This paper provides a case study of the role of social protection in a small island state in the
Pacific Ocean – analysing disparities in child well-being in the country of Vanuatu. The
paper is structured as follows: Part 2 provides details of the general social and economic
context of small island states in the Pacific and Vanuatu in particular; Part 3 discusses the
findings of a recent study of disparities in child well-being in Vanuatu; Part 4 assesses the
role of social protection in addressing these disparities; Part 5 concludes with a discussion of
the likely implications of these findings for other Pacific Island countries.