Western Santo, Vanuatu’s largest biodiversity hotspot, faced intense pressure from foreign logging and mining companies offering cash to chiefs and landowners to exploit ancestral forests. The women from Western Santo had no formal voice in local decision-making, even though they were key to sustaining food systems and protecting biodiversity. COVID-19, the war in Ukraine (fuel costs), and Cyclone Harold exacerbated economic dependency and resource exploitation, putting endangered species and sacred lands at risk.
In the late 1990s, one such company began operations in Wunpuko-Hokua, in North West Santo (NW Santo). Their time there was short-lived: the traditional resource owners discovered the company was illegally harvesting far beyond what their government licence permitted. The operation brought no benefit to the communities of NW Santo. Instead, it left behind a scarred landscape, damage that is still visible today.
This episode stayed vivid in local memory. So when new logging proposals surfaced in the northeast of the island, the women from the West Santo communities decided it was time to unite and ban logging activities across Western Santo altogether.
Among them was Dona Bune, a confident young woman from Kerepua, a coastal community of around 200 people at the foot of Vanuatu’s highest peak, Mount Tabwemasana. In rural Vanuatu, Indigenous Women are rarely present in public decision-making. Community meetings have traditionally been reserved for men.
Indigenous Women feel they are part of the community, but when there is a meeting, it is only for the men. Only men have the opportunity to speak and be heard. Women are neglected.
As Jessica Tau from the
neighbouring community
of Elia explains.
Gender inequality remains a persistent challenge in many traditional communities in Vanuatu, where Indigenous Women perform the majority of domestic and economic labor, including child-rearing, food production, household maintenance, and the marketing of goods and handicrafts. However, despite this essential role, they are rarely included in decision-making, both within their families and in community councils
In this context, the International Indigenous Women’s Forum, (FIMI) financial and technical support for the women of West Santo has played a crucial role in providing the necessary tools to strengthen Indigenous Women’s participation in these decision-making processes, promoting greater equity and highlighting their leadership in the communities. This type of funding is key to combating gender inequality and ensuring that the voices of Indigenous Women are heard and respected.
I think the voice of our women is important for the environment. Women are the ones who bring new generations into the world. Our land is like a mother, because she looks after our environment.
Jessica Tau reflects this connection clearly
Dona Bune had already attended Youth Environmental Camp for several years and spent time volunteering with the network. “When they selected me as the women’s coordinator, I already had a solid understanding of the environmental challenges,” she recalls.
She soon became the project coordinator of the Santo Sunset Women Environment Network and began leading programmes focused on environmental protection and women’s empowerment. Although SSEN had campaigned against logging before, renewed foreign interest in the forests of Western Santo gave the issue new urgency. The Indigenous Women’s network stepped forward to lead the campaign.
Dona Bune describes this mobilisation: “I led the effort to apply for project funding alongside other women. Together with the executive women, we decided to campaign strongly against logging in every community and make sure everyone knows we must stop logging and mining in our area.”
People across the region were already aware of the destructive impacts of logging, particularly after the devastation at Wunpuko-Hokua.
As Dona explains, “It has had a serious impact on them; large areas of their forest have been destroyed. When heavy rains come, they cause landslides in the area, and the rich forest soil is eroded and washed down into the ocean.”
Jessica Tau adds that “Now, when it rains, the water erodes the sides of the creeks, causing them to widen and threaten the village.”
Yet despite the visible damage, there had never been a coordinated response. People shared their concerns, but mostly in isolation. A few individuals still viewed logging as an economic opportunity.
Ella Bune notes how this motivated the women: “We noticed that there was no woman who could speak on behalf of the others in important meetings. No one was representing women or sharing what they wanted to achieve. That’s why we decided to come together, to help women have a voice and raise their needs to the men in charge in our community. Our environment is so important that we decided not to allow logging or mining in our area."
With this determination, the Indigenous Women of SSWEN embarked on a massive awareness campaign across 42 communities along Western Santo. Transport in the region is extremely challenging: most villages are reachable by boat, while others require hours of walking through dense forest. “In Southwest Santo, we have to walk many hours to reach a community to implement an activity,” recalls Jessica Tau.
Dona Bune adds, “We carried out three rounds of awareness campaigns to make sure everyone clearly understood the logging ban.” In village after village, SSWEN members gathered entire communities to explain the stakes: why the forest mattered, what was lost when logging companies operated, and why collective action was essential.
Dona shared their central message: “It’s important because we know the forest sustains our lives. The forest gives us many things: oxygen, firewood, shelter, and the timber we use for our homes. When we take from the forest, we must also care for it, just as it cares for us.”
And Ella reinforced the long-term vision: “I know that if we protect our environment, we will help many species recover and return if they have disappeared. We will save all those endemic species for future generations.”
