Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696586214182.pdf (Vanuatu)
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK m April Edition LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKtok The news letter from the Ju stice and Community Services Secto r Photo Credit: Dan McGarry – Imagicity.com Brought to you by: JASTIS, SEFTI, DIGNITI, RISPEKT MO GUD FASIN BLONG EVRIWAN IN THIS ISSUE Brought to you by: The purpose to the Newsletter is to share information, news and data among our Sector.

You can keep up with more news at the Ministry of Justice & Community Services website.
SECTOR UPDATES Vanuatu Women Center Are you a lawyer who’s looking for an exciting, fulfilling role, bettering the lives of our women and girls?!

Look no further!

The Vanuatu Women Centre has a vacancy for the position of Legal Officer for its Vila Office.

If you’re interested in this role, please obtain a copy of the job description from Lisa Laban on telephone 25764 at the VWC.

Send applications including CV and copy of certificates to “Selection Committee (Legal Officer)” Vanuatu Women’s Centre, P.O.
Box 1358, Port Vila Applications close at 4:30 PM Friday 6th May 2016.

Our contact: Rue d’Anjou, Nambatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu.

P O Box 1358, Port Vila, Vanuatu Ph: (678) 25764 / 24000.

Fax: (678) 22478.
Email: vwnc@vanuatu.com.vu Police Work continues on behind the scenes in readiness for their new Police Information Management System - more next month Corrections Nearing completion with the upgrade to OMS and the introduction of DMS Courts & State Law Office Awaiting feedback from Lexis Nexis for Phase 2 costings Ombudsman/Prosecution - awaiting feedback from Lexis Nexis on future system options/costings... Malvatumauri decommissioned ruined nakamal The Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs Office on 08th April 2016 facilitated pig killing ceremonies with offerings of custom ingredients to decommission the deteriorating nakamal for demolition……… Page 2 Luganville new Correctional Centre Work is now underway to construct the new High Risk, Medium Risk and Remand Units at Luganville Correctional Centre ……… Page 3 LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | APRIL EDITION 2 Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs decommissioned ruined nakamal The Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs (MCC) Office on 08th April 2016 facilitated a pig killing ceremonies with offerings of custom ingredients to decommission the deteriorating nakamal for demolition and rebuilding which was destroyed by TC Pam in early 2015.
The first ever nakamal in the Capital was built in 1990 and officially opened by then Prime Minister Walter Lini and Frederick Kalomuana Timakata as Head of State.

The pig killing ceremony was performed by the President of the MCC before he offer pigs, mats, yams, kava and varieties of island food to Island Council of Chiefs throughout Vanuatu, Vaturisu Council of Chiefs, the Government and the Chief of Ifira Tenuku.
The decommissioning required a substantial collective effort from the Island Council of Chiefs, Port Vila Council of Chiefs, Chiefs and people of Vanuatu and the Government in the spirit of cooperation.
In response to the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs president’s words, the Prime Minister accepted the custom gifts offered and said the “hands of the Chiefs is long” and elaborated the presidents words on collective effort for rebuilding the nakamal saying ‘custom payments offered have already taken place as pre-payment for the work to be done and as an acceptance and symbol of mutual cooperation in rebuilding the nakamal’.
The lengthy ceremony ended with a kava drinking ceremony followed by a custom dance and kakae for everyone.

The rebuilding of the new nakamal commenced on 11th April 2016 and it is expected to be completed in six to 12 months’.

The chiefs and people are looking forward to the opening of this important National cultural icon.
Custom ceremony presented to recipients The plan of the future chief’s nakamal currently under construction Vanuatu Law Commission undertook training by Australian National University The Staff of the Vanuatu Law Commission (VLC) were part of a one week training run by the Australian National University on Research and Evidence Based Policy Advice from the 4th to the 8th of April 2016 at the Law Commission conference room in Port Vila.
The training was funded and coordinated by Stretem Rod Blong Justice program and was programed to address the need to critically think deep into the pressings issues in Vanuatu so as to provide better recommendations to address the problems.

The one week training addressed the different methods of critically analyzing and understanding problem, the different methods of research, the seven steps in policy development and the different ways in providing evidence based policy advice.
The course was developed by the ANU with an aim to build the capacity of the VLC legal officials in how to develop successful recommendations and policy proposals for the government.
The training ended with a signing of a memorandum for future collaboration between VLC and Australian National University and was signed by Mark Bebe, Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Kiel Loughman, a representative of the Commission alongside Miranda Forsyth and Anthony Regan on behalf of the Australian National University.
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | APRIL EDITION 3 Luganville new Correctional Centre Work is now underway to construct the new High Risk, Medium Risk and Remand Units at Luganville Correctional Centre.

Luganville Company, KD Enterprise Ltd, won the earthworks and construction tenders, while Port Vila company, BI Consulting, won the Construction Supervision tender.

