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Republic of Vanuatu Millennium Development Goals Report 1. Development context Location: South West Pacific Ocean between 17 degrees and 22 degrees South and 168 degrees and 172 degrees East. Backbone consists of a ‘Y’ shaped chain of 65 inhabited islands. Geography: 80 islands mostly volcanic in origin with total land 12,281 km2, total sea area approximately 0.86 mil ion km2. Most islands are either mountainous or steeply undulating, with 35% above 300m. 9 active volcanoes, 7 terrestrial and 2 under sea. Population: 2002 estimated 201,621, 78% population live in rural areas. Annual rate of population growth 4.2% (1989-99). Male life expectancy 67, female 70. 43% of the population is aged under 15 years. Vast majority of population are Melanesians, with Europeans being the other major ethnic group. Government: Independent from the UK and France since 1980, President is the head of state (elected by an electoral college made up of members of parliament and the presidents of the 6 provisional governments). Westminster-style constitution, 52 member parliament is elected in four-year terms. Constitution provides for executive, judicial and legislative powers for government. Prime Minister and Council of Ministers have executive power. Culture and Social Structure: Islands have similar values, languages (over 105 different languages), customs and cultures. The family is the basic social unit with typical living arrangements being an extended family consisting of two or more monogamous and polygynous families linked by a blood tie. Land ownership and land use are mostly organised along tribal origins, and people maintain strong attachment with their island of origin. Religion closely follows culture in importance, and almost all people are churchgoers. Economy: currency is Vanuatu Vatu (VUV). Agriculture is the main activity for about one third of the population, with the service industry (tourism) becoming increasingly important. Private and public investment has declined since 2002 with deteriorating investor confidence. Government committed to increasing private sector demand by reducing structural impediments. General economic performance stagnating since 2002 as exports fell and public expenditure decreased. Almost half government expenditure is from donor grants. Domestic economic production increasing for fisheries, copra and cocoa while log production is steady. Weak fiscal position. GDP estimated 2002 at VUV 162,955. Annual inflation in 2003 approximately 3%. 1.1 Development priorities1 Changes and challenges Population 1 Based on the Development Situation in the UN Common Country Assessment for Vanuatu (2002) 1 Vanuatu’s population is increasing. The 1999 Population Census showed that the urban centres of Port Vila and Luganville are increasing rapidly, with 21% of the people of Vanuatu living in these urban centres. The remaining 79% of the population live in rural areas and mostly live off the land and sea. Port Vila and Luganville grew at almost twice the amount (55%) of the rate of population growth (31%) in the 10 years between 1989 and 1999. Fertility – the number of babies being born – is declining slightly in Vanuatu. The ni-Vanuatu fertility rate decreased from 5% to 4%, which is also reflected in the decrease in the Crude Birth Rate from 37 per 1,000 to 33 per 1,000. The rate of infant mortality – babies aged less than one year dying – has also decreased. This means that while women are having slightly fewer babies more of the babies are living. The challenge is to provide the economic development and infrastructure to support the growing population – opportunities to generate income through things like access to land, jobs, business activities, develop skills, markets for produce, and so on are required. Economy National economic growth has been uneven, and in recent years has declined. The economy of Vanuatu has a narrow income base, with over half of economic activity being in the service sector (wholesale and retail trade, government services, transport and communication), one quarter in the agriculture sector (mostly subsistence agriculture) and one tenth in manufacturing. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange earnings, with tourism activities mostly limited to Port Vila and surrounds. The offshore financial centre in Port Vila makes a significant contribution to the economy. The government relies heavily on external grant aid for its expenditure. There are a number of reasons for the slow economic development including reliance on a narrow range of agricultural exports which are subject to international prices, distance from world markets, limited capacity to make full use of natural resources, the high cost of infrastructure (land, sea and air transport, communication, water, electricity), and vulnerability to natural disasters. Some commentators also point to the unstable politician climate and government’s difficulties in implementing good governance as other factors inhibiting economic growth. In addition to these difficulties the lack of training opportunities prior to independence has resulted in shortages of skilled people in key parts of Government as well as the private sector. Differences in income distribution and access to services are widening between the rural and urban population and within the urban areas for Vanuatu. The National Statistics