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 19th December 2025, a motion of no confidence against the Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat was defeated. The motion was voted down by 36 votes against and 12 votes in favour. The vote came about after the Vanuatu Court of Appeal ruled that the Speaker's earlier move not to allow the opposition's motion to proceed was unconstitutional.
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Teachers end 18-month strike after reaching terms with government
In December 2025, Vanuatu's National Teachers Union ended a teachers strike, after reaching an agreement with the government. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the government will pay VATU$4.2 billion (USD 34.7 million) over the next four years to settle unpaid allowances, pay entitlements and settle other teacher grievances. The union says the payment will go towards in-service teachers, those who have retired and others who have passed away.
Teachers across the country have been on strike since June 2024 over a range of remuneration issues.
In May 2025, Vanuatu's Supreme Court ruled the teachers' industrial action legal. It ruled the industrial action was legal after quashing a Teaching Service Commission decision to suspend and terminate over 600 teachers for participating in a strike. The Teaching Service Commission is the government agency responsible for employing teachers in Vanuatu.
Despite the ruling, it took another five months of intense work behind the scenes between the Vanuatu Teachers' Union, the Teaching Service Commission, and the Ministry of Education to resolve some of the claims.
Vanuatu Teachers Union secretary general Jonathan Yona said it was a victory for teachers and education.
Hospital staff back at work after earthquake allowance dispute
Staff at the main hospital in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila returned to work on 12th December 2025 following a dispute with the Public Service Commission (PSC).
More than 300 workers took the action on 10th December 2025 after the PSC failed to approve their increased earthquake risk allowance, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake in which more than a dozen people died.
The walkout left disrupted essential services and left patients unattended at the Vanuatu National Hospital, according to local media reports. RNZ Pacific stated that the staff were seeking an increase to match rates of other government ministries, and the delay in processing the payments prompted the action.
17th December 2025 marked the one-year anniversary of the 2024 earthquake. Fourteen people died in the disaster, while 265 others were injured. Extensive damage occurred in Port Vila and surrounding areas. The earthquake also generated a 25cm tsunami.