Gender equality is a condition in which men and women have equal enjoyment of rights, socially valued goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Gender equality is a key pillar of sustainable development as it underpins all development processes and efforts. Over the past 20 years, there has been evident progress for women in Vanuatu. According to the 2009 National Population and Housing Census: Gender Monograph, the gender gap in literacy and education has narrowed: in some provinces, girls outperformed boys in school attendance. The Child mortality rate has significantly declined in the decade between 1999 and 2009 and there has been a notable drop in teenage pregnancy across the country. In terms of labour participation, the proportion of women in waged employment has substantially increased. A
significant achievement over the recent years has been the introduction of the Family Protection Act (FPA) (approved in 2008 and came into effect in 2009), which provides legal protection for victims of violence. Various government ministries, including agriculture, public works, environment, health, education and lands have developed gender strategies and are taking proactive steps to integrate gender perspectives into their respective sectors.
Legal Rights, Support and Protection