Office estimates that on average urban household income is five times more than rural households. Limited economic opportunities in the rural sector, the lack of cash income and the belief that these exist in urban areas has resulted in the large population increase in the urban centres of Port Vila and Luganville. Opportunities for economic growth include the tourism, forestry, mining and fisheries sectors, however the challenge is to manage activities so urban and rural areas alike benefit from the economic opportunities and the land and sea environments of Vanuatu are preserved for future generations. Society Vanuatu’s cultural and linguistic diversity has resulted in large variations between and within islands in social organisation, including land tenure systems. In Vanuatu social structure revolves around the clan, mainly patriarchal, and the clan’s ownership of land, ownership and inheritance of which in customary sense is both patrilineal and matrilineal. Generally women have usufruct rights to land of her clan which can be used by her immediate family and men have primary rights to land. Vanuatu’s civil society has many different groups, both traditional and those introduced from outside. Church institutions provide an important role in uniting people, providing a sense of belonging and a strong form of social capital. Within faith based organisations related secondary groups are active for the 2 interests of women, youth, men and the family. However despite the considerable impact of the church in Vanuatu some follow ‘custom’ as their faith. Traditional chiefs play an important role in maintaining peace, law and order mainly in rural communities but also in urban areas. Elders commonly resolve conflicts and disputes. Legislative and constitutional issues relating to the role of chiefs as peacemakers should be studied and resolved so the chiefs have clear and recognised roles, especially in remote rural villages and communities where government services might not be readily available. Education General summary about education service delivery and structure (church and government schools, examination and the end of primary, English and French system, secondary examination, options for tertiary training, options for vocational training, non formal education and adult education Health General summary about health service delivery and structure Main health problems (communicable and non communicable) Environmental health issues (sanitation, housing, water) Women CEDAW General summary on status of women, gender issues … any other subject headings relevant … Ranking Vanuatu has been a UN Least Developed Country since 1995, with a per capita GDP of less than US$ 1,276 Vanuatu is the third poorest country in the Pacific. The Human Poverty Index (HPI) ranks Vanuatu number 13 of 15 Pacific Island Countries and 140 on the UNDP Global Human Development Index (HDI). Vanuatu was also ranked the most vulnerable state of 110 small developing countries by a 1998 Commonwealth Secretariat report. 1.2 National Development Goals and Objectives In an effort to address key structural problems in the economy, Vanuatu began a Comprehensive Reform Programme (CRP) in mid 1998, based on three categories of reform: public sector, economic and those promoting equity and social development (supported directly by the ADB through a US$ 25 million loan, and integrated into assistance provided by other donors). Public sector reform aims to improve the institutions of governance by increasing transparency and accountability in public sector management and reductions in the size of the public sector. Central to CRP is: ̶ Renewing and rehabilitating the institutions of good governance, including the offices of the Ombudsman, Attorney General, the Auditor General and the Judiciary that collectively ensure accountability in Government. ̶ Redefining the role for the public sector revolving around the core functions of law and policy design and regulation. ̶ Improving public sector efficiencies. 3 The reforms are interrelated and are mutually reinforcing leading to increased private sector activity and delivering more equitable growth. Five millennium priorities and strategies were identified through the CRP: Millennium Priority Strategies 1. Improving the lives of the people in rural areas 1.1 Ensuring basic Government services reach all rural communities 1.2 Encouraging improved economic activities through REDI schemes in all provinces 1.3 Expanding access to market for products from rural areas 1.4 Improving roads, jetties and other infrastructure in rural/outer islands 1.5 Enhancing access to rural credit at reasonable interest rates and establishing mechanisms to encourage savings in rural and urban areas 1.6 Protecting the rural environment for the benefit of the next generation 1.7 Developing long term sustainable government revenue sources and effective collection arrangements that support a young growing population 2. Supporting private sector growth 2.1 Lowering the costs of doing business, including through monitoring prices 2.2 Providing the framework and support for sustainable growth in agriculture and tourism 2.3 Clarifying the rights of use and development of land, including through establishing effective land dispute mechanisms 3. Restoring good governance 3.1 Re-establishing political stability through amendment of the Constitution and strengthening the