Samoa National Policy for Gender Equality 2016 – 2020

Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 1 | P a g e Table of Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................................. 3 I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4 II. Policy Statement and Operating Principles......................................................................................... 7 III. Purpose of the Policy ......................................................................................................................... 8 IV. Policy Goal ....................................................................................................................................... 10 V. Policy Priority Outcomes .................................................................................................................. 10 Policy outcome 1: Safe families and communities ........................................................................... 10 Policy outcome 2: Healthy women and girls .................................................................................... 13 Policy outcome 3: Equal economic opporunities for women, young people and specific vulnerable groups .................................................................................. 15 Policy outcome4: Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision-making............................................................................................. 16 Policy outcome 5: Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curriculum............................................................................................. 17 Policy Outcome 6: Community resilience and climate change and disaster preparedness informed by gender sensitive information and approaches ............................................................................................. 18 Policy Outcome 7: Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality .................................................................................................... 18 VI. Strategic Plan of Action 2016–2021................................................................................................. 20 Policy outcome 1: Safe families and communities ....................................................................... 20 Policy outcome 2: Healthy women and girls................................................................................. 21 Policy outcome 3: Equal economic opportunities for women .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Policy outcome 4: Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision-making ......................................................................................... 22 Policy outcome 5: Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curricula ............................................................................................ 22 Policy outcome 6: Community resilience and climate change and disaster preparedness informed by gender sensitive information and approaches ......................................................................................... 22 Policy outcome 7: Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality ................................................................................................ 23 SAM OA NATI ONA L POLI CY FOR GEN DER EQU ALIT Y 2016 – 2020 Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 2 | P a g e VII. Institutional Arrangement for the Implementation, Coordination and Monitoring of the National Policy for Gender Equality .................................................................................................................................... 24 Annex 1. Alignment with the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2012–2016 ................................................................................................................................ 41 Annex 2. Glossary of terms relating to gender ..................................................................................... 42 Bibliography & References .................................................................................................................... 44 Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 3 | P a g e Foreword This policy is intended to the fullest extent possible, ensure a Samoa in which men, women, boys and girls are able to lead the best lives they can. It acknowledges and recognizes that Gender Equality and Equity are requisites to achieving the goals for the Strategy for the Development of Samoa and 2030 Sustainable Goals agenda and aspirations. We have come to understand that gender is about socially constructed roles of both women and men and the inter-connectedness of these relations in any given society. Thus, the formulation of the Gender Equality & Advancement of Women Policy is timely and apt as it provides us with a roadmap which confirms national development priorities that reflect the concerns and challenges faced by women and girls as well as men and boys at all levels. The policy identifies the critical areas of support and attention of all sectors of government, village based groups, civil society partners, development partner agencies, activist individuals, various target groups of women and men, in order to be effectively implemented. This framework will also, inform the development of gender-sensitive legislation, government policies and resource mobilization to ensure resources are directed towards those who need it the most. The policy was formulated around the fundamental principles of human rights where; everyone, regardless of gender, disability, race, status, sexual orientation and age; has the right to work of equal pay and value, the right to support themselves, and to live in peace without the fear of abuse or violence’. Therefore the main policy areas focus on ; Peaceful families and Communities; Healthy women and girls; Equal economic opportunities for women; increased access to education; enhanced gender equality approaches to community resilience and disaster preparedness and enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality. Application of the equity concept throughout the policy is also a necessary step towards addressing the many other complex challenges and experiences women, men, girls, and boys face. The MWCSD believes that this policy is a key strategic tool that will assist with the ongoing efforts towards transforming gender relations that will benefit both men and women alike. It is also about ensuring that gender equality in the context of development within the Samoan context is recognizing the influence and synergies across the work of other vulnerable groups such as children, youth, persons with disabilities, elderly and sexual orientation/identity. Where we can make and influence the decisions about where our resources are invested - only then do we have a realistic chance of addressing violence against women and girls or the increasing at risk behaviours of boys, build their resilience to economic Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 4 | P a g e pressures, to climate change and disaster, achieving better health and education outcomes for half our world. I would like to acknowledgethe commitment of the SPC Head of the Gender Division and her team in conducting an independent review of the National Policy for the Advancement of Women 2010 – 2015 and supporting the MWCSD from the very beginning right up to the end, indeveloping the new policy based on the review findings . Lastly, our faamalo and faafetai to all our national stakeholders including the village women representatives who had contributed to through various consultations to put together this product. We are very conscious of the many challenges that we will face in implementing the different policy agenda, however, we are confident that through a FaaSamoa specific approach, proactive, trustworthy partnership approach with all stakeholders and building on good practice and lessons learnt from the previous National Women‟s Policy 2010 – 2015, progress will happen and we will deliver impact oriented results for our people. With Best Wishes, Honourable Faimalotoa Kika Stowers Minister for Women, Community & Social Development. I. Introduction In the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2016/17 – 2019/20 –our government committed to “improve quality of life for all”. In order to achieve this, the government has given priority to the mainstreaming of gender, children,youth and disability in policy development. At the sector level, the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD), the lead agency for the development of the Community Sector Plan 1 , has the vision of “Communities to lead inclusive development to ensure quality of life for all”, which clearly cannot be achieved without the full engagement of women. Thus, there is a need to undertake specific policy actions to address inequality and inequity issues through better investment, coordination, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, todevelop gender- and human rights-based approach that is relevant to the context of Samoa. 1 There are 14 sector plans under the Government of Samoa. These sector plans contribute to the overall achievement of the Samoa Sustainable Development Strategy. The Community Sector Plan is one of these 14 sector plans. