Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696591166503.pdf (Vanuatu)
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK m September Edition LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK Community Services Secto r The news letter from the Ju stice and Photo Credit: Dan McGarry – Imagicity.com Brought to you by: JASTIS, SEFTI, DIGNITI, RISPEKT MO GUD FASIN BLONG EVRIWAN IN THIS ISSUE The purpose of this Newsletter is to share information, news and data among our Sector.

You can keep up with more news at the Ministry of Justice & Community (MJCS) website and other Services Sector agencies websites.
SECTOR UPDATES Staff Biography He has also been providing one-on-one training to prosecutors and administration staff.

Wayne spent 29 years in the New Zealand Police before coming to Vanuatu.

He has previously spent 3 years at SPD supporting staff to strengthen systems and processes.

He is passionate about supporting the justice sector and is looking forward to supporting staff to reduce the backlog of criminal cases.
Brought to you by: Celebrating the launch of the new mangement development program On 4 August 2017, 17 managers from across the Justice and Community Services Sector embarked on a five month Management Development Program (MDP) designed and funded by Stretem Rod Blong Jastis mo Sefti in partnership with the MJCS.

Page 2 Office of the Ombudsman updates On July 11 – 13 2017 the Office of the Ombudsman aRefresher training for its staff, a total of 15 staff members including two USP students on attachment.
organized has Wayne Mills Case Management Support Adviser State Prosecution Office Port Vila Wayne joined Stretem Rod Blong Jastis mo Sefti program as Case Management Support Adviser 3 months ago after the introduction of a new Case Management System [CMS].

He has been cleaning up data within CMS against physical files and ensuring cases and data are entered in a timely manner.
Page 3 Morris confident in training for mini games It was an opportunity that Morris Kerry, a male Para athlete for the javelin and shot put events, to share his experience of the training.
Page 6 LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | SEPTEMBER EDITION 2 Capacity Development Corner Celebrating the launch of the new Management Development Program On 4 August 2017, 17 managers from across the Justice and Community Services Sector embarked on a five month Management Development Program (MDP) designed and funded by Stretem Rod Blong Jastis mo Sefti in partnership with the MJCS.
The MDP aims to engage managers in development that strengthens their practical capabilities so that they are better equipped to confidently and skillfully undertake management responsibilities, and contribute to improved agency performance.

It includes a formal training component with participants completing a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management delivered through the Australia-Pacific Technical College and three additional days of technical training in line with Government of Vanuatu requirements.
This formal learning is complemented by regular Action Learning group sessions that provide participants with an opportunity to collaboratively discuss the application of their skills in the workplace, reflecting on, and learning from their management experiences.

Each of the manager participants were selected through a competitive process, and are sponsored by their Head of Agency.
Participants include managers from the Customary Land Management Office, Department of Correctional Services, Ministry of Justice and Community Services, Office of the Vanuatu Ombudsman, State Law Office, Vanuatu Cultural Centre and Vanuatu Law Commission.

The managers have just completed their third formal week of training and have two further weeks scheduled for mid-October and November to complete their Certificate qualifications.
The participants have already shared examples of how they are strengthening their management approach and applying MDP learning in their workplaces including:  Trialing alternative management styles and facilitating more regular meetings with junior staff to monitor and support their work  Empowering and involving staff in decision-making and delegating responsibilities, and  Considering mechanisms to strengthen linkages of the work of individual teams to organisational business plans, including through performance management that is measurable and realistic.
All managers are now implementing major workplace projects targeted at creating or updating a continuous improvement system or process in their workplace.

We look forward to this being the first of a number of MDP’s offered to support management development across the sector.
Departments Plan to Restructure In the month of September, the Departments of Correctional Services and Women’s Affairs, under the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MJCS), held important organisation restructure workshops in accordance with the Public Service guidelines for any Organisation Review, Establishment Variations and Job Evaluation.
One purpose of the workshops was to inform officers about the possibility of a restructure in the two departments due to growth and the evolving functions of the two departments.

By the end of the workshops, both Departments were able to:  Identify the main Objectives of the Restructure and why each of them was undertaking a restructure.
It was important for all officers to first understand what needed to be achieved through a restructure;  Present proposals for new or redundant positions in the existing structures;  Agree on the process to follow to develop their new organisation structures.

The MJCS Hub staff either facilitated or co-facilitated the workshops providing information on external factors to which the restructures should respond.
For example, the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Plan and the Justice and Community Services Sector Strategy both of which provide higher level policy settings that could have an impact on the human resource needs of each of the Departments.

