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Vanuatu

International Religious Freedom Report 2007
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the period covered by the report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.

There were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice; however, some churches and individuals objected to the missionary activities of nontraditional religious groups and continued to suggest they be curtailed. During the reporting period, there was some controversy regarding a planned visit by the Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon. No visit took place, but pressure remained on the Government from some religious groups to deny an entry visa.

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.

Section I. Religious Demography

The country is an archipelago with an area of 4,707 square miles and a population of 220,000. Approximately 83 percent of the population is Christian. An estimated 32 percent is Presbyterian, 13 percent Roman Catholic, 13 percent Anglican, and 11 percent Seventh-day Adventist. Groups that together constitute 14 percent include the Church of Christ, the Apostolic Church, the Assemblies of God, and other Christian denominations. The John Frum Movement, a political party that also is an indigenous religious group, is centered on the island of Tanna and includes about 5 percent of the population. The Baha'i Faith, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) also are active. There are believed to be members of other religions within the foreign community; they are free to practice their religions, but they are not known to proselytize or hold public religious ceremonies.

Missionaries representing several Western churches brought Christianity to the country in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Some foreign missionaries continue this work; however, approximately 90 percent of the clergy of the established churches are now indigenous. The Summer Institute of Linguistics is active in translating the Bible into the country's many indigenous languages.

Section II. Status of Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework

The preamble of the Constitution refers to a commitment to "traditional Melanesian values, faith in God, and Christian principles;" however, the Constitution also provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The Government at all levels sought to protect this right in full, and did not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors.

Religious organizations are required to register with the Government; however, this law is not enforced.

The Government interacts with churches through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Vanuatu Christian Council. Customarily, government oaths of office are taken on the Bible. The Government does not provide any funds for construction of churches.

The Government provides grants to church-operated schools, and pays teachers' salaries at church-operated schools that have been in existence since the country's independence in 1980. These benefits are not available to non-Christian religious organizations. There are a small number of non-Christian religious schools in country.

Government schools schedule time each week for religious education conducted by representatives of Council churches, using materials designed by those churches. There is no uniform standard time for religious instructions across all schools; however, the standard curriculum requires that Year 7 through 12 students are allocated an hour a week dedicated to religious instruction. The Education Act allows parents to have their children excused from religious classes. However, in practice, as the school is responsible for children during the school day, they require students to be in class at all times. Hence, most students attend a class linked to their denomination. Current classes emphasize the history and tenets of Christianity, and respect for authority.

Aside from the activities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, use of government resources to support religious activities is not condoned (although there is no law prohibiting such support). If a formal request is given to the Government and permission is granted, governmental resources may be used.

The Government does not attempt to control missionary activity.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion.

There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees in the country.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Section III. Societal Abuses and Discrimination

There were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practices; however, some churches and individuals objected to the missionary activities of nontraditional religious groups and continued to suggest that they be curtailed.

In rural areas, traditional Melanesian communal decision-making predominates. If a member of a community proposes to introduce a significant change within the community, such as the establishment of a new church, the chief and the rest of the community must agree. If a new church is established without approval, the community views the action as a gesture of defiance by those who join the new church, and as a threat to community solidarity. However, religious tension generally has been resolved through appeals from traditional leaders to uphold individual rights.

Religious representation at national events is organized through the Vanuatu Christian Council. Ecumenical activities of the Council are limited to the interaction of its members.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.


Released on September 14, 2007

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