP) embarked on a collaborative journey last month in a significant step towards bolstering support for persons with disabilities in Vanuatu. The visit spanned the provinces of TAFEA, SANMA, and PENAMA, marking a decisive moment for the nation’s commitment to inclusivity and rights, as well as to introduce newly recruited provincial disability officers. The VSP plays a crucial role as the primary funder of these recently established positions within the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MoJCS) structure, operating under the Human Rights Unit. Furthermore, VSP extends financial and technical support to the Unit for the seamless implementation of activities aligned with the Government Sector Support and Strengthening Plan. The Disability Desk of the MoJCS expressed deep appreciation to the VSP for their invaluable cooperation and financial backing. This partnership signifies a concerted effort to drive positive change and enhance the lives of persons with disabilities. Among the key developments during this joint effort, the VSP discussed a comprehensive work plan with the newly recruited officers. This collaborative approach provides an opportunity to align priorities, emphasize the significance of the partnership, and collectively work towards achieving impactful outcomes throughout the implementation period. The strong partnership between the Disability Desk and VSP is further exemplified by their shared work plan. This strategic collaboration extends beyond the introduction phase, as both entities are committed to continuing their engagement and knowledge sharing in the future. Anticipating future endeavours, there are plans to extend similar introductions and deepen partnerships in other provinces. This approach fosters a rich exchange of knowledge and strategies, enabling these organisations to address disability-related challenges in Vanuatu effectively. These efforts align with the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP), known as the “People’s Plan.” All engagements and activities remain steadfastly in line with the three primary pillars of the NSDP, ensuring that progress is consistent with the nation’s overarching development goals. _________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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