Internal factors that the restructure should respond to were also discussed, for instance, the need for additional human resource management staff to serve the provincial offices, and the need for resources to support asset management.
Participation was great and at the end of the sessions, all staff understood the rationale behind each of their Departments’ proposed restructure.

Public Service Commission staff also participated at one of the workshops and provided useful insight to the process.

The two Departments are currently finalizing their findings to present to Director General of MJCS and ultimately to the Public Service Commission.
Whilst the workshops served as start of the formal PSC process for Organisation Review, Establishment Variations and Job Evaluation, many staff expressed that attending the workshops provided a significant capacity building opportunity for them, being the first time for most of them to discuss these types of issues, and enabled them to contribute to and be part of their proposed restructure.

They will be supporting the process better with their improved understanding.
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | SEPTEMBER EDITION 3 Office of the Ombudsman updates Refresher training On July 11 – 1,3 2017 the Office of the Ombudsman organized a Refresher training for its staff, a total of 15 staff members including two USP students on attachment to that office.

It was a long time plan and vision to organize an in-house refresher for staff members.

The initial plan was supposed to take place in 2014, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Ombudsman’s Office.
However, due to unforeseen circumstances and budgetary constraints, the training only took place this year.

A Pre-training Evaluation and a post-training Evaluation indicated that all staff members agreed that the Refresher training was timely, perhaps, a little delayed, never-the-less, it was helpful in that it reminded staff of their duties, Ombudsman’s organization goals, and inspired greater motivation to do better in their work.
It was agreed that this kind of training should be on-going, probably on an annual or on a 2 years basis.

The Refresher training was closed on 14th July 2017 by celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the Ombudsman’s Office, in which a working lunch was enjoyed at the Harbour View restaurant.

Recruitment of four new staff The Ombudsman is now in the process of recruiting four new staff to join the Office, as planned and documented in our 2017 Business Plan.
The vacant posts are: Director Leadership Code Investigation; Principal Investigation; Principal Corporate Services Officer; and Investigator, General Complaints Investigation The selection process is on-going and it is hoped to welcome the successful candidates to the Office before the end of 2017.

Investigator, Leadership Code Students’ placement This year alone, the Ombudsman and his staff have played host to 5 APTC student placements, 1 AUF student placement, as well as 2 USP student placements.
This is support that the Office gives to these institutions which it hopes to continue in the future.

Funding for the National Consultations for the National Disability Inclusive Development Policy The Ministry of Justice and Community Services is now ready to have wider consultation for the National Disability Inclusive Development Policy.

People with disability in Vanuatu need more attention by the Government, NGOS and CSOs for a better inclusive society.
The development of the disability policy is in line with the Vanuatu People’s Plan which also addresses social inclusion as a pillar in the plan.

The A/DG for the Ministry of Justice and Community Services, Mr Pacco Siri would like to thank the Stretem Rod Blong Jastis mo Sefti program for funding the Policy consultations.
The Disability Desk who will be conducting the consultations would like to acknowledge Government stakeholders, NGOs, CSOs, Parents and Persons with disability for the continuous efforts made in supporting people with disability.

And we all look forward to the upcoming consultations for this Disability Policy.
LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | SEPTEMBER EDITION 4 Constructive dialogue with the CRC committee in Geneva Vanuatu became a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in September 1990 and ratified the CRC without reservation in December 1992 and came into force on May 1993.

It also ratified the two CRC Optional Protocols on child prostitution and pornography and armed conflict on May and September 2007.
Vanuatu submitted its first periodic report in 1997 (initial submission dateline was in 1995).

The second, third and fourth periodic report was submitted in June 2015 including the first two (2) Optional Protocol Reports.
On September 21st and 22nd Vanuatu presented its second, third and fourth combined report on the CRC including its two Optional Protocol reports by videoconference at the UNICEF Office in Suva, Fiji Members of the Vanuatu delegation included Mrs Jenny Tevi, head of the delegation, She is acting Head of the Treaties and Conventions Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vanuatu; Mr Setariki Waqanitoga, Policy Adviser and Mrs Elizabeth Emil-Mael, Child Desk Coordinator, both from the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MOJCS), Mrs Apisai Tokon, National Reproductive Health/Family Planning Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Mr. Roy Ben, Child Protection & Gender Focal Point, Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).
In preparation for this constructive dialogue with the CRC Committee in Geneva, the team left Vanuatu for Fiji on Sunday 17th September.

On Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th Sept. the team worked tirelessly in going through the Vanuatu combined report including the responses to the questions raised by the UNCRC Committee, assigning themselves sections of the report on which they would be reporting.

On Wednesday 20th was a mock session conducted by the UNICEF and the RRRT team in Suva.
This session really helped the team with their dialogue on Thursday and Friday evening from 8 – 11:30pm.

This was the session that was most important as it helped the team for prepare well for the actual dialogue.

The dialogue went really well as the team confidently responded to all the questions raised by the UNCRC Committee in Geneva.
The questions and discussions were based on nine (9) thematic areas or clusters: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) General Measures of the CRC Implementation Definition of the Child ( in relation to the Laws in Vanuatu) General Principles of the CRC Civil Rights and Freedom Violence Against Children Family Environment and Alternative Care Basic Health and Welfare Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities Special Protection Measures.
In her introduction or opening address, Mrs. Jenny Tevi said that 44% of the total population of Vanuatu of 204,304 was children.

This large child population was the driving force behind reforms and measures taken by the Government to ensure that an enabling environment was needed for holistic development with support from partners NGOs, Faith Based Organizations as well as Development partners.
Many positive steps had been taken but more collaborative efforts were needed to continue to promote the rights of all children.
She also informed the Committee of the legislative steps were taken to harmonize the national laws with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and these includes the adoption of the Family Protection Law in 2008, National Child Protection Policy in 2016, National Inclusive Education Policy 2010-2020, Child Safeguarding Policy 2017-2020, and the adoption of the strategy for reproductive, neo-natal, child and adolescent health for the period 2017-2020.
The adoption bill, aligned to the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, was being discussed and a disability policy in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is currently under development.

The challenges that Vanuatu continue to face is the financial and human resources and provisions of adequate education and health services for all children also remain limited due to the remoteness of islands scattered all over the archipelago, concluded Ms. Tevi.
Details of the dialogue can be access through this link: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Newsevents/Page/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22136&LangID=E In her closing remarks, Mrs. Jenny Tevi thanked the Committee on behalf of the Vanuatu Government and recognized the many gaps and challenges in the area of the protection of children’s rights.

This dialogue was a chance to obtain a fair assessment of the progress achieved and Vanuatu welcomed the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations.
Mr. CLARENCE NELSON, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Vanuatu, expressed the appreciation for the dialogue and the regret that the delegation did not include the Minister, hoping that the Committee’s views would be conveyed to the decision-makers.

The dialogue was an opportunity to take stock of the state of play regarding child policy in Vanuatu, he said, adding that the Committee would address all pertinent issues in its concluding observations.
And on behalf of the Committee he also conveyed their Best Regards to the Children of Vanuatu LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | SEPTEMBER EDITION 5 The Justice and Policing Sector Infrastructure Priorities Plan 2017-2022 The Ministry of Justice & Community Services MJCS launched its Policing, Justice and Community Services Sector Infrastructure Priorities Needs last month.
The minister thanked the ministry and corporate unit for the efforts put together by staffs to have a plan consisting of infrastructure priority needs of all agencies under the ministry to focus on improving services and address the government’s priority in improving service delivery.

Infrastructure needs is a sector strategy for the Ministry of Justice.
Implementation of the plan extends over a period of 5 years and encompasses Pam recovery works, maintenance work, upgrade to existing buildings and new office and facilities urgently needed by the sector, such as court houses and correctional centers.

The plan laid some strategic guidelines for agencies to follow and implement their respective infrastructure needs.
The Ministry has an infrastructure officer who will support each agency in the design process, tendering process and construction supervision works.

The Acting Director General for the Ministry thanked all the agencies who have support the process by providing information for the plan, to the project partners STRETEM ROD BLONG JASTIC MO SEFTI for their input and guidance and to the corporate staff of the Ministry for producing the plan.
Launching of new uniform The Ministry of Justice and Community Services launched its new uniform on the 3rd of September 2017.

The Ministry began in 2008; this is another mile stone in the Ministry through the current Minister Ronald Warsal and the Acting DG Pacco Siri.

A committee was established to look into this uniform and it is likely that in the future the Ministry will have uniforms for its agencies as well.
Currently the launching of the uniform started in the Corporate Service Unit and Cabinet staff.

The Ministry has displayed a professional standard that should be noticed by other Ministries.