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 5 | P a g e The MWCSD is finalizing the development of anAll-inclusive Community Development Policy, a Village Governance Strategy, Community Integrated Management and Development Plans, and the Community Sector Plan Monitoring & Evaluation Framework 2016–2021, all of which will inform and influence the strategic basis for coordination and implementation of the Gender Equality Policy. All policies and strategies under the MWCSD including the National Gender Equality Policy is strongly aligned to the priority areas and strategies under the Community Sector Plan 2016 – 2021. It is the Ministry’s hope that the Community Development Policy will provide the roadmap for legislative, policy reform and program implementation for addressing the specific needs of women, persons with disabilities, elderly, youth, children and vulnerable groups at the community level. Figure 1 shows the relationship between the Community Sector Plan and the Samoa National Policy for Gender Equality outcome areas. The Government of Samoa recognizes that gender equality is intrinsic to achieving goals for sustainable social and economic development. This is particularly noted as our government strongly aligns itself to the 2014 Small Island Development States S.A.M.O.A. 2 Pathway agreement, where heads of state called for “freedom, peace and security, respect for all human rights, including the right to development and the right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food, the rule of law, gender equality, women’s empowerment, reducing inequalities and the overall commitment to just and democratic societies for development.” The Government of Samoa ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1992: the first PIC to do so; and has reported to the UN CEDAW Committee twice and is currently preparing its Fifth periodic report. In addition to its global gender commitments, the government has aligned policies and Programmes with the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) and the Revised Pacific Platform for the Advancement of Women (RPPA). In 2015, the Government of Samoa committed itself with the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The National Policy for Gender Equality 2 SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 6 | P a g e 2016–2020 provides a national framework to implement our government’s commitment to gender equality. Figure 1: Linking the Samoa National Policy for Gender Equality 2016-2010 to the Community Sector Plan 2016-2021 The Government of Samoa ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1992, and has reported to the UN CEDAW Committee four times since then. In line with global gender commitments the government also aligns itself with the Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 7 | P a g e Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED) and the Revised Pacific Platform for the Advancement of Women (RPPA) and the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action. In 2015, the Government of Samoa aligned itself with the Sustainable Development Goals,including Goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The National Policy for Gender Equality 2016–2021 provides a national framework to implement our government’s commitment to gender equality. What do we mean by gender equality or equality between women and men? Gender equality refers to the equal rights (aia tutusa), responsibilities (matāfaioi) and opportunities (avanoa) of women and men and girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same, but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. Equality between women and men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centred development. (OSAGI 2001) II. Policy Statement and Operating Principles The National Policy for Gender Equality 2016 -2021 recognizes that women and men are equal partners in the development of Samoa. Our national gender policy is guided by key universal global and national human rights principles:  Recognition of fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,  All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights  Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 8 | P a g e religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.  Recognition of the Faa Samoa context; that is the strength of the family unit as the main and immediate institution which influences a person’s life in all aspects of development, whether it be in prevention or ending violence, economic empowerment and so forth.  Recognition of gender inequalities, and the strong role fa’asamoa and religious norms/valuescan play in bridging this gap;  Respect for religious beliefs and the institution of the church and its grounding principles of peace,love, respect and equality;  Protection of the human rights of women and girls of all ages, physical conditions, locations, marital status and sexual orientation, and the inclusion of all women in government programmes and policies;  Recognition and appreciation of values such as self reliant, cooperative spirit and diligence;  Acknowledgement of the importance of partnerships between different sectors of government with non government organizations, community-based organizations, civil society,faith-based organizations, individual stakeholders and the private sector;  Acknowledgement of Samoa’s international and regional commitments on gender equality and human rights. III. Purpose of the Policy Thefirst National Policy for Women of Samoa 2010–2015 was endorsed by the governmentin 2009. The policy areas included building an institutional mechanism for the advancement of women and girls; reducing violence against women and girls; ensuring better health and sustainable economic independence for women; and increasing participation of women in public life and decision-making. An internal review ofthe national policy for women found that despite a 64% completion rate and progress made at policy and programme levels, the policy areas still remained very relevant to advancing gender equality in Samoa. 3 For instance, 3 Review of the National Women’s Policy 2010 – 2015 by SPC & MWCSD Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 9 | P a g e accessing timely and affordable healthcare for women especially in the rural areas is an ongoing issue. Gender-based violence often leading to non-consensual sex for women is still a concern andis associated with risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV. 4 Furthermore, the same survey showed;  Married women aged 15–49 have much lower participation in economic work than married men in the same age group. Only 28%of these women were employed at the time of the survey compared to 70% of the men.  Empowerment and autonomy in decision-making are closely related to education level. Eighty-one percent of women with more than secondary school level education were able to participate in decision making 5 compared to women with less education attainment.  There is still a considerable level of acceptance of domestic violence even among women themselves. Almost four-out-of-ten women, 37%, agree that ‘wife beating’ can be justified. The purpose of this policy is to provide a comprehensive framework for accelerating and enhancing gender equality and the well-being of women in Samoa. It is clear from the review of the 2010 – 2015 policy that there is still much work that needs to be done to addressgender inequality and inequities in Samoa. Therefore, the policy will inform the development of gender-sensitive legislation and government policies. It reflects the priorities and concerns of all women and girls and thus identifies the key priority areas for the Government of Samoa. We highly recognise that gender is not just about women, it explores the social constructed roles of men and the inter- connectedness of the relationships between men and women. Therefore, this policy is framed in a country specific context (Samoan context) in the sense that, when we talk about gender equality and development, the issue of men and boys is critical in setting our course towards equality from a gender perspective. It is therefore very culturally appropriate that this policy is designed in a way that acknowledges and recognises the cross cutting influence that other groups namely; children, men, youth, senior citizens, 4 Samoa Bureau of Statistics, 2014.Demographic Health Survey. 5 Decision-making areas assessed for the survey were: healthcare, making large household purchases, household purchases for daily needs and visiting family and friends. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 10 | P a g e persons with disabilities, faafafine/sexual orientation and other gender relation groups have in achieving the outcomes of this policy including advancement of women. In communities/villages the basic social unit of organization is the family inclusive of men, women, children, young persons, PWDs or at a broader level. Thus, services delivered have to be geared towards supporting that entity building on its strengths, rather than imposing structures which risk non sustainability of results (CEO MWCSD 2016, Community Sector Plan). Thus, it requires the support and attention of all sectors of government and our civil society partners in order to be effectively implemented. . IV. Policy Goal All women and girls have equal access to opportunities that guarantee their full participation in, and benefit from, the sustainable development of Samoa. This policy goal is consistent with the overall goal of the SDS which is ‘improved quality of life for all’ and the vision of the Community Development Plan, ‘empowering communities for sustainable community development’. V. Policy Priority Outcomes The National Policy for Gender Equality 2016–2021 contains fivebroadpriority outcomes: 1. Safe Families and communities including ending violence against women and children; 2. Healthy women and girls; 3. Equal economic opportunities for women; 4. Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision-making 5. Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curriculum. 6. Enhanced gender equality approaches to community resilience and disaster preparedness 7. Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality. Policy outcome 1: Safe families and communities Objectives:  To foster a society where men and women live in safe, respectful relationships and conflicts are resolved peacefully. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 11 | P a g e  To focus on preventionand responsesystems toall forms of violence as well as service delivery to survivors and perpetuators of domestic violence. The World Health Organization defines „violence’ as the “intentional use of physical force of power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal development or deprivation. 6 ” Despite the existence of Samoa‟s traditional structures and safety nets, domestic violence was highlighted as an issue of national concern in The Samoa Family Health and Safety Study 7 . The study provided found the following figures alarming rates: 46% of women in Samoa aged 15 to 49 who have been in a relationship, reported experiencing physical and/or emotional and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner 8 ; 38% of women reported experiencing physical abuse, 18.6 percent reported experiencing emotional abuse and 19.6 %reported experiencing sexual abuse 9 ; 53.7% of respondents had never told anyone about the abuse until the survey 10 ; 64.7% had experienced some form of abuse by someone other than their partner 11 ; 14.9% of women who had experienced partner abuse reported that they had thought of committing suicide 12 . Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Gender-based violence impacts on the sexual and reproductive health of victims, causingforced and unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, mental trauma and even death. A total of 175 domestic violence caseswere reported to the Ministry of Police 13 from July 2014 to March 2015 14 . The number of sexual 6 Krug et al. “World Report on Violence and Health”, World Health Organization, 2002 7 Secretariat of the Pacific Community and UNFPA, The Samoa Family Health and Safety Study (2006) 8 Secretariat of the Pacific Community and UNFPA, The Samoa Family Health and Safety Study, above n 1.3(2006) 9 Ibid 14 10 Ibid 41 11 Ibid 48 12 Ibid 22 13 Ministry of Police Database statistics only. 14 Data obtained from the Ministry of Police Database for July 2014 – March 2015 Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 12 | P a g e violence cases reported to the Ministry of Policy increased from 101 in Financial Year 2012/2013 to 118 in Financial Year2013/2014. The increase in reported cases could mean that awareness-raising efforts around gender-based violence areworking and Samoans are becoming empowered to report these crimes. Awareness of gender-based violence has increased in recent years, due to the advocacy efforts of the MWCSD, government partners, non-governmental organizations and civil society partners; however it remains a serious concern 15 . Many interventions have provided crisis response and counseling support for the victims of violence, and recent legislation has made domestic violence a criminal offence and has provided for protection orders for victims. Data provided by the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration indicates that from 2015, a total number of 625 women applied for protection orders.While support for victimsand advocacy need to continue, there should be a renewed emphasis on the prevention of violence, so that women and girls can live in safety. Primary prevention is about addressing the underlying causes of violence against women and girls. Lessons learnt from community outreach programmes 16 indicatethat prevention can be effectively addressed through cultural and social practices,creating violence free homes for safer communities in line with the „a maluifale, maluifafo‟ 17 concept. Programmes need to be customized to suit target audiences such as men and boys, parents, women, children, young people and people with disabilities. 18 A multi-sectoral approach should be designed to also ensure a consistency in messaging. We recognize the support of the churches and encourage their proactive engagement in preaching the elimination of 15 Ministry of Women : Samoa Status of Women CEDAW Report 2012 16 Ministry of Women: Monitoring and Evaluation stories collected from mothers and daughters, women and husbands workshops 17 Samoan proverb which means; if you are safe in your home, you should also feel safe in the community or village” or Protection starts in the home and extends outside of the home as well. 18 UN Women, Handbook on National Plans of Action on Violence Against Women, 2014, http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on violence-against-women http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 13 | P a g e violence in all its forms (interpersonal violence 19 ) including gender-based violence, as they are influential in guidingthe attitudes and practices of our people. Policy outcome 2: Healthy women and girls Objectives:  To promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce women’s risk for NCDs.  To develop comprehensive sex education programmes to reduce teenage pregnancies and improve women’s sexual and reproductive health. Despite the provision of healthcare services by government, the private sector and non-government organizations, women’s health continues to be an area of concern 20 . Issues include women’s sexual and reproductive health, teenage pregnancy, maternal health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).Although healthcare services are widespread in Samoa, access often poses a problem. Seventy-eight percent of women surveyed in the 2014 DHS cited the availability of drugs as a barrier to accessing timely healthcare; whilst 66% of women surveyed said finding a female medical provider was a big issue. Half of all women surveyed highlighted money as another barrier to seeking healthcare, as distance to the nearest healthcare provider meant transport costs. The ability to make one’s own choices in life is critical to women’s empowerment. The 2014 DHS 21 found a positive relationship between use of contraception and a woman’s participation in decision-making in the household: contraceptive use rose from 19%of women who did not participate in decision-making to 27% each among women who participated in one or two household decisions and three household decisions respectively. The DHS also found a strong preference amongst married men and women to control the 19 interpersonal violence’ which is violence that occurs between family members, intimate partners, friends, acquaintances, and strangers and includes child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence and elder abuse 19 .Violence in the Western Pacific Region” World Health Organization, 2014. 20 Review of the National Policy for Women 2010 – 2015 21 Samoa Bureau of Statistics, 2014. Demographic Health Survey. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 14 | P a g e timing and number of births. However, the desire to limit childbearing was strongly related to their education level.Birth to teenage mothers has been found to have the highest infant and child mortality rates in Samoa. Statistics from the 2014 DHS show that 2% of 16-year-old women and 26% of 19-year-old women are mothers. In a survey carried out by UNESCO in 2012 in Samoa, school principals, teachers, students and parents overwhelmingly agreedthat a more comprehensive sex education model needs to be developed, with proper training for teachers and appropriate resources. NCD is a major issue for Samoans and particularly for women. The 2014 DHS found that 25% of women were classified as overweight and 57% ofthose women were in the obese category. Excessive weight presents a public health issue in Samoa as it can lead to diabetes and other NCDs. Maternal obesity also increases the risk of pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 15 | P a g e Policy outcome 3: Equaleconomic opportunities for women, young people and specific vulnerable groups Objective:  To reduce the economic vulnerability of women, young people’s and specific vulnerable groups through support for entrepreneurship and pathways to jobs..  Support skills development for vulnerable populations including women and young people through TVET 22 learning opportunities Women’s economic empowerment is defined as women having the power to advance economically and the power to control and make decisions in relation to economic resources and the benefits derived from them. When women gain economic advancement, they develop the ability to make decisions on issues affecting them. At the same time, when women gain power and develop agency (ability) to make choices, they advance economically. 