Port Vila, 28 September 2026: Vanuatu has taken another important step towards strengthening the protection of children from all forms of violence following a National Preparatory Consultation for the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, held at the Warwick Hotel in Port Vila on Thursday, 24 September 2026.
The half-day consultation brought together government representatives and key stakeholders to review Vanuatu’s progress in preventing and responding to violence against children, identify remaining gaps, and determine priority actions that could form part of the country's national commitment.
The consultation forms part of Vanuatu’s preparations for the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, which will be held in Manila, Philippines, from 18 to 19 November 2026. The conference is being hosted by the Government of the Philippines together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
Vanuatu and the Federated States of Micronesia have been selected to represent Oceania at the important global gathering. Vanuatu’s participation will provide an opportunity for the country to share its national experience, challenges and commitments while contributing to international efforts to prevent and end violence against children.
The Second Global Ministerial Conference will build on that momentum by bringing together ministers, senior government officials, United Nations agencies and representatives of children, youth, civil society and other partners to advance prevention and strengthen national commitments to protecting children.
During the Port Vila consultation, participants reviewed Vanuatu’s national story, including progress made in strengthening the child protection system, available evidence on violence against children, and areas where further action is urgently required.
A key discussion, “Who Are We Still Not Reaching?”, encouraged participants to look closely at children, communities, locations and forms of violence that may remain less visible or underserved by existing protection and response mechanisms.
The country’s representative will present Vanuatu’s National Pledge and reaffirm the Government's commitment to translating that pledge into practical action over the following two years, with the aim of achieving the agreed national targets by 2028.
The consultation reinforced the message that ending violence against children cannot be achieved by one ministry or organisation alone. It requires a coordinated national effort involving government ministries, provincial authorities, police, health and education services, communities, churches, civil society, development partners, families and children themselves.
Through its preparations for Manila and the development of its national pledge, Vanuatu is moving from commitment to action, with the goal of building a stronger child protection system that reaches and protects every child, wherever they live.