The campaign culminated in a major summit that brought together representatives from all 42 communities. They gathered in Wunpuko-Hokua, the very village that had suffered from past logging, so everyone could witness the impact firsthand. “At the summit we gathered all the women representatives from each community as well as the chiefs and the youth representatives of the area councils,” Dona recalls. “We organised a debate between supporters and opponents of logging. After that, all the representatives agreed the threat was real. We then signed an agreement to ban logging across all area councils. We all agreed to sign to ban logging and ensure it would never happen again.”
The campaign was an extraordinary success: representatives from all 42 communities in Western Santo signed a resolution banning logging, mining, and land sales across the region.
Richard Rojo, vice chairman of SSEN, reflects on the outcome: “The campaign led by the women was powerful. We now have the resources that make it very difficult for any logging company to convince people to cut down trees in Western Santo, especially in the Conservation Areas.”
Ella Bune expresses the pride shared across the network: “I was happy because I knew it would help our future and our community. Indigenous Peoples in Western Santo would be able to enjoy an easier life. I felt so happy and empowered to continue my activism.”
Beyond the logging ban, another transformation unfolded. The campaign had been led by women, women who had long been denied a voice in public life, and their leadership reached all the way to government levels.
Ella Bune expresses the pride shared across the network: “I was happy because I knew it would help our future and our community. Indigenous Peoples in Western Santo would be able to enjoy an easier life. I felt so happy and empowered to continue my activism.”
Beyond the logging ban, another transformation unfolded. The campaign had been led by women, women who had long been denied a voice in public life, and their leadership reached all the way to government levels.
We, the women from West Santo, felt that we were finally able to share our voices and reach the government level. This resolution empowered us, and we felt capable of making it happen. We used to think that only men could lead such things.
Jessica Tau describes this shift
With Indigenous Women leading awareness activities, safe spaces emerged for them to speak openly and share concerns. Leaders like Dona Bune became powerful role models.
“I worked hard and realised it was important to speak up and show my confidence so other Indigenous Women would feel inspired to join me,” she says.
Through this campaign, and through programmes addressing gender inequality, the Santo Sunset Women Environment Network has reshaped how women participate in community life. Indigenous Women in West Santo are now part of decision-making at many levels and increasingly confident to voice their opinions.
Ella Bune notes: “Indigenous Women are now part of decision-making. Thanks to the training, they are no longer afraid or ashamed to speak, and they have gained the confidence to speak to other local governing councils.” Richard Rojo adds, “The chiefs realised that men can talk but women have the same power to use their voice.”
Across Western Santo, women recognise the far-reaching impact of SSWEN’s work. It ensures a safer future, one where the forest remains protected and where women take their rightful place in shaping the community’s direction.
We are confident that the next generation will continue and strengthen the knowledge we have passed on.
Jessica Tau speaks for many
The Indigenous Women of Santo, through their dedication, organization, and courage, demonstrated that their voices are essential in decision-making processes that impact both their communities and their territories. By achieving a complete ban on logging in their region, they not only protected their natural environment but also cemented their role as leaders and defenders of environmental and social justice.
This achievement is a reflection of the transformative power of women when they are given the tools and space to lead. Through their bravery, the Women of West Santo have achieved much more than a victory in defending their natural resources; they have claimed their place in history as key agents of social and environmental change. Now, more than ever, the Indigenous Women of Vanuatu, and Indigenous Women worldwide, have a role model to follow, where the respect for their rights and participation in crucial decisions for their future is not only possible but essential.
The impacts of this movement are clear: Indigenous Women became environmental leaders, forming a new generation of trained Rangers who mediate with logging companies, monitor illegal activities, and advocate for conservation. Their authority and confidence expanded, challenging gender norms and inspiring young women to lead. Economically, new sustainable businesses reduced reliance on destructive industries, creating local income and reinforcing environmental protection. The Santo Sunset Women Environment Network (SSWEN) evolved into a recognized voice for Indigenous Women’s environmental leadership in Vanuatu. The chiefs’ public endorsement of the Logging Ban Resolution marked a shift in local governance, integrating Indigenous Women’s voices into traditional authority structures. This project inspired other NGOs and government agencies to collaborate with Indigenous Women leaders in disaster resilience and environmental governance. SSWEN’s model demonstrates that when Indigenous Women lead, environmental protection and community resilience both strengthen.
This milestone represents a significant advance in the fight for the rights of Indigenous Women and reaffirms that their leadership is not only valid but necessary for building a fairer and more balanced world. The communities of West Santo have shown the world that when Indigenous Women unite for a common purpose, there are no barriers they cannot overcome. Their example is an inspiration to all Indigenous Women around the world who fight for the defense of their rights and the protection of their territories, proving that their strength and determination can lead to concrete and sustainable changes for future generations.