23 According to the 2014DHS, women make a significant contribution to Samoa’s socio-economic development. For instance, rural women are reported to have more cash earnings than their husbands (but it was noted that rural mentend to work more on family farms or at family businesses).In addition to cash earnings, there has beenremarkable progress in women’s empowerment in terms of decision-making on the use of both the woman’s earnings and those of her husband. In 2009 71% of husbands gave their wives cash control, compared to 89% in 2014. However, the DHS also revealed that women aged 15–49 have a much lower participation in economic work then men in the same group, with only 28% of women in this group employed at the time of the survey or in the 12 months preceding the survey, compared to 70% of the men. So despite earning more cash than men, Samoan women are finding it harder to participate in the economic sphere. In the 2011 Population and Housing Census, employment trends also revealed a similar scenario,withonly 12,222 Samoan women employed in the public sector compared to 32,939 men. Another study in 2012 showed that women who are engaged in economic activities face the challenge of balancing this role withtheir social and family obligations. The close-knit structure of Samoan society brings with it many societal obligations, particularly to the village and church. 24 Samoa continues to developgreater links with high-income countries’ labour markets through permanent and seasonal migration (temporary labour migration). Migration provides access to higher paid work opportunities, and can be a riskmanagement strategy. Migration of some family members increases Samoan households’ consumption via remittances, and reduces poverty. 25 Despite the positive economic benefits of seasonal migration on Samoan families, negative 22 TVET – Technical Vocational Education and Training 23 Golla, A.M. et.al. 2011. Understanding and Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment. International Centre for Research on Women 24 Australian Aid, 2012. Samoa Country Case Study: AusAID Pacific social protection series: poverty, vulnerability and social protection in the Pacific. Canberra. 25 ibid Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 16 | P a g e effects include loneliness, depression, irregular contact with partners/spouses whilst overseas including difficulty in child rearing due to the absence of a parent and family break-ups. In Samoa, 80% of the private sector is comprised of micro-businesses, and women are estimated to head over 40% of them.There have been numerous micro-credit initiatives in recent years provided by different partners, with varying degrees of success. Supporting children in vulnerable or living in difficult circumstances such as girls and boys that vend is critical to achieving gender equality. Understanding the complexities of why children vend in support of their family livelihood from a gender perspective is important and can also be addressed under this priority outcome. It is our understanding that supporting women and children who vend into other sustainable income generating alternatives fits nicely under here. The National Policy for Children 2010-2015 highlighted the fact that “child vendors continue to be seen operating day and night around central Apia” (p. 9). These concerns are exemplified through numerous other publications that have been released over recent years, including the MWCSD Child Vendors Pilot Survey (2005). The Government, NGOs, CSOs and all citizens have a duty to address this issue. It is important that we connect with this real issue on a holistic level. Although there are many people who should, could and will support this initiative, we have a responsibility to this child and others like him to ensure that he does not experience judgment and condemnation. 26 Policy outcome4: Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision making Objectives:  To increase the representation of women in public life and decision-making.  To increase the participation of women in family, village and church decision-making. Women’s participation in public decision-making is low in Samoa and women are poorly represented in parliament, on boards of state-owned enterprises, and in leadership at the village level, in churches, and in the private sector.At the community level, due to traditional stereotypes and cultural attitudes, women lack confidence and self-esteem to assume decision-making responsibilities, and community attitudes may constrain women from participating. According to the Women: Matai and Leadership survey 27 conducted by the MWCSD and reiterated in the findings of the NUS Political representation and Women’s Empowerment in Samoa 28 , the traditional village government system in Samoa presents significant barriers that limit women’s access to and participation in decision-making forums such as local councils, church leadership, school management and community-based organizations.Furthermore, the study also noted that 19 villages do not allow women to take matai titles on the grounds of tradition, contrary to the Constitution of Samoa.However, of the villages which do allow women to sit in the village council meetings (villages where women have taken on chief titles), 69% reported that women actually sit in and participate in the meetings. This is a positive reflection of women engaged in decision making 26 MWCSD 2016 : Supporting Vulnerable Children Initiative 27 Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development; 2013: ‘Women: matai and leadership ‘Survey 28 National University of Samoa: 2015 NUS Political representation and Women’s Empowerment in Samoa Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 17 | P a g e meetings as part of the village council. The methodologies these women use to get involved at this level can be used as to develop ‘Leadership tools/strategies’ to encourage more women with chief titles to be involved in village development matters through their chiefly titles. It is clear that entrenched attitudes to women’s roles in public life and decision-making area barrier to advancing gender equality. Addressing this issue will require a programme of education and training for both men and women from a young age, to teach the value of the full participation of women in leadership roles. Policy outcome 5: Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curriculum. Objective:  To support access and participation in schools through the production of gender sensitive information  To support the review and gender analysis of education curricula and resources Global literature acknowledges that women who have higher levels of education benefit in many ways: they tend to receive higher outcomes; have a better standard of living; have fewer, better education and more well-nourished children and make more use of the health services for their families and themselves than do women with lower education levels. 29 Samoan girls have equal access to education at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary. There is growing concern about the education of boys in Samoa. Boys are over‐represented in literacy and numeracy at risk categories and in dropout rates at both primary and secondary levels. The trend of girls outnumbering boys at secondary school has been evident since 1996 and it is still continuing. Some strategies to address this gender issue include engaging the most appropriate teaching methods and relevant curriculum material in the Samoan education system to promote effective learning by girls and boys and well as the support of the wider community in encouraging the education of boys. 30 Despite these gender issues in the education sector in Samoa, limited research has been carried out to address these trends. Under the Community Sector Plan 2016 – 2021 through the National Gender Equality Policy 2016 – 2020, the MWCSD will support the production of gender sensitive information to address these gender issues in the education sector 29 Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 2012.Progressing gender equality through education and training. Women’s access to services – education. A regional overview. Noumea, New Caledonia. 