that is required for lasting change. The activities include the establishment of a National End Violence
Taskforce, a National Crime Prevention Strategy, a Community Law Centre and amendment of the Village
Fono Act 1990. However, these are all carried over from the last Law and Justice Sector Plan. Therefore,
not only are the activities insufficient in addressing family violence, they are old ideas which the last
Strategic Plan cycle failed to deliver.
The Community Development Sector Plan 2016-2021 already looks to be going down the same path of
non-implementation with a planned ‘Safe Families and Ending all Forms of Violence Strategy’ 2017-2021
already behind schedule. This plan also commits to the development and expansion of an inter-agency
response system for victims of violence but nothing of note has been achieved in this area to date.
The Government noted that a previous significant milestone was “the National Women’s Policy for
Women of Samoa 2010-2015 which specifies the reduction of violence against women as a key policy
outcome.”71 Yet the very report in which this was stated concludes family violence is actually dramatically
increasing.
It is therefore apparent to the Inquiry that despite all of the national, sector and ministry-led plans, no
positive change is being achieved. This is due to a lack of a coordinated approach and failure to fully
consider the range of root causes and contributing factors of family violence, especially in relation to
governance and access to justice.
8.2.2 Programmes and Budget
MWCSD is the main Government agency tasked with addressing family violence yet they were quick to
identify their own shortcomings in this regard to the Inquiry.
“Our legal mandate (Women Affairs Act 1990) does not provide us with the
necessary legal provisions or resources to be able to respond to domestic violence
fully.
MWCSD receives 2% of Government budget allocation and relies heavily on the
support of donor partners for implementation of educational/awareness
programmes.
There is a current gap for targeted long term services/programmes towards
victims of violence, in particular sexual violence. There is a need for targeted
rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators of violence.
Monitoring and follow-through of programmes remains a challenge.”
MWCSD Inquiry submission, Inquiry document 1
71
Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development. (2017). Samoa Family Safety Study. Document 46 in Inquiry
anthology, accessible at www.ombudsman.gov.ws.
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