Parliament 3.2 Streamlining the machinery of the government by reducing the number of ministries and government agencies 3.3 Establishing a service charter with specific commitments to better services from all ministries 3.4 Strengthening the operation of the rule of law through enhancing the courts and the police and other legal institutions 3.5 Improving public sector performance and motivation, including by making public services accountable if they do not perform effectively 4. Improving participation by civil society 4.1 Strengthening the role of and authority of chiefs 4.2 Re-organising arrangements for CRP consultation so as to better involve local communities 4.3 Encouraging civil society organisations to work in partnership with government 4.4 Developing greater participation in local government 4.5 Improving effectiveness of local government through implementing the report of the DRC 5. Closing the gap between the rich and the poor 5.1 Working towards youths having universal access to school education and to and disadvantaged groups training 5.2 Extending access to and improve the quality of health services 5.3 Paying greater attention to the underlying causes of poverty and social discord 5.4 Alleviating the problems related to urban drift and squatter settlements 5.5 Improving the position of and opportunities for women 5.6 Addressing issues related to youth and to youth unemployment Progress in the CRP has been monitored against the program matrix established with the ADB as part of the loan process. The matrix has been revised and updated to reflects emerging priorities and resolutions of the National Summit in July 2000, approved by Council of Ministers in March 2001. The Government has made minor changes to reflect emerging priorities. The most recent ‘evolution’ of the CRP is the Prioritized Action Agenda (PAA) which integrates and prioritises the action agendas contained in ongoing national and provincial programs such as the CRP, Business Forum Outcomes and the Rural Economic Development Initiatives (REDI) Plans. The overall objective of this undertaking is to link policy and planning with government resources, combining the three main priority areas for government in a cohesive framework identifying priority issues and actions (a criticism of the CRP process). 4 The Prime Minister during the CRP summit of November 2002 announced the following priorities that were subsequently approved by the Council of Ministers and the Development Committee of Officials (DCO): 1. Improving governance and public service delivery by providing policy stability & fiscal sustainability via a strengthened law-enforcement and macroeconomic management capacity and a small, efficient, and accountable government; 2. Improving the lives of the people in rural areas by improving service delivery, expanding market access to rural produce, lowering costs of credit and transportation, and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources; 3. Raising private investment by lowering obstacles to growth of private enterprise including lowering costs of doing business, facilitating long-term secure access to land, and providing better support services to business; 4. Enabling greater stakeholder participation in policy formulation by institutionalising the role of chiefs, non-governmental organisations, and civil society in decision-making at all levels of government; and, 5. Increasing equity in access to income and economic opportunity by all members of the community. Specific areas of focus include: enabling universal access to primary education by school-age children, universal access to basic health services, and inducing increased employment opportunity for those seeking work. PAA, Government of the Republic of Vanuatu, p 10 The PAA contains a series of actions, which in turn contain detailed recommendations for implementation: I. Actions to improve governance Correction of the structural deficit. Providing policy stability. Providing stable institutions. II. Actions to raise productivity of the public service III. Actions to grow private enterprise Mechanisms to grow the economy. IV. Actions to reduce costs of transportation and utilities Marine transport. Air transport. Land transport. Electricity and water. Telecommunications. V. Actions to grow primary sectors Agriculture. Quarantine. Fisheries. Forestry. Tourism. Manufacturing. Trade. Foreign investment. Ni-Vanuatu business development. Geology and mines. Meteorological services. VI. Actions to improve access to basic services Pre-school, primary and junior secondary education. Senior secondary and higher education. Technical and vocational education. Health. Police and VMF. Immigration. Local Authorities. VII. Actions to address population and employment issues Population issues. Unemployment. Conclude with an assessment of the success and failures of CRP and what the PAA will achieve over the next 3 years. 