30 Ministry for Education, Sports and Culture and UNESCO, 2015. The Samoa Education for All 2015 National Review. Apia Policy Outcome 6: Community resilience and climate change and disaster preparedness informed by gender sensitive information and approaches Objective:  To ensure government responses to community climate resilience and disaster preparedness programmes are informed by gender sensitive information and strategies Women play an important role in natural resource management and food security in the Pacific. As users of land and marine resources, women possess critical knowledge and skills relating to use and preservation of these resources. Food security in Samoa is associated with local and traditional agriculture and marine resources. Today, food security issues in Samoa is impacted by climate change and natural disasters, among other issues, which in turn has resulted in the increase of food importation, and shifts away from traditional and subsistence (food) production systems. Given its vulnerability, the Government of Samoa is vigorously pursuing the implementation of climate resilience projects across key sectors to ensure Samoan communities are protected. The Ministry for Women, Community and Social Development with its specific mandate to community development and protection, gender equality and women’s empowerment is an important government partner. Under the Community Sector Plan 2016 – 2021 through the Gender Equality Policy 2016-2020, the Ministry seeks to ensure government responses to community resilience, climate change and natural disaster preparedness takes into consideration gender equality dimensions and recognises the role of women in preservation and use of natural resources. Policy Outcome 7: Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality While there have been efforts at integrating women’s concerns into some sector policies, plans and processes, there is considerable room for improvement. Gender mainstreaming 31 across government is thus a major focus of this policy outcome, including data collection and analysis, and legislative review. The MWCSD undertook an assessment of the government’s capacity to mainstream gender in 2014. Findings showed a number of existing supports for gender mainstreaming in Samoa that can be built on and enhanced to increase and improve government efforts at mainstreaming. These existing supports include the availability of lessons learnt from gender programmes from a range of different development partners; the existence of mechanisms to coordinate the work of government across sectors; the network of women’s leaders in the public service; openness to the concept of gender mainstreaming among most staff in government agencies and state-owned enterprises; the existence of the village women representatives system; and a committed ministry responsible for gender equality and women’s empowerment. 31 See Annex 2 for definition of gender mainstreaming. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 19 | P a g e As the government continues to exercise a ‘whole of government’ approach, where it looks to amplify results and minimize resource pressures, key policy initiatives that are inclusive of gender equality and aim to eliminate violence against women and girls are gradually being introduced at the sector level. Whilst the sector level is a critical entry point for gender mainstreaming, not all sector plans are complete. Some sector plans reference gender as a development consideration, however there is a lack of gender analysis and there are no clear strategies for how gender issues can be addressed. During the life of the National Policy for Gender Equality, it is anticipated that the MWCSD will move increasingly towards a role of policy advice, regulation, monitoring and coordination and away from its original role of service and programme delivery, as is the trend with other ministries in Samoa. The MWCSDcan enhance and expand its facilitative role by bringing in other partners to implement programmes. This is also consistent with the global trend away from a ‘Women in Development’ (WID) approach to a ‘gender and Development’ (GAD) approach 32 . There are clear entry points for gender mainstreaming within the Government of Samoa. However, a number of strategies are required to ensure a sustainable institutional mechanism to support gender equality. These include: ensuring the CEDAW ‘Concluding Comments’ are implemented and monitored; giving the MWCSD the required technical support to provide gender analysis within their mandate; enhancing accountability mechanisms within government to enable gender analysis and mainstreaming to take place; and prioritizing the financing of gender mainstreaming. Objectives: • To strengthen existing entry points and accountability mechanisms for gender mainstreaming across government. • To enhance data collection, policy analysis and research to better inform policy and programming. • To provide a legislative framework that complies with CEDAW and other related human rights conventions. 32 See Annex 2 for definitions. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 20 | P a g e VI. Strategic Plan of Action 2016–2021 The 5-year Strategic Plan of Action describessummarises actionsrequired to achieve the outcomes of the National Policy for Gender Equality 2016–2021. The broad strategies of this action plan include the following:  Sensitization and training on gender issues at all levels;  Putting in place mechanisms to enable policy dissemination, communication and implementation by all sections of society;  Ensuring ownership of the policy by promoting public education and creating awareness of the responsibility of all stakeholders to address the specific gender concerns within their sector or jurisdiction;  Establishing a system of gender-based and disaggregated data collection and analysis in relation to all sectors;  Promoting women’s economic empowerment as key to sustainable development;  Establishing gender-responsive implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for development within government and other agencies;  Advocating for gender equity at all levels;  Promoting the use of gender-sensitive and gender-inclusive language in legislation, government documents and educational materials. Policy outcome 1: Safe families and communities Strategic actions: 1. Conduct a follow-up to the 2000 Samoa Family Health and Safety Survey 2. Develop and implement Strategy for Ending Violence  (i.e. Prevention & Public Awareness Strategy)  CSOs) that have a focus on women’s human rights and ending violence against women and girls  Mobilize communities to foster a culture of ‘zero tolerance’ for violence against women and girls, including working with matai and other community leaders. 3. Establish End Violence Taskforce. 4. Develop and Implement Interagency Response System  Victim Response Policy/strategy  Rehabilitation & Reintegration Policy/Strategy 5. Develop Child Protection and Safety Policies underpinning Child Protection and Safety Bill 2016. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 21 | P a g e Policy outcome 2: Healthy women and girls Strategic actions: 6. Enhance the role of Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu (STN),Sui o Nuu, Sui TupulagaTalavou, church, women’s committees and village councils as lead facilitators of health and sanitation at the village level through gender sensitive information and gender training on health issues relating to women and girls. 7. Strengthen efforts in implementation and monitoring of the Aiga ma NuuManuia Programme. 8. In partnership with the Ministry ofHealth and the STN, put in place provisions for NCD screening, management, treatment and education within maternal and child health service providers/clinics. 9. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the STN, put in place support and training opportunities for home health caregivers, to enhance work currently undertaken by women. Policy outcome 3: Equaleconomic opportunities for women Strategic actions: 10. Conductan evaluationof micro-credit initiatives to assess sustainability, best practices and impact on alleviation of economic hardship. 11. Develop and maintain a database of women entrepreneurs to support monitoring of women’s progress in the formal and informal economic sphere. 12. Convene a women’s commercial exhibition and awards (fine mats, handicrafts etc.). 13. Continue community outreach programmes in skills development with more focus on business/budgeting skills. Engage in macro-economic policy dialogue to ensure women’s concerns and gender issues are taken into account during trade talks at regional and international levels. 15. Undertake research on women and the informal economy in Samoa, and disseminate findings to raise awareness and inform other areas of work. 16. Build on existing networks to provide mentoring to women entrepreneurs and those engaged in the informal sector. 17. Strengthen links with the private sector to support women in business through training and capacity building. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 22 | P a g e Policy outcome 4: Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision-making Strategic actions: Undertake community-level advocacy to encourage women’s engagement in village planning and decision-making. Support and implement leadership and capacity-building initiatives for young women in schools and out of school. 20. Continuethe Breakthrough initiatives and Community Conversations programme. 21. Conduct a media campaign around women’s role in decision-making. 