Review of Counselling Services in the Pacific

To better understand the nature and availability of counselling services for gender-based violence, a survey involving a self-assessment questionnaire was conducted to map counselling service providers across 14 Pacific Island countries. This was followed up with 47 key stakeholder interviews and nine focus group discussions. In-country consultations were also conducted in Fiji and Vanuatu. Fiji was selected because it has a wide range of counselling services and Vanuatu was selected as it provided an opportunity to review a model for delivering services across a dispersed island group.

The review identified 85 counselling service providers who are spread across the Pacific, with 35 per cent of them based in two of the 14 countries: Papua New Guinea and Fiji. One country, Niue, reported no counselling services for survivors of violence while there are only limited counselling services available in most other Pacific Island countries. The self-assessment questionnaire was sent to 77 providers, with 45 responding. Approximately half of the providers conduct skilled counselling, with the remainder providing basic counselling services.