5 2. Status of progress to date Quality of statistical information The MDGs, with their focus on targets, place considerable emphasis on accurate statistical information. In the preparation of this report every effort has been made not to compromise the quality of the statistical data used; with statistics from official sources or, where noted, from other agencies. Where there are concerns about the quality of the data these have been noted. The Vanuatu national statistical system is working to address weaknesses in the quality, timeliness and coverage of a number of key outputs; while trying to meet existing and emerging demands for information. Government’s institutional capacity for analysing statistical and other information for policy and decision making, and making necessary policy adjustments, is weak but improving through CRP initiatives. Suitably skilled people are in limited supply and capacities of statistical sections in government ministries and departments are stretched. Under the competitive ‘bid’ process for government budget allocation, statistical initiatives often come second place to other higher priority activities. The significant exception to this is the 1999 National Population and Housing Census which was fully funded by Government, illustrating the importance given to key information about population of Vanuatu. However, the majority of activities to improve statistical information systems invariably are funded by donors and have yet to be entrenched in the ongoing operation of government. Examples include recent improvements to management information systems for health, customs and education which were all donor funded. The Vanuatu National Statistics Office compiles statistics from the broader national statistical system, gathering information from other agencies and, for some indicators, combining this with other statistics (such as population estimates for rates per 1,000 population or per capita, or for composite indicators such as GDP). Where the Statistics Office is aware of inadequacies in coverage or quality of the information this has been noted. For example in Vanuatu it is very difficult to get the full number of births in a year. Usually these are recorded from health clinics which are spread over a large number of islands and districts with communication with the central authority difficult, while not all births occur in health clinics and are not officially recorded. A similar situation occurs with deaths, particularly infant deaths, where deaths in the home are not reported to authorities. There are further difficulties meeting the information requirements for some of the MDG indicators. For example, for the indicators for water and sanitation, it is extremely difficult to define who has a “safe” and “sustainable” supply of water and adequate provision for sanitation without doing a survey specifically for this purpose. The 1999 Census ascertained access to a facility (a well, a pipe, a latrine) and not the quality of provision, the price that users have to pay and the ease of access. There was also no indication on the distance of the facility from the house or its quality (protected water supplies or the type of flush used for pit latrines as examples). Despite considerable progress in improving data availability in Vanuatu since CRP, there is still clearly a pressing need for much better and more reliable data in a range of socio-economic and governance areas to better understand local socio-economic challenges and target those in most need. In this context, there is a particularly urgent need for better data on HIV/AIDS, infant mortality rates, maternal mortality rates, access to safe water, and poverty among others, ideally gender disaggregated. Strengthening the capacities of statistics units will be needed to support the collection of such essential data and information. Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger The data on poverty and hunger in Vanuatu is very sparse. No time series data exist on the indicators used for goal 1 since the studies on poverty and nutrition have not been repeated, although a poverty 6 study is being planned for 2005. There is no reliable nationally accepted information available on hunger and the prevalence of underweight children. Available economic and social data suggest the poverty situation to be increasing, new vulnerable groups are emerging e.g. those in urban centres without access to land, the unemployed and youth, and significant inequalities exist between urban (5 times higher) and rural income. The challenge is to develop a national indicator for deprivation or poverty which is accepted by the whole community, particularly those in the urban areas and at the provincial level. Target 1: Halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day. Baseline information is available for this target from 1998 and a household economic (income and expenditure) survey is required to monitor this information, preferably for the year 2005, to see if the relatively high level of poverty has declined. There are concerns about the accuracy of the 1998 survey information which is at best thought to be indicative of the patterns of poverty and income and expenditure patterns for Vanuatu. Further analysis required: Provincial and Social Disparities More of the key findings from the 1998 Poverty Analysis, particularly urban and rural differences and differences between the provinces. Analysis by gender of household head. Analysis of income levels from the 2000 Employment Survey. 1. Proportion of households below $1 (PPP) per day 1998: 26% In 1998 about one quarter of the households of Vanuatu had incomes of less than US$1 per day (in purchasing power parity terms). 