Geography The Republic of Nauru comprises a single, remote raised coral island 40 kilometres south of the Equator, to the north west of the Gilbert group of islands (west Kiribati) (AusAID, 2004). In terms of distance from major commercial centres, it is about four and half hours flying time from Brisbane, Australia, and about three and a half hours from Nadi, Fiji.

The total area of Nauru is only 21 sq km (AusAID, 2004). Most settlement is on the narrow coastal strip that surrounds a central plateau rising to about 30 metres above sea level. It takes less than half an hour to drive the 19 kilometres of road that encircles the island. The interior plateau of ancient coral is porous, so there are no rivers or streams on the island, but fresh or brackish water can be pumped from underground ‘lenses’ at sea level.

Economic situation The issues of concern for children, youth and women in Nauru are determined largely by factors that affect the whole nation. Although relatively safe from natural hazards other than periodic drought, Nauru depends on trade, so is highly vulnerable to economic fluctuations and the interruption of essential services. Most of Nauru’s current challenges have arisen from recent declines in national incomes that have dramatically reduced capacity to maintain essential services and reduced household security. In order to fully appreciate the impact of these economic trends it is necessary to understand the recent history of Nauru.

Youth concerns The staff of the Department of Youth and Community Affairs and other youth group organisers consulted are well aware that unless there is expansion of employment and other opportunities for youth, their activities can bring only limited benefits to young people. ‘It’s as if the youth drop into a big hole when they reach the end of high school’ they said. ‘There’s very little for them’. This view was echoed time and again by many people consulted for this report. ‘I am very concerned that the future for my children is so bleak’ was a common theme among informants. At the heart of this problem is the scarcity of employment opportunities.

Unsurprisingly, lack of opportunity manifests as various socially unacceptable behaviours among youth. In Nauru, as elsewhere, some unemployed young people, both boys and girls, express their boredom and frustration by engaging in substance abuse and unsafe sex, and in extreme cases, vandalism, violence and petty crime. Some of these cases result in prosecutions, but it appears that many more go unreported. Sometimes residents themselves deal with the perpetrators. ‘Gangs’, which can be an important source of peer support, are widely perceived as associated with delinquent behaviour.

There are no reliable statistics to indicate whether problem behaviours among youth are more common in Nauru than elsewhere, but there is a perception in the community that they are increasing. More goods are being stolen, especially electronics and motorcycles. Some say that non-Nauruan shopkeepers are being coerced into purchasing stolen goods, but this is undocumented. Informants speculate that youths, and even children, account for four out of every five petty crimes. Perhaps more importantly, since they see little prospect of increasing opportunities for youth, most informants expect youth crime to continue or escalate.