Thanks goes to the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs for funding to complete this important national project, due for completion in early 2017.
Finance Officers Coaching Session At the end of March, the Finance Officers from the VPF, VMF, Ministry of Finance, Department Women's Affairs, Vanuatu Law Reform Commission, Public Solicitor's Office, and Office of the Public Prosecutor, State Law Office CLMO, Malvatumauri and Ministry of Finance had a full day of training at the Melanesian.
Pacco Siri and Jimmy Avia gave a presentation on key topics from their conference in Brisbane, while Cynthia Malachi gave a presentation on the Basics of Budgeting, with the Finance Adviser Sue Morrison conducting a workshop on costing and estimating.

The photo shows the Finance Officers learning how to identify, and then calculate the cost of activities for budgets and estimates.
One costing exercise was to determine the cost of running training in Santo, the other was the cost of purchasing then using a vehicle.

In the afternoon, Vicki Vaartjes led an information session on coaching, with a demonstration, then a practice session for all participants.
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | APRIL EDITION 4 Save the Children supports the parents to use Positive Discipline practices Save the Children in Vanuatu (SC) implements the second phase of the Child Protection Program Phase II (CPPII) as part of Australian Government funded Stretem Rod Blong Jastis/Vanuatu Law and Justice Partnership (SRBJ).

The program is located in four pilot communities in Ambae (Narongvili and Sarabulu) and Santo (Fanafo Forestry and Stone Hill Sector 4).
In February and March 2016, SC organized a first ever in Country Training on Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting (PDEP) for community leaders, parents, youths from the 4 pilot areas and Provincial stakeholders.

The PDEP is an approach to help the parents to use non-violent communications and relationship building with children to end all maltreatment and violence against children at homes.
Participants were very interested by the workshop as it provides a real alternative to corporal punishment, building parents’ skills in non-violent discipline, problem solving and conflict resolution when educating children and young people.

It was also acknowledged that Positive Discipline training is a new concept for Vanuatu communities and that it is adapted to local context to help parents to better protect their children from all forms of violence in their home, community and school.
After the workshop, one papa explained “I felt confident and very happy to discipline my children in a positive way.

I could also see in my house that my children are happy after that we talked and solved problem together”.

Chiefs also support the approach and encourage community members to use positive parenting practices: “Personally would love to say that I learn a lot and I realized how I had caused harm to my children.
I guess the reason is because I never have this information before, now that I know I will try my best to implement what I have come to learn especially my behavior towards my children be positive.

I know that it will not be easy but we need to start practicing now”.

Case Study Keep Practicing Garae is a married 35 year old father with 3 children aged 11, 8 and 1 year old.

He lives in Fanafo forestry village, on the island of Santo.
He attended all the meetings and workshops held by save the Children Child Protection team since the beginning of the program in his community in January 2015.

In February 2016, Save the Children organised a 3 days Positive Discipline workshop to help the parents to use non-violent communications and relationship building with children to end all maltreatment and violence against children at homes.

“Attending this training is an eye open for me” Garae said.
Before attending the training he said he never understands his children.

Garae had high expectation on how his children should behave because he believed his children know and can reason things the way adult do.

“I always mistreated my children by physically punishing them, talk harshly to them and when I did not punish them physically I used bad words (swear).

I never realized the damage my behaviour is impacting my children” he said as tears filled his eyes.
Garae added that his participation in the training helped him realize his wrong attitudes towards his children.

“Now I’m really trying my best to make positive changes towards my children” he added.

Since he started to attend Save The Children training last year, Garae explained that he stopped physically punishing his children or swearing at them.
“Although I am not where I want to be, but practising will eventually take me there so now I always have to try and explain to my children why I have to say NO to some of their request or I will find some time to attend to their requests.

Also, I use kind and loving words when speaking to my children’ “Garae said now he is trying his best to role model what he has learn from the meetings and trainings he had on Positive Parenting through Save the Children Protection Team.
“For me to live a life of a positive parenting is like someone who’s teaching a song to his children.

You keep practice singing together till the children sing it by themselves.

When they can sing it by themselves they can then teach other children about that song” he continued Garae’s aim is to keep practicing it every day with his children.
Garae said he understand it will not be easy and he told his children not to expect perfection him but he will keep on practicing till he’s good at it because he want them to live a free violence lives and pass on this special skill to his grandchildren.

“I want my children to be happy” he said silently as he looked away.
“Thank you Save the Children Child Protection Program for allowing me to attend this positive discipline training, what I learnt in this workshop will help me to teach my children in a very positive way”.

Thank you for reading the March edition of Loa mo Sosel Jastis Tokaot.

If you have any feedback for the newsletter please send to mjcs@vanuatu.gov.vu.

If you have any information to share for next month’s newsletter please also email us.
Ministry of Justice and Community Services Government of the Republic of Vanuatu, PMB 9084, Port Vila, Vanuatu W mjcs.vanuatu.gov.vu│T +678 33615 │E mjcs@vanuatu.gov.vu