Life stages in Vanuatu

A person's path through childhood, youth, adulthood and older age is shaped by age, identity documents, schooling, work, family responsibilities, disability and location. Vanuatu has no single nationwide programme covering all life stages. Functional support is divided among the Civil Registration and Identity Management Department (CRIM), the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the Vanuatu National Youth Authority, the Vanuatu National Youth Council, the Department of Labour and Employment Mobility, the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF), the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MJCS), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provincial authorities and community organisations. The 2020 Census counted 115,767 children under 15, 54,721 people aged 15 to 24, 110,206 people aged 25 to 59 and 19,325 people aged 60 or older. The median age was 20, and the recorded dependency ratio was 75. About 233,266 people lived in rural areas. Island transport, distance from administrative centres, available staff and local infrastructure therefore affect how quickly people can reach registration, education, employment, social protection or emergency support. Birth registration establishes a child's legal identity. CRIM records births through a hospital or Registration Centre. A health institution, midwife or medical practitioner can provide the required confirmation; two witnesses can be used where that evidence is unavailable. Parents, guardians, hospital staff, chiefs, local leaders, clergy, family members or another person with reliable knowledge may help start the process. If a child leaves hospital on a weekend or public holiday, registration should take place at the next available centre within 21 days. The first birth certificate is free. A replacement is free for a child aged 12 or younger, costs VT 500 for ages 13 to 59, and is free for people aged 60 or older and in officially declared disaster areas. Birth records support access to school, banking, government services, travel documents and disaster accounting. The National Identification Number (NIN), National ID and E-ID are related identity tools used as the person moves through public and economic services. Childhood protection applies to people under 18 under the Convention on the Rights of the Child framework used by the Child Desk. The MJCS Child Desk, Child Protection Officers, police, provinces, chiefs, churches and NGOs can receive protection concerns and coordinate case management, recovery and reintegration. The relevant risks include abuse, exploitation, neglect and violence. Practical access exists across the country through provincial and community structures, but staffing and transport make coverage uneven. Parents have an education responsibility for children from age 6 until before age 14, including access to kindergarten or school. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) generally serves children around ages 4 and 5. Schooling uses Year 1 to Year 14: primary education covers Years 1 to 6, and secondary education covers Years 7 to 14. A child normally enters Year 1 at age 6 or when turning 6 by 31 May. MoET, Director-General structures, Provincial Education Officers, Provincial Education Boards and Education Authorities share responsibility for delivery. Gender, religion, nationality, race, language and disability must not be used as grounds for discrimination in education. The available evidence does not establish one nationally uniform rule that all compulsory schooling is free, and access differs between urban, rural and island settings. Youth is commonly defined in Vanuatu as ages 12 to 30. The categories child youth, core youth and adult youth reflect that ages 12 to 17 can still fall under child protection while ages 18 to 30 also fall within adult legal and civic arrangements. The Vanuatu National Youth Authority, Vanuatu National Youth Council, MJCS, MoET, Y CONNECT and local youth groups support leadership, civic participation, education, technical and vocational training, employment and community programmes. Y CONNECT directories cover provinces, Port Vila and Luganville. Programme eligibility, fees and availability depend on the provider and activity. The National Youth Policy covered 2019 to 2024, while a newer national policy was not clearly evidenced in the reviewed official portals in 2026. Adulthood brings voting, work and contribution questions. The Constitution gives Vanuatu citizens voting rights from age 18. Employment may be formal or informal. The Employment Act generally excludes children under 12 from work, while allowing limited light family agriculture; ages 12 to under 14 may perform only light agricultural or household family work or collective community work; people under 15 may not perform industrial work or work on ships; and night or ship work remains restricted for people under 18. These rules do not make every work arrangement equally safe or lawful, so the actual task, age and workplace must be checked. VNPF membership is compulsory for employees aged 14 to 55 who earn at least VT 3,000 per month. Self-employed workers and people in the informal sector may join voluntarily. From 1 January 2026, the contribution rate is 12%, divided equally between employee and employer at 6% each. Contributions are deducted while covered employment continues. VNPF retirement payment is available from age 55, with partial withdrawal from age 47. Vanuatu does not have a general old-age annuity pension identified in the available evidence, and people working informally or in rural areas may have no VNPF entitlement. Extended families and wantoks therefore remain a major source of support in older age. There is no evidenced universal long-term-care system in Vanuatu. Families, wantoks and communities commonly provide care, while disability-specific organisations, the MJCS Disability Desk or Unit, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and NGOs may offer more limited support. Disability-inclusive development, accessibility, participation and non-discrimination are relevant across the life course. VNPF medical withdrawal may assist a member with permanent incapacity, but eligibility depends on the fund rules and membership. The National Disability Inclusive Development Policy covered 2018 to 2025, and a clearly documented successor was not established in the available evidence. Transitions do not automatically create a guaranteed entitlement to the next service. Birth registration can enable school and identity access; schooling may lead to technical and vocational education, work or community activity; employment can create VNPF coverage; and retirement access depends on age and membership. Other transitions include moving between islands or from rural to urban areas, leaving school for work, acquiring a disability, displacement and becoming dependent on care. Keeping identity documents, school records and employment information together reduces avoidable barriers. Disasters can interrupt every life stage. The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) coordinates alerts, preparedness, evacuation or safe places and emergency relief with provinces, communities, the Red Cross, MJCS, MoET, UNICEF and NGOs. Child-friendly spaces, child-protection case management, psychosocial and community support, temporary learning and birth-registration outreach may be used after a cyclone, earthquake or volcanic event. Children, young people, older people and people with disabilities may need tailored assistance. Emergency support usually has no direct user fee, but availability depends on the event, island access, transport and local capacity.