Including Poor and Vulnerable People in Crisis Response and Recovery

Against Two Shocks

Vanuatu has successfully limited the number of its COVID-19 cases, but the total lockdown in March 2020 brought international tourism to a standstill. Many were at risk of losing their jobs—thousands of them in the tourism industry. As if the COVID-19 pandemic was not enough of a challenge, Tropical Cyclone Harold ravaged Vanuatu in April 2020, destroying homes and infrastructure, damaging crops, and affecting about 40% of the Pacific Island country’s modest population of about 307,105. The COVID-19 pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold were too much for Vanuatu’s tourism-dependent economy. Their combined economic impact was estimated at $534 million in 2020.

The twin emergencies also revealed the vulnerabilities of poor and marginalized households. With diminished incomes, they have restricted access to food supplies and health care services. This is especially true for those in urban areas.

Moreover, women have become more vulnerable to domestic and gender-based violence—what has become globally known as the shadow pandemic—due to the lockdowns and quarantines. Community groups have reported a sharp increase in incidents of gender-based violence since the start of COVID-19.

The Government of Vanuatu is keen on delivering more inclusive emergency response measures that target the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of society.

Responding to the Needs of Poor and Vulnerable People

In 2022, ADB approved a grant for the Vanuatu: COVID-19 Response for Affected Poor and Vulnerable Groups Project to meet the immediate needs of poor and vulnerable groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic while building their resilience to withstand further pandemic impacts and other external shocks in the future. ADB’s grant is complemented by grants from the Ireland Trust Fund for Building Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States and the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.

ADB’s COVID-19 response in Vanuatu targets the big cities of Port Vila, the capital, and Luganville, the country’s second-largest city. Both Port Vila and Luganville are primary tourism hubs, but poverty rates are higher than in rural areas. Many households in these cities, particularly those that rely on informal work in tourism or other industries, experienced diminished incomes and have difficulty meeting basic needs.

Support for ensuring food security and income generation. Targeting poor and vulnerable households headed by women, the project will pilot a backyard and vertical vegetable gardening scheme to enable food production. Seed grants and business coaching to start micro and small home-based enterprises will be provided to support income generation for these households. Trainings in processing, preserving, and packaging food will also be conducted. Women beneficiaries will receive supplementary income, and those with children in need of care will receive childcare support.

Multidisciplinary responses to gender-based violence. Various programs will be conducted to sensitize adolescents and their parents or caregivers to the need to prevent gender-based violence, engage in healthy and safe relationships, and ensure sexual and reproductive health. Programs to build confidence and leadership in the prevention of gender-based violence will also be conducted. With the help of a nongovernment organization, the project will deliver programs on empowerment, building support systems, and online safety for adolescent girls. Parallel programs for young boys on healthy and consensual relationships and for parents and/or caregivers on gender education and mentorship will also be conducted.

Poor women and young girls in Pacific Island countries like Vanuatu represent the group that is most vulnerable to external shocks in the Asia and Pacific region. Strong community support complemented by pilot initiatives can help build their resilience.

Ninebeth Carandangprincipal social development specialist and project officer, ADB

The Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific will finance project elements related to backyard and vertical gardening and improved nutrition. On the other hand, the Ireland Trust Fund for Building Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States will finance business training and coaching of vulnerable groups.

“The grants from ADB, Ireland, and Japan will help Vanuatu forge its path toward recovery from both the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold,” said Ninebeth Carandang, ADB principal social development specialist and project officer.

Inclusive and Resilient Recovery

Vanuatu’s Recovery Strategy 2020–2023 aims to support communities impacted by Tropical Cyclone Harold and the COVID-19 pandemic to recover, rebuild, and emerge stronger and more resilient. It will do this by restoring and strengthening essential social services and protection and enhancing lives and livelihoods.

The project supports Vanuatu’s Recovery Strategy by promoting food self-sufficiency and economic recovery. It will help mitigate the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on poor and vulnerable groups and strengthen these groups’ social and economic resilience.

ADB’s pandemic response to Vanuatu is expected to improve the capacity of poor and vulnerable groups, especially women and girls, to withstand further impacts of COVID-19. The project will benefit about 250 poor and vulnerable households headed by women that are affected by the pandemic through food security and income generating support. It will also support at least 500 adolescent girls and 500 adolescent boys in direct engagement regarding gender-based violence prevention and response and reach at least 15,000 adolescents through online campaigns and events.

“Poor women and young girls in Pacific Island countries like Vanuatu represent the most vulnerable to external shocks in the Asia and Pacific region. Strong community support complemented by pilot initiatives can help build their resilience," Carandang said.