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News from the Field: Enhancing active citizenship in Vanuatu

Independent since 1980, Vanuatu consists of over 80 islands. 78% of the ni-Vanuatu live in outer islands and due to the geographical spread of the islands, have limited access to media and information, remaining distant from central government.
Distance between constituent islands is a challenge that needs to be overcome in order to enhance democratic participation in the political process.

UNDEF is supporting a project implemented by Transparency International Vanuatu (TIV) aimed at strengthening access to civic education of communities from the outer islands.

This initiative targets the remote and rural communities of these islands and seeks to contribute to the development of a social environment where educated citizens, aware of their rights, duties and the legitimate role expected from their leaders, are more politically involved and responsible.

Launched in February 2007, the project has achieved significant progress implementing a threefold strategy aimed at:

training a pool of 6 trainers which will be able to facilitate democratic debate and will, beyond the duration of the project, serve as focal points for transparency International;

designing and conducting in Bislama - the local official language - a series of 60 training workshops - targeting local populations and aimed at increasing their understanding of good governance processes;

producing and disseminating informational materials aimed at explaining in Bislama, fundamental texts such as the constitution and the Leadership Code, which governs the conduct of the leaders of Vanuatu.

TIV has started to implement its civic education awareness program with an initial series of training workshops held in each of the 6 provinces for the government representatives in these communities. With support from the Department of Provincial Affairs, TIV has been working in close cooperation with each of the six provincial governments to organize these workshops.

This civic education awareness program will be implemented in each of 61 localities of Vanuatu and has begun with a series of workshops conducted on the island of Tanna in the Tafea Province and in the Torba Province. 15 localities have been covered within the two provinces.

In many visited localities, participants have expressed their appreciation for this educational program which targets, not only provincial headquarters, but local communities as a priority. "I wish Transparency International's team could come again and visit us to follow up and teach us further. The truth is that the vast majority of citizens don't know about their constitution, Mama Loa. We need more such training workshops" underlined Iau, a teacher from Tanna Island.

These three-day workshops aim to develop participant's education and information on:

their country's history;

their rights and duties as citizens;

basic ethics, democratic and anti-corruption principles

electoral process and voting procedures.

Attended by an audience of more than 400 participants, both women and men, these workshops have successfully contributed to an increase in their political awareness. Leipakoa, housewife from Port Vila, underlined that "More women should run for electoral offices and take an active part in the fight against corruption; I learned a lot during this workshop and I have realized that, so far, I hadn't properly used my right to vote. The workshop has opened my eyes".
During the workshops, participants have highlighted the need to improve the quality of public service.
Following are the fields of actions that were identified as a priority to be addressed in order to support a sustainable democratic process:

the monitoring of civil servants' performance with an emphasis on civil services delivered in the remote or rural areas,

increased connection and exchange capacities between the islands, aimed to remedy the lack of radio, television and phone, few air connections and therefore limited possibility of inter-communal activities generating income.

the provision of basic civic education and capacity reinforcement for grassroots population, in particular regarding laws on land leases, electoral processes and voting procedures,

the protection of Vanuatu's waters -the exclusive economic zone- from unauthorized external use.

At the end of the workshop, each participant receives a certificate with a kit of information produced by Transparency International in Bislama, on civic rights, constitutional law and anti-corruption.
In Motalava, in the Torba Province, an anti-corruption committee has been created with the aim to liaise with Transparency International and to strengthen corruption prevention at the local level.

During 2008, the project will continue to enhance citizen's civic awareness by conducting additional workshops in the provinces of Penama, Malampa, Sanma and Shefa.

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