2. Poverty gap ratio (PGR) [incidence x depth of poverty] 1998: 31% The poverty gap ratio is the average gap between the income of poor households and the poverty line, expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. It combines the incidence of poverty (the number of households with income below the poverty line) and the depth of poverty (basically how far below the poverty line poor households are). The poverty gap ratio is relatively high for Vanuatu because of the large proportion of households (51%) with incomes below the poverty line (household monthly income of VUV 35,000). The average monthly income of the 51% below the poverty line was VUV 20,936. 3. Share of poorest quintile (20%) in national consumption 1998: 2% The income of the poorest 20% of households in Vanuatu was 2% of the total income of all households, demonstrating the two extremes in Vanuatu with a vast difference between high- and low-income households. Target 2: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger Baseline information is incomplete and a nutrition survey is required to collect information on dietary energy consumption. 4. Prevalence of underweight children under-five years of age 1996: 12.10% In 1996 approximately 1 in 10 children under five years old was underweight 7 5. Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption Information about this indicator is not available for Vanuatu, however “the major risk of food insecurity in Vanuatu occurs in the expanding urban communities where the adequacy and stability of food supply reply on market foods, cash incomes and the distribution of infrastructure. As well, rapid urbanisation and alienation of fertile land to cash cropping have increased the demand for imported foods.” (Vanuatu CCA p 38). The CCA also notes that the results from the National Food and Nutrition Policy Plan of Action in 1999 are yet to be analysed nation-wide. Further analysis required: Provincial (rural and urban) and Social Disparities Major challenges faced For Vanuatu to achieve this MDG first timely quality statistical information is required on poverty and dietary energy consumption. Summary ̶ Dissemination of the information to the wider community and understanding of poverty. ̶ Translating CRP and REDI initiatives into private sector growth and subsequent employment and income opportunities in rural and urban areas. ̶ Skills of the population to generate income / increase productivity of agricultural sector. ̶ Increased reliance on imported food stuffs. Other issues to deal with to address poverty. Requirements of domestic and external resources Resources required to develop alternative measures of poverty (or hardship) for which information can be collected and analysed. Capacity within VNSO and DESP to analyse poverty statistics needs to be strengthened (not sure about capacity of MoH for a nutrition survey). Funds for surveys need to be obtained locally or from external sources. Resources required to disseminate information about poverty to the wider community. Resources required to introduce pro-poor policies in budgetary allocation process and within government activities. Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education Introductory text Overview of primary education in Vanuatu (system, legal age), barriers to access (costs, transport, other activities for household etc) and how government / communities are trying to reduce the barriers. Target 3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling 8 Vanuatu MDG Task Force Activity Plan In-country MDG activities in Vanuatu began with an awareness raising workshop for Government and CSOs in August 2003 conducted with assistance from SPC and UNFPA. The Prime Minister endorsed the formation of the Vanuatu MDG Task Force in early 2004, for which the DESP is the secretariat. The Task Force met for the first time in July 2004 where it identified the priority of preparing a MDG country report for Vanuatu before October 2004. With assistance provided by SPC in July 2004 the possible MDG indicators were derived for Vanuatu and these were presented to a forum of women’s organisations for discussion about how women’s groups can be mobilised to help Vanuatu achieve the MDGs. SPC conducted a follow up workshop in 2004 with assistance provided to the sector MDG Working Groups (health, education, statistics, planning, environment, finance) to review the MDGs, develop custom targets and indicators for Vanuatu and identify key information gaps and develop strategies to address these. These sector plans were used to develop the Vanuatu country report. The Working Groups also designed public awareness activities for their sectors, using the national CRP Summit as the primary means of launching MDGs with key decision makers in the wider community, as well as ‘launch’ activities for key national reports such as the CEDAW and the Barbados +10 reports. Awareness raising activities and community participation in the MDG process are to be conducted through two avenues – the provincial governments and local authorities and sensitisation for staff in the sector groups (public health nurses, head teachers for examples). These activities will differ depending on the status of the MDG in Vanuatu. For example, the Ministry of Health has targeted reducing infant and maternal mortality and considerable progress has been made in this area. In situations like this, MDG activities will be integrated in existing systems with marginal costs. However other MDGs will need more funding to conduct awareness raising and integration into work programmes and