The aim of the Vanuatu National Survey on Women’s Lives and Family Relationships was to conduct a population-based study to provide a reliable benchmark of the prevalence and incidence of violence against women in Vanuatu, and on attitudes to violence including: health and other effects of violence on women and children; risk and protective factors in the family and the community; coping strategies of women; and the implications for prevention and support services. This report presents findings from the survey, which was conducted by the Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) in partnership with the Vanuatu National Statistics Office (VNSO) from March to May 2009. This is the first nation-wide study that has been undertaken in Vanuatu on violence against women and
attitudes to women’s human rights.

The survey used a household questionnaire and an individual women’s questionnaire (Annex 2). These were adapted by VWC from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women. This methodology has been used in many countries
including 4 other Pacific nations to provide reliable and high quality data on the prevalence of violence against women. (from the Executive Summary)