Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu

The document assesses gender-based barriers to water security in Vanuatu, highlighting how patriarchal norms, high rates of gender-based violence, and 'time poverty' disproportionately affect women and girls. It proposes a gender-transformative approach to climate-resilient WASH by mandating 40% female representation in Rural Water Committees and designing infrastructure that addresses specific needs of women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The report also establishes a multi-level Grievance Redress Mechanism to handle issues of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.

• Vanuatu is characterized as a "traditionally male-dominated and largely patriarchal society" where women face significant barriers to decision-making, including zero female representation in the last two parliamentary elections and minimal presence in provincial councils.
• Women and girls in Vanuatu experience extreme levels of gender-based violence; research from 2011 indicates approximately 60% of women with an intimate partner experienced physical violence, 68% experienced emotional violence, and 69% experienced coercive behavioural control.
• Women suffer from 'time poverty' due to the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work and domestic water collection, which can take up to five hours per day, limiting their economic opportunities and health.
• Existing water governance is heavily male-dominated; among the 365 community water points with a Water User Committee (WUC), only 16% of members were female, and only 7% of key posts were held by women as chair.
• Data suggests that water committees with women in key positions perform better, with 43% of systems in good condition compared to 35% for committees with only men in key posts.
• WASH infrastructure in Vanuatu often fails to meet gender-specific needs, such as requirements for lactation, pregnancy, and menstrual hygiene management, and lacks safety features like lighting and secure locks to prevent gender-based violence.
• The project aims to achieve a co-benefit of improved gender parity by ensuring a minimum of 40% female representation in Rural Water Committees (RWCs), which is also a legal requirement under the Water Resources (Amendment) Act No. 32 of 2016.
• The province of Sanma is identified as having the highest burden of WASH-related diseases per 1,000 persons in Vanuatu, with water access 30% lower and improved sanitation 21% lower than national averages.
• A comprehensive Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) has been designed to address Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEAH), utilizing a "survivor-centred approach" that prioritizes the rights, needs, and safety of the survivor.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2022). Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/ga-fp191.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu. 2022. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/ga-fp191.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu |date=20 October 2022 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/ga-fp191.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2022enhancing, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/ga-fp191.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }