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- Vanuatu Feminist Forum November 14, 2022
Vanuatu will be holding its first ever National Feminist Forum on the 17th and 18th November 2022. The closed event will mobilize diverse Ni-Vanuatu women to share knowledge and experiences, celebrate achievements and strategize for collective action to achieve women’s human rights. “The Vanuatu Feminist Forum is an opportunity for all of us in the women’s movement to learn and grow together to advance gender equality through storian,” says Yasmine Bjornum, Executive Director of Sista. “We understand that the word ‘feminist’ is not widely accepted across the Pacific, and we had to explore with other women’s groups what this word means to us in the Vanuatu context and how we can apply the theory and practice with respect to our traditional and Christian values. It’s an ongoing journey that will continue well after the forum.” The national forum will build off the Pacific Feminist Forum, which has previously been a regional event held in 2016 and 2019 in Fiji that saw over 150 women from across the Pacific region attend. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, plans were made to hold in-country forums across 16 Pacific Countries in the lead up to another regional event, which will be held virtually in the coming months. This event is being supported by the We Rise Coalition the Secretariat hosted at Fiji Women’s Rights Movement. At the end of the national forum, an outcome statement will be developed based on four key areas: women’s representation in Vanuatu politics, women’s access to quality sexual reproductive health care, intergenerational dialogue and inclusive collaboration, and gender in climate justice and climate change. The Working Group for the Vanuatu Feminist Forum consists of Sista, CARE in Vanuatu, ActionAid Vanuatu, VPride Foundation, GATE Minds, Vanuatu Young Women For Change and Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition. For more information, visit www.sista.com.vu. _____________________________________________________________________ ENGLISH Myths and Misconceptions about feminism (ENGLISH) Pacific Feminist Charter Pacific Feminist Action Plan BISLAMA Myths and Misconceptions about feminism (BISLAMA) Pacific Feminist Charter (Bislama) Pacific Feminist Action Plan (Bislama) Read the Vanuatu National Feminist Forum program here Read the outcome statement here
- Caught in the middle of ‘Welkam’ November 10, 2022
What immediately caught my attention as I walked down towards the Handicraft Centre in Vanuatu’s capital yesterday morning, was the way that strangers walked along the street as if they were walking and swinging their hands to the string band beat of “Swing to the right swing to the left”, and a sudden current of connecting something bigger than big. I entered the building and got caught in the middle, there was dancing by women in spectacular uniform, to welcome the arrival of the first tourists after two years of lockdown. I surveyed each table and was welcomed by the unique smile that landed Vanuatu in the category of the “happiest people on the planet” quite a while back. This time, the vendors made sure that even their tables too smiled with the natural beauty of local flowers. A tourist was interested in the painting by a vendor. I introduced myself and asked her to “keep talking” as I was going to take a picture. Just as well the young artist kept explaining her work while I clicked away on my camera and suddenly, the artist had convinced the tourist who pulled out some notes and bought one of her paintings. I quickly walked to the next table to experience the feeling of joy by those vendors making money again after two years of draught. The sound of “Swing to the right swing to the left” continued. It seems likely that the vendors have made their mark to convince the Cruise companies that the country is ready to welcome their vessels and passengers back. _______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
- CCTV Cameras for Port Vila and Marobe Markets November 10, 2022
Australian High Commissioner Heidi Bootle has added a smile to the faces of the Mama Market Vendors of both Marobe Market and Port Vila Market, by funding CCTV Cameras to constantly look down at them from the roof 24 hours a day. The funding was made based on reports of alleged thefts of both earnings and agricultural produce at the market, including sexual abuse in the past. However the Port Vila Market Manager, Sacha Watt, was praised for catching alleged thieves and returning what they had taken from the vendors. What the camera installments mean is that such criminal behaviour will be nailed because whoever breaks the law in the market will be caught. High Commissioner Bootle and UN Women Representative, Betty Zinner-Toa, for United Nations (UN) Women’s M4C Project, handed over the Remote Controllers to the Deputy Mayor of Port Vila City Council (PVCC) and Secretary General (SG) of SHEFA Provincial Government Council (SPGC), Kalwajin Skepha, yesterday. Mrs. Zinner-Toa hopes the surveillance equipment will be treated with respect and care at all times. Deputy Mayor of PVCC, Jenny Regenvanu, thanked the Australian Government through the High Commission for the valuable assistance as well as UN M4C and all other Partners for the equipment. The launching coincided with the arrival of the first tourist liner with tourists visiting Port Vila and the country again after two years of lockdown due to COVID-19. In fact, a number of curious tourists stopped by to watch the launching ceremony. Everyone present agreed that the CCTV Cameras are also important for both local and foreign visitors who call at the Market. Now if someone forgets his or her bag or wallet or purse on any table, the cameras will capture whoever dares to pick it up. Mr. Watt was praised for the cleanliness of Port Vila Market. The ceremony also heard that similar surveillance equipment will be installed at Luganville Market in the Northern Town. _______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
- Police Briefs November 9, 2022