The colors are green, white and pink including black skirts, belts and long pants for men, as well as shoes, flat and heels, the colors are connotation of Justice and Anti-corruption, to show the physical appearance which will reflect the Ministry’s Performance in upholding peace in our communities.
White has the connotation of justice and fairness, pink resembles nice and perfection in our outer appearance and green of goodness and growth, while black is the most famous color in the professional world for office wardrobe.

The Ministry is proud to put this news into this month’s news article, and let people recognize a worker in the Ministry of Justice & News update on recruitment It is the core function of the Human Resource Unit to recruit suitable people to join the Ministry.
am very pleased to let readers know that this month the Ministry is in the process of recruiting 8 officers to join an exciting team of workers at the Department of Women’s Affairs (DWA).

All these positions have gone through a complete and transparent process and still wait for Public Service Commission to confirm appointments.

The MJCS have also advertised 6 positions within the Customary Land Management office.

Few of these positions have gone beyond halfway through the recruitment process.
While a few are waiting for confirmation from the Public service commission.

I In addition to DWA and CLMO, Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs (MCC) is also recruiting 6 suitable people within its organizational structure.

All these position are on the second phase of recruitment, assessment phase.

Most of the recruitment documents are with the public service commission.

However the Ministry is excited and looks forward to meeting the new officers who will be confirmed by the Public Service Commission.
Do not miss job opportunities in the government especially with the MJCS, we welcome passionate people who are ready to explore the world of professionalism and serve the nation of Vanuatu.

The Vanuatu Government Best Employer.

LOA MO SOSEL JASTIS TOKTOK | SEPTEMBER EDITION 6 Morris confident in training for Mini-Games As the Pacific Mini-Games grow closer, local athletes across the country are currently in full preparation for the Games.

In Port Vila, the athletes have been training hard.
It was an opportunity that Morris Kerry, a male Para athlete for the javelin and shot put events, to share his experience of the training.

Kerry, a new Para athlete, said this is his first time ever to play in a big event.

“I have never taken part in any big events.

But I feel that the training is going really well,” he said.

“With my coach and my other colleague athletes here with me, I trust myself that the trainings have gone well.
“Although we don’t have access to good facilities, whatever advice the coaches give us, I trust that the training is helping me.

“Now I am going through training in two different sports, javelin and shot put.

But I will be playing only one sport at the Mini-Games.

I have to go through a trial again by the end of this month.
And if I do well in one of the two sports then that will be the sport I will be doing.” Kerry said the two sports are not something that he has done very often; he only participated in javelin during his high school days.

“I never tried shot put before.

I tried javelin only during training hours, but I have never taken part in a competition before,” he said.

However Kerry said with the two months’ training so far, he felt confident taking part in either of the two sports in December.
He has been selected by the Vanuatu Para Olympic Committee to take part in one of the two sports during the Mini Games “It is a good thing because I will be representing the people with disability during the Games.

I am sure other Para athletes will be watching me, thus it will lift up their morale that they too can do it – this is also an awareness of confidence to them.
“Thanks to the Para Olympics Committee, VASANOC, Wan Smol Bag Theatre and the Ministry of Justice’s Disability Desk that this training can happen for us,” Kerry said.

Outside of sport, Mr Kerry has been working with the Vanuatu Disability Desk at the Ministry of Justice as a Disability Support Officer.

“I have been working at the Disability Desk for two years now.

We are doing community work, providing devices to our clients.
And we go out providing awareness around our communities to help our people with disability.

We encourage parents of people with disability to help them to promote themselves,” he said.

Mr Kerry said sometimes people ignore people with disabilities.

“But we have to change that view of them.

We have to look at their abilities, not their disabilities.

“Today people will regard disabled people as though they won’t do anything.
If you can discover what I can do, then whatever the able people can do, we can do it,” he said.

Mr Kerry was not born with his disability.

“There was a boil that came out of my right ankle.

That happened when I was three years old.

Then I went through an operation at the Vila Central Hospital.

The operation later removed the bone from my right ankle and that created my disability.

“I had very difficult times walking during my childhood days.

My parents would do all the things for me.


They carried me to school and did all the things with walking because I couldn’t walk.

“There was no support for the ankle to replace the bone that was removed.

Therefore I was left with a defective limb.

“But I am confident I will participate to my best ability at the Pacific Mini Games in December,” he said.

By: Flo Vanua Thank you for reading the September edition of Loa mo Sosel Jastis Toktok.
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.gov.vu│T +678 33615 │E mjcs@vanuatu.gov.vu