Samoa vows gender equality and women’s empowerment policies will feature in all areas of government

Having made important strides in women’s education and employment opportunities, Samoa recognizes that much remains to be done. It is committed to integrating policies on gender equality and women’s empowerment across all areas of government, including national climate resilience and disaster prevention and response policies and operations. Salaries for village women representatives were recently raised to close a gender pay gap, while the Constitutional Amendment Act of 2013, which reserves a minimum of 10 per cent of seats for women in the national Parliament, will open permanent space for women representatives. Samoa remains committed to advancing the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action within the next development agenda. Speaking at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on 27 September 2015, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said: “We are acutely aware that we must make every effort to develop and release the full potential of our women who make up at least 50 per cent of Samoa’s population. It is economically sensible!” [ Speech ]