“NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION” Village councils across Samoa have begun passing bylaws to sanction family violence, after a landmark inquiry by the NHRI found the issue affected nearly all families in the country. The Report of the National Inquiry into Family Violence, released in September 2018, included 39 recommendations for implementation by the government, village councils and churches. The national inquiry gathered evidence and personal testimonies on an issue that had previously been hidden “behind a veil of silence”. Samoa’s NHRI has shared the findings, recommendations and process of the national inquiry with other NHRIs and governments in the Pacific region, as well as at the 2019 GANHRI Annual Meeting. The APF provided financial support and technical assistance for the national inquiry. “Now is the time for action ... Together, we can end this scourge in our country.” SUSUGA TUILAEPA SAILELE MALIELEGAO, PRIME MINISTER OF SAMOA, AT THE REPORT LAUNCH APF PACIFIC ROUNDTABLE The APF Pacific Roundtable, held in September 2018, brought together representatives from the NHRIs of Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Tuvalu, as well as from governments and civil society organisations in the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Samoa. The Apia Statement, adopted at the end of the roundtable, identified priority areas to address systemic discrimination and human rights violations against women and girls. WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/ASIAPACIFICFORUM ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 13