systems. This would include the MDG to ensure gender equity, where the strategies and priorities of the Department of Women’s Affairs, activities of the National Council of Women and various other NGOs need to be reviewed and integrated into a wider framework for gender and development in Vanuatu. This framework would then be used to raise public awareness about the broader gender and development process in Vanuatu and with cost implications for workshops in each province with planners and women’s groups. The following summary indicates the marginal costs of integrating MDGs into existing government operations: Millennium Development Goal Costs of integration into ongoing activities Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty Considerable. and hunger Survey to collect information (poverty and nutrition). Workshops to disseminate information. Integrating pro-poor policies in key government strategies (PAA) and organisations. Goal 2: Achieve universal Marginal. primary education Cost of literacy survey. Integration into existing activities. Goal 3: Promote gender equality Considerable. and empower women Review of existing strategies for women in development from all stakeholders. Integration of these into MDG framework. Integrating gender equity policies in key government strategies (PAA) and organisations. Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Marginal. Survey to collect demographic rates. 9 Goal 5: Improve maternal health Marginal. Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Considerable. malaria and other diseases Surveys for contraceptive use and knowledge, HIV/AIDS prevalence, other major disease prevalence. Integration of existing activities into MDG framework (eg Global Fund project activities). Workshops to disseminate information. Goal 7: Ensure environmental Considerable. sustainability Indicators to be modified for Vanuatu. Integrate MDG activities with National Summit for Sustainable Development. Costs of information collection for indicators. Workshops to disseminate information. Goal 8: Develop a global Considerable. partnership for development Indicators need to be defined for relevant CRP Millennium Priorities and PAA strategies. Survey for labour force activities. Strategies to make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications in all areas of Vanuatu. The following table is an overview of the main activities for MDG integration into the planning and decision making framework in Vanuatu at the national, provincial and local authority levels. Activity Responsible 1. Formation of MDG Task Force Working Groups MDG Task Force 2. Review of sectoral development priorities MDG Working Groups 3. Develop ‘custom’ targets and indicators MDG Working Groups 4. Compile statistical indicators MDG Task Force (VNSO) 5. Identify information gaps and strategies to address these MDG Working Groups 6. Prioritise information gaps and seek funding for activities MDG Task Force 7. Promote MDGs within the sectoral groups MDG Working Groups 8. Promote MDGs at the Provincial Government level MDG Working Groups 9. Promote MDGs at the Local Government level MDG Working Groups 10. Promote public awareness of MDGs MDG Working Groups 11. Prepare MDG country report MDG Task Force 10 5. Status at a glance Summary of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals GOALS/TARGETS WILL THE GOAL/TARGET BE MET? STATE OF SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT Weak but Probably Potentially Unlikely No data Strong Fair improving Weak EXTREME POVERTY CRP / PAA CRP / Halve the proportion of initiatives PAA people living below the initiatives national poverty line by 2015 HIV/AIDS Activities Govt to Halt and reverse the spread of to be develop HIV/AIDS by 2015 introduced policies HUNGER Activities MoH Halve the proportion of are ongoing priority underweight among under- five year olds by 2015 BASIC AMENITIES Activities CRP / Halve the proportion of are ongoing PAA people without access to safe initiatives drinking water UNIVERSAL PRIMARY Activities Efforts to EDUCATION are ongoing increase Achieve universal primary primary education by 2015 enrolment GENDER EQUALITY Not likely Efforts to Achieve equal access for to meet increase boys and girls to primary and 2005 target secondary secondary schooling by 2005 enrolment MATERNAL HEALTH Activities MoH Reduce maternal mortality are ongoing priority ratio by three-quarters by 2015 CHILD MORTALITY Activities MoH Reduce under-five mortality are ongoing priority by two-thirds by 2015 ENVIRONMENTAL Activities to Govt to SUSTAINABILITY be develop Reverse loss of introduced policies environmental resources by 2015 OTHER COUNTRY- SPECIFIC GOALS AND Yet to be identified TARGETS 11 6. Capacity for monitoring progress Capacity for monitoring and reporting MDG-progress Goal Quantity & Regularity Quality of Survey Information Statistical Analysis Statistics in Policy-Making Reporting and of Survey Information Dissemination of Information Strong Fair Weak Strong Fair Weak Strong Fair Weak Strong Fair Weak Strong Fair Weak Poverty and Hunger Universal Primary Education Gender Equality Child Mortality Maternal Health Water and Sanitation HIV/AIDS Malaria Control Environmental Sustainability Other country- specific goals and targets Definitions Crude Birth Rate: the number of births per 1,000 population in a given year. 12
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