UNDP Hands Over New Space for Women Market Vendors in Port Vila

March 31, 2026

Photo of a group of people posing outside a building; some wear traditional attire and lanyards.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Rebuild Vanuatu Project has officially handed over a newly completed, dedicated space for women market vendors to the Port Vila City Council during a ceremony held at the Port Vila Central Market.

The handover marks the completion of the final activity under the Letter of Agreement between UNDP and the Port Vila City Council. The initiative forms part of wider support provided to restore essential public infrastructure and services following the December 2024 earthquake, which had a significant impact on livelihoods and community spaces across the Vanuatu capital.

Under the project, structural rehabilitation and selective demolition works were undertaken to ensure the safe reopening of the market proper in July 2025. The establishment of the dedicated space for women market vendors complements these efforts by providing a safe and comfortable space for women market vendors who work from the Central Market each day.

Interior of a narrow vehicle with black benches, orange floor, and gear at the far end. — A dedicated space for women market vendors.

UNDP

The space includes a fabricated container structure and purpose‑built furnishings, with its development made possible through close collaboration between the Port Vila City Council, the Port Vila Central Market Manager, and the Silae Vanua Markets Association, whose involvement ensured the space meets the needs of vendors who rely on the market for their daily income.

Port Vila Town Clerk, Avio Roberts, thanked UNDP for its assistance to the vendors.

“This project is not only for the recovery after the earthquake, but it is also about the dignity and welfare of the kids and their mothers while they are selling their products at the market,” he said.

UNDP Pacific Office Deputy Resident Representative, Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov, commended the ongoing partnership with local authorities, market leadership and staff, whose dedication has been central to strengthening community resilience and ensuring the continuity of public services.

Man in white shirt wearing a pink and yellow flower lei at an outdoor market. — UNDP Pacific Office Deputy Resident Representative, Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov.

UNDP

“The handover represents far more than the completion of an infrastructure project, it reflects our shared commitment to restoring safe, dignified and resilient public spaces for the people of Port Vila. This is a practical and meaningful investment in the wellbeing of women vendors who play a vital role in sustaining the market and the wider community.”

The establishment of this new space reflects UNDP’s broader support by integrating safe, gender‑responsive design into critical infrastructure, contributing to a more resilient and inclusive recovery.

For more information, please contact:

Ashna Kumar, Communications Associate | UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji | (E) Ashna.kumar@undp.org