A mini-retreat was planned by the Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) for early July 2020, to provide an opportunity for staff to debrief and share their experiences from the three emergencies that faced Vanuatu during the first half of 2020.
This report summarizes discussions at the July 2020 retreat, including VWC’s disaster response activities, what was learned about community experiences and women’s experiences, the challenges and trauma they confronted, and lessons learned. Some examples of women’s experiences are also drawn from VWC and branch mobile counselling reports.
This report focuses primarily on VWC’s response to Tropical Cyclone Harold and the ash fall in Tanna. It does not include a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of the COVID-19 state of emergency and its implications for women living with violence.