Youth campaign launched to combat Gender-Based Violence

Sep 2, 2024 | Initiatives and Projects | 0

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a major concern in Vanuatu, where 60% of women and girls face physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.

In response to this crisis, the ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign has been launched to empower Vanuatu’s youth to reject GBV and champion a safer, more equitable future.

The ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign is a key part of a broader initiative supported by the Government of Vanuatu through the Ministry of Justice and Community Services, via the Department of Women’s Affairs (DoWA), and is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) until 2026.

Led by Save the Children Vanuatu, in partnership with Youth Challenge Vanuatu (YCV) and Wan Smolbag (WSB) Theatre, ‘Yut Rise Up’ is a dynamic movement designed to inspire and mobilise teenagers aged 10 to 19 years across the country.

The multi-year campaign is anchored on three main pillars: a series of six-week workshops with a youth mentoring initiative, an online youth campaign with ‘pop-up’ events, and a compelling short film. These components aim to instill values of respect, equality, and positive personal change.

At its core, the ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign seeks to educate, inspire, and empower young people by challenging the attitudes, behaviors, and societal norms that perpetuate violence. The campaign’s ultimate goal is to create a brighter, safer future for all.

“At Save the Children, we believe that every child and young person deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment and to have the opportunity to follow their dreams,” said Polly Banks, Country Director of Save the Children Vanuatu.

“The ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign is about giving young people the tools they need to make healthy choices, enjoy safe relationships, and make positive personal changes in their lives and communities.”

YCV is leading the ‘Yut Rise Up’ participatory learning workshops in Port Vila and Santo. These workshops are designed to equip young people with the tools they need to become leaders in their communities.

The sessions, based on international best practices and local experiences, cover crucial topics such as healthy and safe relationships, consent, sexual and reproductive health, gender roles, and the role of youth in fostering equality and rejecting GBV.

The workshops are delivered in two streams, one for teenage girls and another for teenage boys, by specially trained YCV facilitators at partnering schools, churches, and youth and sports groups.

Importantly, these sessions also involve parents and caregivers to ensure families are united in supporting their children and the campaign’s broader goals. They also aim to foster healthy communication with teenagers and positive parenting.

“Youth Challenge Vanuatu is proud to be part of the ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign in 2024 and 2025,” said Noel Steven, Director of YCV.

“We’re not just aiming to raise awareness; we’re laying the foundation for a future where every young person in Vanuatu can lead their communities with the principles of respect, equality, and non-violence at their core. Together, we rise up for positive change.”

Complementing the on-the-ground education efforts is an extensive online campaign that aims to reach over 15,000 young people. This digital campaign will be the heartbeat of ‘Yut Rise Up,’ with a strong presence across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

In a first for Vanuatu, the online campaign is being informed by a ‘Yut Rise Up’ youth advisory group to ensure the campaign’s look, language, and content are relevant and appealing to youth.

The online content will include storytelling, powerful visuals, and interviews with experts designed to inspire youth across Vanuatu to reject GBV and embrace a culture of respect and equality.

Adding an enduring and powerful emotional layer to the campaign, WSB Theatre is collaborating to produce a short narrative film that addresses themes around girls’ empowerment, the role of fathers, and gender equality.

The film, set to be released in 2026, will serve as a key element of the campaign, providing a relatable and impactful medium for discussing these important issues.

As the campaign unfolds, community involvement will be vital. “The success of the ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign depends on the active participation of the community,” said Tina Toka, Director of the DoWA. “Every voice matters in shaping a future where respect and equality are the norm.

“We encourage young people and the community to follow and get involved with the ‘Yut Rise Up’ campaign on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and learn more at www.yutriseup.com.”

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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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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Youth campaign launched to combat Gender-Based Violence

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Youth campaign launched to combat Gender-Based Violence

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