2 men remanded for alleged rape of Year 8 Student Two men from the village of Alack on Epi have allegedly raped an 8th Grade student from Akama Primary School. These men were remanded for unlawful sex and attempted rape last weekend. The Vanuatu Police Force’s (VPF) Family Protection Unit (FIU) and Police on Epi first reported the incident in May this year. A report was filed regarding the fact that the incident happened to this young girl several times last year. Police were then deployed last weekend to Epi and arrested the two suspects. They brought them back to Port Vila and were taken in custody on that same day. The court remanded them and they will be appearing in court for their Preliminary Inquiry (PI) on November 18 at the Magistrates Court. Police have stressed that rape is becoming a big problem these days, occurring in all communities and involving a growing number of minors between the ages of 13 and 15, especially girls, who are victims. The VPF is urging all community leaders, chiefs, pastors, parents and teachers to help speak to their people to prevent bad activity from happening in our communities. Lakatoro Police action Tuck In Program Police at Lakatoro, Malekula have introduced a new school integration program at Norsup Primary and Secondary School. As part of this Tuck In Program, police officers had to go out and show students to tuck in their uniforms properly when they go to school. This program aims to help educate students about respect, cleanliness and integration. Most of the students entered the schools in the mornings without proper dress and cleanliness. Duo arrested for property damages and abusive language Two men from Ambrym have been remanded in custody after they were sentenced and detained at Lakatoro, Malekula. The duo are facing different charges, one was charged with malicious property damage and threats and the other with threats and abusive language. They were arrested and cautioned by Police on Malekula and brought to trial on different dates and the court sentenced them to serve their prison terms. The person accused of malicious damage to property and threatening was later arrested on October 28, 2022 and the court served an 18-month prison sentence. The other person charged with threats and abusive language appeared in court later on November 10, 2022 and the court granted him 12 months. The police is calling on everyone to behave in public places as well as respect others and their properties. Man arrested for domestic violence and attempted homicide A man from Paama has been arrested and taken into custody for domestic violence and attempted homicide. He appeared in court on October 28. He will appear in the Malekula Magistrates Court at 10am on Friday, November 11 2022. CID: Cyberbullying cases reported daily The VPF’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has reported receiving more than two cybercrime cases on a daily basis this month. Most of these cases are extortion and criminal defamation on social media. These actions are punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a fine of VT1 million under the Cybercrime Act. Disclaimer All content in the Police Briefs column is supplied regularly to the Vanuatu Daily Post by the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF)’s Media Unit. This is part of the VPF’s efforts to keep members of the public reliably informed. ______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
- Healthcare workers attend STIs, HIV and Monkeypox training November 7, 2022
Healthcare workers from six provinces participated in a clinical capacity training to address viral Hepatitis B, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Sexual Transmitted Infection (STIs) and Monkeypox. This training provides better understanding of reporting channels for Nationally Notifiable Diseases (NNDs) and sensitization of local partners and stakeholders. The prevalence of Hepatitis B in Vanuatu is estimated to be 12.8% (33,289 people). In 2020, Vanuatu had an estimated mortality rate of 13.7/100,000 population or about 40 deaths per year and ranks first in the Pacific. This training comes at a good time with Tenofovir, an antiviral treatment for viral hepatitis, recently being added to the Vanuatu national essential drug list. The HIV cases in Vanuatu is estimated to be low, but further testing is needed. Vanuatu reported its first HIV positive case in 2002, followed by the second case in 2003, and the first recorded death in 2006. To date, there are a total of eight (8) cases currently on treatment. All cases are compliant with treatment and are well monitored. There has been one reported case in a pregnant woman and currently on treatment, and her baby subsequently tested negative for HIV. There has also been one case of TB/HIV coinfection and this case patient was cured for TB and continues to be compliant with treatment. STIs are estimated to be high in Vanuatu. Data from second generation surveillance of antenatal women, STI clinic clients and youth in 2008 found high rates of chlamydia (25%) and early syphilis infection (5%) in antenatal women. Rates of gonorrhoea were high in youth (21%) and STI clinic clients (20%) as testing rates estimate is still low. For Monkeypox, no cases were identified in Vanuatu; however, the spread of cases globally highlights the risk of importation within the country. Globally, more than 1 million people are newly infected with STIs each day, and 4.5 million with HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, each year. Prior to 2022, monkeypox outbreaks have been reported from 12 countries with occasional exported cases reported from other countries. In 2022 there have been cases identified in non-endemic countries, presenting a new challenge to the global public health community. The training will build capacity of healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, public health officials) to better address the risks to individuals and communities associated with HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis and monkeypox. The Ministry of Health acknowledged technical and financial support from the World Health Organization and Australian Government towards this training. _______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
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