The state of civic space in Vanuatu is rated as ‘narrowed’. Among ongoing concerns are the criminalisation of freedom of expression online under the Cybercrime Act No. 22 of 2021, as well as criminal defamation provisions in the country’s Penal Code Act that could be used to silence the media and critics. The country has also yet to establish an independent National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) that can receive complaints and concerns from communities and contribute to raising understanding and knowledge of human rights.
On 1st July 2026, the speaker of parliament Stephen Felix called on Parliament to place human rights at the centre of lawmaking, saying every decision must protect the dignity, equality and freedom of all citizens.
On 31st July 2026, it was reported that the government of Vanuatu had taken steps towards strengthening human rights protection with the launch of a scoping report on the establishment of a national human rights institution (NHRI), followed by a two-day writeshop to begin developing a national NHRI policy. The initiative was developed through a partnership between the government, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF), the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
Association
Threat of teachers’ strike leads to agreement
On 20th June 2026, the Vanuatu Teachers Union (VTU) issued a 30-day strike notice due to the government’s failure to fulfil key obligations under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the Teaching Staff Rules 2024.
According to the VTU, the government had failed to establish and convene the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) to oversee CBA implementation.
The second reason raised by VTU in its strike notice is the government’s failure to pay reinstated teachers under the 2024 Government Remuneration Tribunal (GRT) salary scale, including back pay, remote allowances, and transfer allowances.
The VTU was demanding that the government resolve all outstanding teacher entitlements and establish the JMC, along with a clear payment plan, within the 30-day notice period. The union is also calling for full implementation of the new GRT salary scale, payment of outstanding back pay from December 2024, and settlement of unpaid remote and transfer allowances.
The VTU warned that if matters were not resolved within 30 days, it will proceed with industrial action across Vanuatu.
In July 2026, it was reported that that there was a conciliation process facilitated by the Department of Labour and Employment Services (DOLES) between the Vanuatu Teachers Union (VTU) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The conciliation, held on 13th July 2026, resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Conciliation (MOC), which sets out a mutually agreed framework for resolving the issues that led to the VTU's notice of industrial strike. The MOC establishes clear commitments, timelines and reporting arrangements aimed at addressing teachers' outstanding salary and allowance matters.
Under the agreed resolutions, the Teachers Service Commission will continue providing teachers with individual explanations of their Graduate Remuneration Teacher (GRT) salary scale, remote allowance and transfer allowance payments following each pay period. Aggregate payment information will also be shared with the VTU, while any identified anomalies will be jointly reviewed and addressed through ongoing dialogue.
Prime Minister’s Office faces backlash after targeting LGBTQI+ community
A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister discouraging initiatives that run counter to Vanuatu’s “Christian values” was criticised by legal observers and human rights advocates as an infringement on the constitutional freedom of association and peaceful expression.
According to ABC Pacific in June 2026, the statement from the PM’s office came after local photographer Gaelle Meheut posted an offer on Facebook providing a free photo session for members of the LGBTQI+ community in honour of Pride Month. The post quickly turned into a focal point for national debate surrounding inclusion, faith, and cultural identity in Vanuatu.
Civil rights advocates pointed out that using state authority to dissuade peaceful, voluntary community gatherings directly challenges Article 5 of the Constitution of Vanuatu, which guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association without discrimination.
According to LGBTQI+ groups, despite general human rights protections under the Constitution there were very few legal protections from discrimination against a person based on their sexual orientation, and no protection against discrimination based on gender identity and sex characteristics, while the Vanuatu Gender Equality policy did not reference sexual discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ persons has persisted including physical attacks, verbal abuse, slander and cyber-attacks, as well as exclusion from key services and sectors such as during and after disasters and for health care.
Peaceful Assembly
Activists protest rising cost of living
On 16th May 2026, a group of women activists from Vanuatu gathered outside the Parliament building in Port Vila ahead of the opening of the First Ordinary Session of Parliament for 2026, to protest the rising cost of living and low wages.
The demonstrators displayed placards highlighting public concern over economic pressures faced by households. The messages reflected frustration over the increasing gap between living expenses and income levels.
In response to the demonstration, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Andrew Solomon Napuat, said the government has already initiated a review of the national minimum wage. Minister Napuat also acknowledged broader global economic pressures, noting that rising fuel and commodity prices are affecting many countries.