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United Nations CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 Convention on the Elimination Distr.: General of All Forms of Discrimination 30 November 2005 against Women Original: English Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties Vanuatu* * The present report is being issued without formal editing. 05-62504 (E) 160306 *0562504* CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 SEPTEMBER 2004 MAP OF VANUATU N Source: National Statistics Office, 2004. 2 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS PORT VILA, VANUATU Combined Initial, Second and Third Reports on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women SEPTEMBER 2004 3 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FUNDING FOR THE COMPILATION OF THE CEDAW REPORT WAS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY THE NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSION AND THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION, PORT VILA AND, FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, BY UNIFEM PACIFIC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents …………………………………..…………………………............... 4 List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………... 5 List of Figures .………………………………………………..………………............... 5 List of Boxes ……………………………………………………………………………... 6 List of Abbreviations ..…………………………………..……………………............... 7 Article 18 Reporting on the Convention …………….………………………….............. 9 Background ....………………………………………………………………………....... 9 Article 1 Definition of Discrimination Against Women ..……………………………....... 33 Article 2 Obligations to Eliminate Discrimination .………………….………………...... 36 Article 3 Advancement of Women ..………………………………….……………….... 47 Article 4 Acceleration of Equality Between Men and Women ...........……………......... 50 Article 5 Sex Roles and Stereotyping ...……………………………………………….... 55 Article 6 Exploitation of Women .....………………………………………………….... 60 Article 7 Political and Public Life …………………………………………………….... 65 Article 8 International Representation and Participation ……………………………........ 75 Article 9 Nationality ....………………………………………………………………... 76 Article 10 Education …………………………………………………………………..... 79 Article 11 Employment ………………………………………………………………..... 93 Article 12 Health ………………………...…………………………………………...... 101 Article 13 Social and Economic Benefit …...…………………………………………...... 120 Article 14 Rural Women ...…………………………………………………………….... 125 Article 15 Equality before the Law and in Civil Matters ……………………………......... 133 Article 16 Equality in Marriage and Family ………………………………………........... 137 Article 18 Information & Publicity on CEDAW ………………………………………...... 145 References ....………………………………………………………………………........ 150 4 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Population by Age Group and Sex, 1999 ............……………………………… 11 Table 2 Some Demographic Indicators of Vanuatu, 1999 ...........………………………. 12 Table 3 Ranking of Crimes Reported in Vanuatu, 1988-2002 ......................………….. 27 Table 4 Number of Reported Crimes Against Morality, 1988-2002 ……....................... 28 Table 5 Categories of Complaints Received by the Office of the Ombudsman, 1994-1999 .. 36 Table 6 Domestic Violence Protection Order Cases Registered at the Port Vila Court House, 54 2001-June 2003 .……………………………………………........................ Table 7 Women Holding Senior Positions in Government, 2003 ………………..........… 72 Table 8 Representation of Women in Public Bodies & Civil Society Organizations, 2003 ... 73 Table 9 Women in Peace Keeping Missions, 1994-2003 .....…………......................... 76 Table 10 Average and Median Monthly Salary, 2000 & 2003 ……………...................... 98 Table 11 Selected Health Indicators Required under the Millennium Development Goals ..... 102 Table 12 Socio-Economic Differentials in Infant and Child Mortality Rates, 1992-1997 …… 107 Table 13 10 Most Common Cancers in Vanuatu, 1983-1998 ....………......................... 114 Table 14 Distribution of Doctors by Rural & Urban Hospitals, 2003 .............................. 128 Table 15 Lawyers in Government Services, 1990-2004 ……………............................. 136 Table 16 Minimum Age for Marriage in some Pacific Countries .….............................. 140 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Proportion of Households with less than US$ 1 Per Day, 1998 …..................… 25 Figure 2 Cases of Domestic Violence Reported to the Vanuatu Women’s Centre & the SANMA Counselling Centre, 1992-2002 ......……………........................... 30 Figure 3 Proportion of Men & Women Receiving Rehabilitative Services from VSDP by Type of Disability Presented, 1991-1997 …………………........................... 32 Figure 4 Proportion of Population by Level of Education & Sex, 1999 .…….................. 80 Figure 5 Government Expenditure, 1998-2003 …...........