Earlier this year, Palladium was awarded an AU$25 million third phase of the Vanuatu Australia Policing and Justice Program (VAPJP), an Australian Government initiative supporting essential policing, justice and community services across Vanuatu.

Vanuatu’s policing, justice and community service sector is diverse and complex. Across the country, there is no other sector with such a wide scope of related service delivery areas, nor such a complex grouping of government, constitutional, statutory, line agencies and non-government bodies. Local actors like chiefs and religious leaders also play a significant role in delivering justice.

For the best part of the last decade, Vanuatu’s Government has emphasised the need for strong and fair law enforcement, including collaboration across key areas like juvenile justice, customary disputes, human rights, infrastructure, local crime, and access to justice. Development challenges like gender-based violence, victim protection and youth justice access are all important issues to be addressed through a fair and stable justice system, but building that system takes time.

Since 2017, VAPJP has been helping to drive improvements in quality, reach and access across the justice and policing sectors. Across phases one and two – both implemented by Palladium – the program helped bridge the humanitarian and development nexus in Vanuatu’s justice sector reform.

“Through VAPJP we’re partnering with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Federal Police to strengthen policing and justice across Vanuatu,” says Palladium Asia Pacific Managing Director Jack Adams.

“In a complex sector, the program has been able to drive change through professional development, training, and relationship building, all geared to provide good quality services within a government-sponsored decentralisation model. This has particularly been the case in the handling of cases involving women, children, and youth,” he explains.

“Palladium has been the VAPJP delivery partner for the past decade, and we’re proud to continue the program’s impact for another four years.”

Training the Next Generation of Police Officers

When it comes to training, VAPJP’s impact has been widespread – particularly for local police officers. In 2017, the team reviewed police recruit training programs offered through the Vanuatu Police Training College. With specialist support from the Australian Federal Police and other local partners, a revised training curriculum was introduced which emphasised gender sensitivity, community engagement, disability awareness, and trauma-informed practices.

Fast forward to 2024, and the Vanuatu Police Force senior command has recognised that police recruits who completed the training were more likely to engage positively with female victims of violence.

“We educate now how important it is to listen to victims and provide them with the support they need. It’s not just about enforcing the law; it’s about building trust,” explains Senior Sergeant Filpa Lini.

Since 2019, the VAPJP supported ‘Recruit Training Course’ has trained over 322 new constables, including 83 female officers. One of these officers is Jonah Nawanikam, who has taken the lessons from his training into communities.

“Since I joined the Vanuatu Police Force, I’ve learned that we need to paint the picture of ‘Polis Hemi Wan Fren’ (Police are friends) to connect the community with the police. The Australian advisers have been encouraging me and motivating me to keep on going to serve the people of Vanuatu. I want to be that officer that any…victim or suspect wants to meet and the officer the VPF wants and needs,” he explains.

Justice and Infrastructure

Since 2017, VAPJP has supported significant improvements in the quality and reach of justice services across Vanuatu, with a strong focus on protecting vulnerable groups. Targeted training has enhanced sector specialisation, while technical assistance provided within agencies and across the chain of justice has helped build a more coordinated, capable and localised system.

Institutional reforms driven forward by sector partners have strengthened case management at national and provincial levels, expanded women’s participation in leadership, and improved crisis preparedness and service delivery. Community engagement has also deepened through collaboration with chiefs and the Malvatumauri, while the Authorised Persons program has expanded into new provinces to strengthen frontline responses to gender-based violence where formal services remain limited.

VAPJP’s infrastructure agenda has also contributed to positive change in Vanuatu’s justice sector. Since 2018, the program has jointly led on various new builds, including for Lakatoro police station, Tanna holding cells, and Epi police station and courthouse.

And, as one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world, the need for climate resilient infrastructure has become more important than ever. Increasingly, VAPJP has played a key role in ensuring that police facilities, courthouses, and other justice-sector buildings can withstand extreme weather events and other natural disasters such as floods, tropical cyclones and earthquakes. This has involved retrofitting buildings, upgrading technology, and establishing contingency plans for emergencies.

“Climate and disaster resilient infrastructure is crucial to system strengthening, enabling first responders, and ensuring continuity of services when most needed to protect the vulnerable,” explains Sally Falls, a Director with Palladium’s Infrastructure team.

“The recent 17 December earthquake is a stark reminder of the necessity for resilient infrastructure. Through the VAPJP program we have supported the Vanuatu Police Force and Ministry of Justice, Youth and Community Services to improve resilience by careful consideration of climate risk, post disaster function, materials, construction methods, quality assurance and maintenance planning for assets,” adds Falls.

Looking ahead at the next few years, VAPJP’s third program phase will continue to bridge the road between short term security challenges, and long-term development needs. Two issues sit high as priorities: gendered violence, and the limited reach of state institutions to respond effectively – especially away from larger urban areas. Drawing on lessons learnt from phases one and two, the VAPJP team are ready to support.