Women in justice celebrate International Women’s Day

Mar 12, 2025 | News | 0

Women from various justice agencies across Vanuatu have gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day last Friday.

Hosted by the Ministry of Justice and Community Services in collaboration with the Department of Women’s Affairs, the event placed a spotlight on the critical role women play in shaping the nation’s justice system and society as a whole.

The Acting Public Solicitor, Jane Kwevira Tari, delivered a message of hope and urgency. She also emphasized the importance of women asserting their rightful place in every sector of society.

“Everyone here today, we continue to shape the little worlds that we are part of,” she remarked, urging the audience to take action rather than waiting for opportunities.

“For too long, women have been told to wait—for the right time, for permission, for a seat at the table. But today, yumi nomo wait,” she exclaimed, challenging attendees to embrace their power and leadership.

Her speech underscored the remarkable progress women have made across various fields—from CEOs to scientists, lawyers to engineers—highlighting their contribution to the nation’s economy and technological advancement.

“Women are reshaping countries, pioneering movements, and breaking barriers that have held them back for centuries,” she asserted.

The Acting Public Solicitor clarified that acceleration is not merely about speed but involves amplifying women’s voices, breaking down longstanding biases, and ensuring that no woman is left behind in the journey towards equality.

“Yet this journey is far from over,” she noted, addressing the persistent issues of wage gaps and systemic biases that continue to challenge women.

She encouraged attendees to reflect on how they could contribute to this momentum of change.

“Will you become a mentor, an advocate, create opportunities for other women, challenge stereotypes, and rewrite the rules?” she asked, reinforcing the notion that collective action can lead to societal advancement.

“If women move forward, society will be advanced. Let’s not just imagine future equality; let’s build it. Together, let’s accelerate.”

The event, with its spirited networking opportunities, was supported by the Vanuatu Australia Policing and Justice Program, showcasing a shared commitment to empowering women within the justice sector.

As the celebration concluded, attendees left feeling inspired and energized, ready to take on new challenges and lead the charge for change in their respective fields.

This International Women’s Day marked not just a day of celebration but a pivotal moment in the ongoing pursuit of gender equality in Vanuatu, reminding everyone present that the time for waiting is over—it’s time for women to lead, innovate, and accelerate change.

The celebration was also attended by the Director of Women’s Affairs, Rothina Noka, Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Community Services and the Deputy Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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‘The scars children carry can last a lifetime’ August 13, 2026
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Man remanded over alleged sexual assault of four-year-old girl August 13, 2026
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Cervical cancer preventable, yet a leading cause of death among Vanuatu women August 12, 2026
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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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