……………………………… 82 Figure 6 Percentage of Children aged 6+ who have ever Attended School, (Various Years) . 83 Figure 7 Enrolment Trends in Primary Schools, 1992-2002 ….............………………… 84 Figure 8 Enrolment Trends in Secondary Schools, 1991-2002 ….........……………....... 85 Figure 9 Status of Economically Active Population by Sex, 1999 ….......……………….. 95 Figure 10 Representation of Women in the Labour Force by Industry, 1999 ……........…… 97 Figure 11 Contributors to the VNPF by Sex & Occupation Expressed as Percentages, August 2003 ............................................................................................ 99 5 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 Figure 12 Awareness of Maternity Leave Entitlements by Female Employees in the Public & Private Sectors, 1996 ........................………………............................. 101 Figure 13 Births Before Arrival at Vila Central Hospital, 1978-2001 …...........………….. 110 Figure 14 Teenage Attendance at the Port Vila Antenatal Clinic, 2001-2002 …..............… 112 Figure 15 Number of Current Infections by Five-Year Age Group of Pregnant Women Attending the Vila Central Hospital First-Visit Antenatal Clinic, October 1999-February 2000 ..................……………………………........…….. 117 Figure 16 Marital Status by Sex, 1999 ……………..….............……………………… 139 Figure 17 Maintenance Cases seen at the Vanuatu Women’s Centre & the SANMA Counselling Centre, 1992-2002 ….............………………………………….. 144 LIST OF BOXES Box 1 Nine Benchmarks to Improve the Situation of Women ….......……………………. 23 Box 2 Employment Act (Cap 160) …….....……………..……………………………… 35 Box 3 Gender Roles, Status, Rights & Responsibilities as Perceived by Children ....... 56 Box 4 Female Prostitute, 17 years old ……....……………..…………………………… 62 Box 5 “Leisa” & “Fiona” ……..………….………………...………………………….. 64 Box 6 Training Workshops for Women Candidates …........…....………………………. 71 Box 7 Summary of Discriminatory Provisions in the Citizenship Act (Cap 112) ......... 78 Box 8 “Silence has Allowed HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma and Discrimination to Flourish” …........……………………………………………………………. 118 Box 9 Vanuatu’s Golden Mum …....……………………………………………………. 124 Box 10 VANWODS MFI …....………………………………………………………….. 131 Box 11 Savings Scheme for Rural Women .…..........………………………………....... 132 6 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CRP Comprehensive Reform Programme DPA Disability Promotion & Advocacy Association DV Domestic Violence DWA Department of Women’s Affairs Ed/Eds Editor/Editors EFA Education for All HIS Health Information System ILO International Labour Organization IWRAW International Women’s Rights Action Watch IZA (Foundation) Initials for Irene and Zara combined to make this name MA Master of Arts MALAMPA (Province) consisting of the islands of Malekula, Ambrym and Pa’ama MCH Maternal Child Health MFIs Micro Financing Institutions n.a. not available NGOs Non Government Organizations NPSO National Planning & Statistics Office NSO National Statistics Office PENAMA (Province) consisting of the islands of Pentecost, Ambae & Maewo PPH Post Partum Haemorrhage PSABV Pri-Skul Asosiasen Blong Vanuatu PSC Public Services Commission SANMA (Province) consisting of the islands of Santo and Malo SHEFA (Province) consisting of the Shepherd Islands and Efate SPPF South Pacific Peoples Foundation TAFEA (Province) consisting of the islands of Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango and Aniwa TIV Transparency International Vanuatu TORBA (Province) consisting of the islands of Torres and Banks TSCU Training and Scholarships Coordination Unit TVET Technical & Vocational Education Training 7 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 UNDP United Nations Development Fund UNGASS United Nations General Assembly Special Session UNICEF UN Children’s Fund UNIFEM UN Development Fund for Women UPNG University of Papua New Guinea USP University of the South Pacific Van LR Vanuatu Law Report VANGO Vanuatu Association of Non Government Organizations VANWIP Vanuatu Women in Politics VANWODS MFI Vanuatu Women’s Development (Microfinance Scheme) VCH Vila Central Hospital VFHA Vanuatu Family Health Association VIP Ventilated Improved Toilets VNCW Vanuatu National Council of Women VNPF Vanuatu National Provident Fund VSDP Vanuatu Society for Disabled People 8 CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3 REPORTING ON THE CONVENTION The Republic of Vanuatu ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women without any reservations on 13 April 1995. It is incorporated into the laws of Vanuatu through the Ratification Act No. 3 of 1995 with the specific provision under section 1(2) that the Convention is binding on the Republic. It came into force on 14 August 1995 when it was gazetted in the Official Gazette
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