December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
Vanuatu National Vision: A stable, sustainable and prosperous Vanuatu
Vanuatu 2030 The Peoples Plan (The Plan) is the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) for the period 2016 to 2030, and serves as the country's highest-level policy framework. It is founded on culture, traditional knowledge and Christian principles, and builds on Vanuatu’s development journey since independence.
The Plan outlines Vanuatu’s national development goals and policy objectives in order to translate the National Vision into priorities to be actioned. This provides a sound framework to monitor progress. Including alignment of The Plan with the 17 SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
From Vision to Action
The Vanuatu people have articulated an ambitious but achievable vision for a stable, sustainable, and prosperous Vanuatu. With the right policies, investments and collective commitment we can translate our development aspirations into reality. The Plan translates this vision into specific action-oriented priorities.
The Department of Strategic Policy, Planning and Aid Coordination, in coordination with the Vanuatu National Statistics Office is responsible for implementing the NSDP M&E Framework and completing the Annual Development Report. The M&E Framework is designed to complement The Plan as well as the Final Technical Report on the National Sustainable Development Plan 2016 to 2030.
With this year’s theme of "Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality", I will highlight some of our achievements as well as some SDGs success stories.
Inclusivity and Equality
In line with national development priorities, we want equitable development across the country to ensure better access and social development. Implementation of a Decentralisation Policy 2017-2027 brings government closer to the people by providing citizens with greater control over decision-making processes and allowing their direct participation in public service delivery.
The Department of Women’s Affairs having given due consideration to the CEDAW and the CRPD, formulated key gender policies which include: the Vanuatu National Gender Equality Policy 2015-2019 (NGEP); National Disability Inclusive Development Policy 2018-2025; Vanuatu Child Online Protection National Strategy Framework for the Republic of Vanuatu 2014 –2021; Vanuatu National Child Protection Policy 2016-2026; Strategy for the Justice and Community Services Sector 2018-2021.
In a cabinet decision of 2017, Government endorsed Gender Responsive Budgeting. Cabinet also recognised that gender and women’s empowerment be mainstreamed across ministries. The NGEP identifies reducing domestic and gender-based violence; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; promoting women’s leadership and equal political participation and building a foundation for gender mainstreaming as its four strategic priorities. This includes a policy of maintaining a quota system for women in municipal councils, ensuring gender balance and providing women leadership opportunities which may roll out into national legislative elections.
Education (4)
Vanuatu’s National Sector Development Plan mandates that every child, regardless of gender, location, education needs, or circumstances must be able to access the education system. COM approved a paper on Early Childhood Education in 2018 with the first phase of the Universal Access Policy being implemented this year (2019) for Early Childhood to year 10, and in 2020 for years 11-13. This Policy is aligned with the Free Education Policy for years 1-6. Government has expanded its outreach to ensure access to education through its school grant program with the aims of strengthening required knowledge for developing more equitable and efficient education sector plans and building staff within the Ministry of Education and Training. Analysis will also guide development of a new Vanuatu Education and Training Sector Strategy for 2019-30.
Climate Change (13)
The National Policy on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction 2016 – 2030, provides the framework to ensuring that our communities, environment and economy are resilient to the impacts of climate change and disaster risks. Vanuatu strives to be “a global leader in disaster recovery” as we are now in the process of finalising its National Disaster Recovery Framework which maps and links all disaster types, response to guide recovery efforts.
Justice (16)
The Vanuatu Government’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy is grounded in The Peoples Plan and the SDGs providing the framework for Government’s commitment to eliminate corruption. The National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Strategy aims to strengthen the foundation of Vanuatu society, increase efficiency, and effectiveness while building trust of the public sector and institutions, paving the way for sustainable economic development and equal opportunity for all people of Vanuatu.
I would like to reiterate that the Vanuatu Government maintains its commitment not only to implement government policies as stated in The People’s Plan, but to also monitor progress of the NSDP and SDGs and continue to endeavor to address the issues that hinder development efforts.