Non-discrimination & inclusion policy

Commitment

Senikau Association Committee (Inc.) serves, employs and represents people without discrimination on the grounds of gender, sex, marital or family status, pregnancy, island or village of origin, language, disability or chronic illness, age, faith or denomination, custom rank, social or economic standing, or political opinion. Participation in our programs never depends on membership, church affiliation, chiefly connection or political support.

Equal access to programs

• Places are allocated on published criteria, with priority to communities not served in the previous cycle rather than to those best connected to the office.
• Training is delivered in Bislama, with island-language interpretation arranged on request, so language is never a barrier to taking part.
• Activities are held at times and locations that allow women with care responsibilities to attend, and childcare is provided at multi-day workshops.
• No participant is charged a fee, and travel support is available where cost would otherwise exclude someone.

Disability and accessibility

We ask every applicant what they need in order to take part and we meet reasonable requests, including venue access, seating, materials in large print, and a support person attending at no cost. Our office has a level rear entrance. Where a venue cannot be made accessible, we move the activity rather than exclude the participant. This website is built to be readable with screen readers and keyboard navigation; tell us where it fails and we will fix it.

Gender equity

At least half of the executive committee and of every program review panel are women. We record participation by gender in each program cycle and publish the figures. Where a program shows persistent under-representation of women or of young people, the committee is required to state in the annual report what will be changed.

Employment and volunteering

Vacancies are advertised publicly with the criteria stated. Selection is on merit against those criteria by a panel of at least three, with a written record of the decision. Salaries follow a published band structure so that equal work receives equal pay. Harassment of any kind, including sexual harassment and bullying, is grounds for dismissal or removal from volunteer duties.

Cultural respect

Custom protocol is honoured in all our work, and it is not used as a reason to exclude. Where a protocol and this policy appear to conflict, the matter goes to the custom advisers and the committee together, and the resolution is recorded in writing and reported to the assembly.

Reporting discrimination

Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against by the association, its staff or its volunteers may report it to sobhiaabdalnabi@gmail.com, by telephone on +67823490, or in person at Kumul Hwy, Port Vila, Vanuatu. Reports are acknowledged within five working days and investigated by committee members with no connection to the matter. The person reporting is told the outcome in writing and may ask the annual assembly to review it. No one is disadvantaged for making a report in good faith.

Monitoring

The committee reviews this policy every three years, or sooner if a report reveals a gap. Aggregate figures on participation and on reports received are published in the annual report alongside the accounts.