22. Amend the Village Fono Act 1990 to enable women to actively participate in village councils 23. Strengthen partnerships with faith-based organizations to advocate and support women’s participation and representation in leadership roles in all spheres of public life. Policy outcome 5: Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curricula Strategic Actions: 24. Conduct a gender analysis of education in Samoa which includes, issues relating to access to and participation in the education system 25. Conduct a gender analysis and review of education curricula used in the Samoa education system 26. Raise awareness of the findings of actions 26 & 27 and support incorporation of recommendations through collaboration with the ministry responsible for the education mandate Policy outcome 6: Community resilience and climate change and disaster preparedness informed by gender sensitive information and approaches Strategic Actions: 27. Develop gender sensitive information specific to Samoa context on climate change, disaster preparedness and community resilience, including recommendations for gender analysis tools to be used when undertaking climate change/disaster preparedness programmes in communities 28. Support the development and use of sex disaggregated data to inform government policies and strategies around community resilience, climate change and disaster preparedness Policy outcome 7: Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality Strategic actions: 29. MWCSDto work with partners to provide training and support on gender mainstreaming to ministries and other groups. 30. Strengthen MWCSD’s technical capacity to drive gender equality. 31. Improve collection, analysis and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data across government and CSOs. 32. Complete the gender statistical framework with the Bureau of Statistics. 33. Undertake research intoemerging issues affecting women and girls. 34. Lobby for Legislative Amendments in line with findings of the CEDAW legislative compliance. 35. Develop a mechanism in the MWCSD for gradually outsourcing some training activities to CSOs and conducting a pilot to test the mechanism Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 24 | P a g e VII. Institutional Arrangement for the Implementation, Coordination and Monitoring of the National Policy for Gender Equality This policy recognizes that the MWCSD (as the national focal point for gender equality )has the primary responsibility for mainstreaming gender equity and social inclusion across public and private sectors. While there have been efforts to integrate women’s concerns in some sector policies, plans and processes, the review of the previous National Women’s Policy stated “there is considerable room for improvement in this area, even within the different divisions of the MWCSD”. Activities will be implemented with the intent to build capacity of key institutional and community stakeholders in gender analysis, programme design and M&E in order to effectively implement the new Community Sector Plan and the National Policy on Gender Equality. This will involve a combination of training, awarenessraising, communications, and research and data collection initiatives. It is expected that work in this area will become even more critical following the upcoming restructuring process as some staff may be required to take on new or additional gender responsibilities 33 . 33 Samoa Women Shaping Development Annual Work Plan 2016. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 25 | P a g e Plan of Action Matrix 2016 – 2021 OUTCOMES OUTPUTS Activity INDICATORS RESPONSIBLE AGENCY YEAR OF IMPLEMENTA TION Verification Sources Strengthen individual, family and village safety from all forms of violence and abuse 1. Follow up2016 implemented 1.1 Recruit Local TA to conduct the Survey 1.1.1 Establish the Social Development Committee who will act as the Steering Committee to oversee the Family Safety Survey 1.1.2 By August 2017, the Family Health & Safety Survey report is endorsed by Cabinet published and launched through a public forum. TOR & Contract signed between the Local Consultancy Firm and MWCSD Social Development Committee meetings Report Endorsed with Findings published MWCSD (SD) MWCSD (SD) MWCSD (SD) 2016 – 2017 2016 - 2021 Copy of Contract & TOR Minutes available Publication available Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 26 | P a g e 2.completed and endorsed for action 1.1 By January 2017 the Ending Violence Strategy is endorsed by Cabinet and disseminated to stakeholders. 1.2 incorporates findings of the FHSS in the strategy once report is completed. Strategy is endorsed MWCSD 2017 Strategy printed and made available to stakeholders 3. Public Awareness / IEC Plan on Ending Violence in Samoa completed. 1.3 By January 2017 the Public Awareness / IEC Plan endorsed and implemented IEC Plan endorsed by Social Development Committee & MWCSD MWCSD 2017 IEC Plan printed and minutes available of endorsement 4. Ending Violence Taskforce established. 1.4 Engage with stakeholders on implementation of the Ending violence strategy through the Conduct of at least 4 meetings for members of the Taskforce TOR developed for Group MWCSD 2017 Minutes & reports on the work of the group available Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 27 | P a g e 5.Interagency Response System activated 1.5 Engage with Ending Violence Taskforce & other key stakeholders on the formulation of an interagency response system that looks at  Victim Response processes & programs  Victim Rehabilitation & Reintegration Processes & programs  Perpetuator / offender rehabilitation & reintegration programs Intimate partner physical and sexual violence > 15 years disaggregated by sex, age and other characteristics Non partner physical and sexual violence > 15 years disaggregated by sex, age and other characteristics Child sexual violence reported before the age of 15 (disaggregated by age, sex and other characteristics) Number of GBV survivors reported through Health care system Number of survivors accessing counseling /rehabilitation services Number of protection orders issued by court (disaggregated by sex and age) MWCSD, Ministry of Police, Ministry of Justice, Ministry Of Health/NHS, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Prisons 2017 Forms / Templates to support process available Administrative data / reports from Service providers under the interagency referral system Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 28 | P a g e 6. Child Protection and Safety PoliciesDeveloped underpinning Child Protection and Safety Bill 2016. 5.1Develop an Issues paper on ‘ Samoa specific welfare system for care of at risk children’ 5.2 support the processes for Cabinet endorsement of the Issues paper in 5.1 5.3 Re draft the child policy & Bill in relation to the recommendations from Cabinet 5.4 Submit for Cabinet endorsement and Parliament passage of revised policy and Child Bill 5.5 Support Parliamentary processes for safe passage of the Child Bill 5. Support the implementation of the Child legislation once enacted. Issues Paper submitted for Cabinet discussion and recommendation. Child Policy & Bill submitted to Cabinet Bill tabled for first reading in Parliament MWCSDAnd partners under the National Council on the CRC 2017 - 2018 Forms / Templates to support process available Administrative data / reports from Service providers under the interagency referral system Parliament Agenda Notes Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 29 | P a g e Improve Health and wellbeing of families, women and girls. 7. Enhance the role of Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu (STN),Sui o Nuu, church, women’s committees and village councils as lead facilitators of health and sanitation at the village level through gender sensitive information and gender training on health issues relating to women and girls. 8. Strengthen efforts in implementation and monitoring of the Aiga ma Nuu Manuia Programme. 9. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the STN, put in place provisions for NCD screening, management, treatment and education within maternal and child health service providers/clinics. 10. In partnership with the Health providers, community support groups and the STN, put in place support and training 2.1 Support Capacity Development opportunities/trainings for STNs, village women’s committees and community leaders on primary care health promotion 2.2 Conduct the review of the Aiga ma Nu’u Manuia program by end of December 2017 2.2.2 Conduct NBP inspections every quarter & analysis of ANM from STN reports; 2.3 No less than 21 villages supported for MOH PEN Fa’aSamoa 2.4 Support delivery of community based services on SRH for young people and women to increase accessibility to SRH information / services Number of trainings on hygiene and sanitation and other health promotion indicators for STN, women’s committees and community leaders Number of STN and community leaders trained on hygiene and sanitation, by sex Review conducted and report shared with Community Sector Health Partners Number of Inspections conducted and 3 PMS analysis reports available and shared with WAC and executive. 2.3 Supporting the Number of community ( by sex) primary health promoters trained to implement the PEN Fa’aSamoa and other areas of SRH by village MWCSD, Health sector service providers MOH, SFHA, YWCA, MWCSD 2016 - 2021 Training reports available, health community database Training reports available, health Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 30 | P a g e opportunities to enhance work currently undertaken by women and young people on SRH community health increasing access to safe sex information/services & contraception. and family planning methods fit for adolescents, young people and women Number of community based support centers/focal contacts established by village and sex Number of village members utilizing the services of these focal contacts/centers by sex and age, & other characteristics Number of referrals made at the village level for medical /social protection /law & justice support services community database Reports available, Database information available. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 31 | P a g e Equal economic opportunities for women and vulnerable populations 11. Conduct an evaluation of micro-credit initiatives to assess sustainability, best practices and impact on alleviation of economic hardship 12. Develop and maintain a database of women entrepreneurs to support monitoring of women’s progress in the formal and informal economic sphere. 13. Convene a women’s commercial exhibition and awards (fine mats, handicrafts local products etc.). 14. Continue community outreach programmes in skills development with more focus on business/budgeting skills. 15. Engage in macro economic policy dialogue to ensure women’s concerns and gender issues are taken into account during trade talks at national, regional and MOU signed with Development Bank of Samoa to secure the contract of Microfinance Review Deliverable Women Entrepreneurs register developed for formal & informal sectors as part of the Economic Development SBI model Exhibition and Awards conducted annually in May in recognition of women’s contribution to the economy. Strengthen linkages through the Economic Development Unit MWCSD with the private sector in developing business ideas and concepts, product development, marketing, financial literacy Report endorsed by DBS Board & Gender Sub Sector with policy changes initiated Number of active entrepreneurs disaggregated by sex, age and other vulnerable characteristics Number of trainings conducted for women in business Number of women exhibitors by village, age. Number of women participating in small /micro business training by age , village/region, other characteristics DBS , SWSD MWCSD ED, SBEC, SCC Successful business women 2016 2016 - 2021 2016 – 2021 2016 – 2021 Review report available Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 32 | P a g e international levels. 16. Undertake research on women and the informal economy in Samoa, and disseminate findings to raise awareness and inform other areas of work. 17. Build on existing networks to provide mentoring to women entrepreneurs and those engaged in the informal sector. Number of national regional/international trade meeting reports reflecting discussion of gender issues Support potential research(s) into ‘new initiatives’ & incentives that support women’s business growth through ICT or green jobs (renewable energy) in the tourism and agriculture sectors. Mentoring program established for women entrepreneurs and accessible to women in informal sector. Number of women who are able to secure funding assistance, skills training and employment through private sector channels. Research topic endorsed and implemented Research Proposal developed and endorsed by Committee Mentoring Program activated by Private Sector 2017 – 2021 2018 2017 Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 33 | P a g e Increased participation of women in public leadership and decision-making 18. Undertake community level advocacy to encourage women’s engagement in village planning and decision making. 19. Support and implement leadership and capacity building initiatives for young women in schools and out of school. 20. Continue the Break Through initiatives and Community Conversations programme including Public Awareness program using the media. 21. Advocate and support women’s participation and representation in leadership roles in all spheres of public life including women on boards. 22. Support the participation of women’s voices into decision making processes on Gender Integrate women in leadership targets & indicators into the Inclusive Governance & Community Development Framework & Plan of Action to enable women to actively participate in village councils MOU signed with Young Women’s organizations to carry out leadership initiatives at the village level for young women out of school. Conduct a series of leadership and capacity building initiatives for young women in schools and out of schools Policy advice submitted to Cabinet for setting up a minimum of 30% Number of women participating in village council meetings Number of female matai’s Number of by-laws introduced to promote the inclusion of women in village council meetings, village-based committees and district level committees Number of mentoring forums conducted for young women Number of leadership and mentoring forums for young women conducted for women in public and private sector Range of IEC materials produced, by target audience etc. about women's role in decision making Policy advice endorsed. Number of Breakthrough initiatives MWCSD DFIA YWCSA Sporting Bodies BTI groups, CBOs, NGOs, women’s coalition groups (YWCA, WinlA, 2016 - 2021 Reports available Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 34 | P a g e Equality at the national, regional and global level. quota for women’s representation into public boards. Support leadership forums for women at all levels in the public sector Direct Engagement of gender advocates/female leaders at high-level meetings on gender equality  Sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women/Pacific & Asia Pacific Regional Conferences  Reporting sessions to the UNCEDAW committee and CCs conducted at the national and village levels. Data available on number of female CEOs/senior management positions NCW, women’s committees etc.) Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 35 | P a g e Increased access to education and gender sensitive education curricula 24. Conduct a gender analysis of education in Samoa which includes, issues relating to access to and participation in the education system 25. Conduct a gender analysis and review of education curricula used in the Samoa education system 26. Raise awareness of the findings of actions 24 & 25 and support incorporation of recommendations through collaboration with the ministry responsible for the education mandate Number of gender sensitive educational resources developed by subject and level of schooling MOE and Education service providers Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 36 | P a g e Community resilience and climate change and disaster preparedness informed by gender sensitive information and approaches 27. Develop gender sensitive information specific to Samoa context on climate change, disaster preparedness and community resilience, including recommendations for gender analysis tools to be used when undertaking climate change/disaster preparedness programmes in communities 28. lobby for the development and use of sex disaggregated data to inform government policies and strategies around community resilience, climate change and disaster preparedness Conduct gender trainings on CC & Disaster risk reduction Number of workshops supported for community leaders. Types of community based gender analysis tools developed and disseminated Number of disaster affected populations by sex, age and region. MNRE, MWCSD and all other actors 2016 - 2021 Reports available Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 37 | P a g e Enhanced institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality. 29. MWCSD to work with partners to provide training and support on gender mainstreaming to ministries and other groups 30. Strengthen MWCSD’s technical capacity to drive gender equality. 31. Improve collection, analysis and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data across government and CSOs. 32. Complete the gender statistical framework/Indicators with the Bureau of Statistics. 33. Support the BOS to compile a Gender Monograph for the 2016 Population & Housing Census 34, Lobby for legislative reform for priority areas identified through this policy as a result of the CEDAW legislative compliance. 35. Develop a mechanism in the MWCSD for gradually outsourcing some training activities to CSOs Conduct gender mainstreaming workshops or forums Develop and disseminate gender mainstreaming tools for gender focal points, public sector and interested stakeholders. Conduct meetings for Women’s Advisory Committee and support capacity Building for this committee to be able to provide necessary advice for advancement of women’s equality in Samoa in line with SDGs and human rights frameworks. Conduct Gender Statistics workshops Number of participants in gender mainstreaming training, by sex Public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment, % total public allocation Number of meetings /CB processes for WAC to support policy advises to Cabinet on improving GE and Women’s Advancement in Samoa. Gender Indicators aligned to relevant SDGs available for Samoa CEDAW reporting MWCSD, MOF, SBS, MFAT. 2016 - 2021 Reports available, Meeting minutes Survey reports Administrative data. Gender Indicators published. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 38 | P a g e and conducting a pilot to test the mechanism for Government /CSOs Develop and disseminate Gender Indicators/Statistical framework to all stakeholders. Support a wide range of necessary national scaled surveys to gather information/data on the Gender Indicators. Funds available & TA from SWSD to support SBS in compiling Gender Monograph. Provide policy advise to Cabinet in support of Ministry led legislative amendments MOU signed with pilot CSOs on specific areas. Survey’s conducted and supported Gender Monograph supported under SWSD and completed by SBS Number of amendments submitted to Cabinet endorsed. Mechanism piloted with two CSOs. MWCSD new Strategic Plan/Community Development Framework MWCSD new Strategic Plan/Community Development Framework Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 39 | P a g e Abbreviations ANM Aiga ma NuuManuia CC Community Conversations CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CSO Civil society organization Organizations DBS Development Bank of Samoa DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) DFW Division for Women DFY Division for Youth DHS Demographic Health Survey GoS Government of Samoa HIV Human immunodeficiency virus ILO YEP International Labour Organization – Youth Employment Programme MESC Ministry of Education Sports and Culture MFF Microfinance Facility MoU Memorandum of Understanding MWCSD Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development NCD Non-communicable disease NCW National Council of Women NGO Non-government organization NUS OSAGI National University of Samoa Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 40 | P a g e PWD Persons with disabilities RPPA Revised Pacific Platform of Action on the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality 2005–2015 SAMOA [Pathway] SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action SBEC Small Business Enterprise Centre SCC Samoa Chamber of Commerce SN Sui o le Nuu SOE State Owned Enterprises SPBD South Pacific Business Development SPC Pacific Community STN Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu STTN Sui TupulagaTalavou o le Nuu SWSDP Samoa Women Shaping Development Program WIBDI Women in Business Development Incorporated WID Women in Development Win LA Women in Leadership Association Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 41 | P a g e Annex 1. Alignment with the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2012–2016 The Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2012–2016 has the vision ‘Improved quality of life for all’, and a Strategic Area under Social Cohesion Key Outcome Area 8 is ‘Mainstream gender and disability in policy development’. The Community Sector Plan has the vision ‘Empowering communities for sustainable community development’, which clearly cannot be achieved without the full involvement and engagement of women. Several of the government’spolicies and plans mutually reinforce each other and include the vital roles of women in their respective sectors. In addition, legislations complementing these policies and plans are all positive steps towards gender mainstreaming. These include the following:  National Policy and Action Plan for Children of Samoa 2010–2015  Samoa National Policy and Action Plan for Disability 2011–2016  Samoa National Youth Policy 2011–2015  GOS National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy 2011–2016  Gender Implementation Strategy for the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Women in Samoa 2014–2018  National HIV and AIDS Policy 2011–2016  National Health Promotion Policy 2010–2015  MOH Tobacco Control Policy 2010–2015  National Health Sector Plan 2008–2018  Agriculture Sector Plan 2011–2015 Volume 1  Community Sector Plan 2010–2015  Education Sector Plan 2012–2016  Samoa’s National Disaster Management Plan 2011–2014 Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 42 | P a g e Annex 2. Glossary of terms relating to gender Gender refers to the socially constructed roles held by women and men in a specific society, including their responsibilities, behaviours and attitudes towards each other. Even if they sometimes look ‘natural’, these roles are learned, can be different from one society to another, and change over time. Gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. Equality between women and men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centred development. 34 (OSAGI 2001) Equity refers to the concept of fairness and involves access to equal opportunities and the development of basic capacities. To ensure equity, it is necessary to recognize that some groups have been disadvantaged and even though the rules do not specifically discriminate some people, they could, in fact, induce some forms of discrimination when social inequalities are overlooked. Therefore equity could necessitate special measures to compensate for the disadvantages. Equity is an essential element to equality. Empowerment is the process of enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes. Central to this process are actions which both build individual and collective assets, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the organizational and institutional context which govern the use of these assets. A gender analysis is a process, including methods and tools, to identify gender inequalities and the causes of those inequalities. It aims to plan efficient development programmes that are addressing both men’s and women’s needs and to reduce existing gender and other social inequalities. A gender analysis is not limited to analyzing women’s roles and needs only, but men’s as well. It focuses on the causes of gender inequalities embedded in social relations and institutions. Thus a gender analysis also studies social organizations and institutions in order to identify what needs to be changed in order to ensure equity, equality and social inclusion. 34 Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women.2001.Gender mainstreaming: Strategy for promoting gender equality. Factsheet. Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 43 | P a g e Gender mainstreaming is “…the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programs, in all areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.” (ECOSOC Agreed Conclusions, 1997/2) Discrimination against women is defined by the CEDAW as any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field. (CEDAW) Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 44 | P a g e Bibliography& References Australian Aid 2012. Samoa Country Case Study: AusAID Pacific social protection series: poverty, vulnerability and social protection in the Pacific. Canberra. Golla A.M. etal. 2011. Understanding and measuring women’s economic empowerment. International Centre for Research on Women. Government of Samoa 2014.Demographic and Health Survey. Apia: Samoa Bureau of Statistics. Ministry for Women Community and Social Development 2014.Stocktake of gender mainstreaming capacity of the Government of Samoa.Noumea: Secretariat of the Pacific Community. UN Women 2014.Handbook on National Plans of Action on Violence against Women.Available athttp://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action plans-on-violence-against-women Ministry for Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa) 2012. CEDAW Report on the Status of Women Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa)– Division for Women 2012 – 2016 CEDAW Tracking Template Administrative Notes Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa)– Women and Leadership Matai Survey 2014 Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa) – Community Sector Plan 2016 – 2020 (Draft 2016) Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa) – Supporting Vulnerable Children and their families Initiative and Plan of action 2016 Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa) – Safe Families Safe Villages Strategy : A guide to Ending Violence in Samoa. (Draft 2016) Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (Government of Samoa) - Gender Implementation Strategy for the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Women in Samoa 2014–2018 Ministry of Health (Government of Samoa) – Demographic Health Survey 2014 Samoa Shaping Women’s Development Program (Government of Samoa and Government of Australia) 2013 Design and Work Plan Documents. http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2012/7/handbook-for-national-action-plans-on-violence-against-women Samoa National Policy for Gender 2016 –2020 December 2016 45 | P a g e MWCSD Policy Development Team; 1. Fuimapoao Beth Onesemo – Tuilaepa - Chief Executive Officer 2. Louisa Apelu – Assistant Chief Executive Officer – Division for Women 3. AlannaMapu – Principal Programs & Training Officer – Division for Women 4. Rob Wong Sin – Senior Programs & Training Officer – Division for Women 5. Natasha Darryl – Programs Officer – Division for Women 6. Jolly Papalii (former Programs Officer ) – Division for Women 7. MemaMotusaga-Gender Specialist Coordinator – Division for Women 8. VaialiaIosua (Principal Programs Officer) – Division for Women 9. LeausaTaala (Senior Community Officer ) – Division for Women 10. TualaPiiTariu (Administrative Support) – Division for Women 11. Faafetai Koria (Former ACEO – Policy, Research & Planning) 12. Fitiao Susan Faoagali - ACEO – Research Policy & Planning 13. Fagalua Smith – Senior Policy Officer 14. Akeripa Misa – Senior Policy Analyst 15. TaramaraTalauta – Former Senior Policy Officer 16. Marsietenor Schmidt – Research Officer 17. VeeiEnosa (Former Research Officer) Secretariat of the Pacific Community Gender Division Team 1. LeitualaKuiniselaniToelupeTago. 2. Joanne Kunatuba 3. Helen Tavola 4. Brigitte LeBuc 5. Kim Robertson