Vanuatu — Planem Gud Famili Blong Yumi project
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The Planem Gud Famili Blong Yumi project aims to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and STIs among Ni-Vanuatu in several rural regions of Vanuatu. The project is implemented in partnership with the Vanuatu Family Health Association (VFHA), and funded by New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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A mother and child at an appointment with a nurse during an outreach clinic in South Ambae.
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VFHA is the primary provider and promoter of sexual and reproductive health and rights in Vanuatu. Established in 1990 as a small family clinic, it has since grown to four clinics across Vanuatu, and expanded its services to include education and humanitarian programmes. It is a fully accredited member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).
Vanuatu has relatively high fertility rates, though this has been declining in recent decades. While many forms of contraception are available in Vanuatu, social stigma, myths and misinformation about contraceptive methods, and conflicting views of the role of contraception within traditional cultural beliefs are barriers to access for many people. People living in rural locations often face more of these barriers than people living in urban areas, and teenage pregnancies are more common in rural locations.
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The project team briefing the Area Council in South Ambae prior to an outreach clinic.
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The project, now in its third phase, aims to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and STIs among Ni-Vanuatu in several rural regions of Vanuatu: South Santo; Inland West Santo; North Pentecost, Ambae, and Maewo; and Mota, Ureparapara, and Vanua Lava. Its second phase, which ran for 3 years and ended in 2023, had a range of achievements, including:
- 3,517 appointments were held at outreach clinics for sexual and reproductive health services
- 5,077 people attended sexual and reproductive health and rights awareness-raising workshops during outreach trips
- An advocacy video was created by a local videographer, highlighting some of the sexual and reproductive health and rights challenges faced by target communities, and the impact of the project
- The findings, and recommendations from a research project completed in the first phase of the project were presented at the Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights and the DevNet Conference
The project delivers a range of activities aiming to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights. The third phase focuses on:
- Delivering non-clinical training programmes to Village Health Workers to increase their understanding of sexual and reproductive health rights, and issues in their communities
- Delivering sexual health outreach clinics in rural communities to both provide sexual and reproductive health services, and to provide information
- Providing educational training to youth through schools, and youth centres to increase their awareness and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health
- Advocating for increased support for sexual and reproductive health activities in Vanuatu through training and upskilling Vanuatu Family Health Association staff, and meeting with government officials and community leaders
- Researching the current state of sexual and reproductive health in Vanuatu to ensure the project can respond appropriately
- Providing sexual and reproductive health information in an inclusive and accessible way to communities through a radio drama, and through an increase in accessible information for people with disabilities
“Many people think it’s good to space their children now. Because mothers don’t have too many children their children are healthier. Before when there were lots of children, both mothers and children were less healthy. It also put a lot of pressure on mothers to care for so many children and also worry about school fees.” Chief, Big Bay Bush, October 2023