A senior Government official has given her personal perspective on the "embrace equity" theme of this year's International Women's Day celebration, saying it is important to "pause, analyse and consider both sides of the issue."

Expressing her thoughts in an opinion piece published in the Friday edition of the Samoa Observer, the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development, Dr. Mema Motusaga said the theme can be "translated as a call for humanity to talanoa about not only gender equality, but gender Equity as well."

"As the C.E.O. for the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development, I often face the question of why our Ministry’s name excludes men - 'you are advocating for gender equality and social inclusion but the name for your Ministry is missing the men – Where are the Men?'" the top bureaucrat wrote.

"I am not ashamed to state the fact that the name wasn’t an illusion nor a coincidence rather a decision founded on a deep rooted vision, and what I would call a God given wisdom to our women leaders and forefathers who have fought and have lead this pathway that a tamaitai Samoa like myself has inherited.

"A decision based on a firm understanding of both equality and equity, recognizing the importance of our women accessing equal opportunities as our men, but equally important, acknowledging that men and women in Samoa face different circumstances. 

"Although there is a cultural ideology that there is no gender inequality in Samoa, the statistics reveal a different reality in many areas. Therefore, if we are genuine, then Equity is the process of achieving equality through resource allocation and opportunities."

Crossing over to violence against women and girls in Samoa, Dr. Motusaga said it has become a priority due to the "alarming statistics indicating that more women are at a greater disadvantage and are more likely to experience physical, emotional and sexual violence from their own husbands, fathers or male caregivers."

"The 2017 Family Safety Study revealed that 60 per cent of women have experienced violence, a significant increase from the 40% recorded in the 2000 Family Safety Study conducted by WHO, UNFPA and the Government of Samoa. 

"Embrace Equity in this context in my view means recognizing, as a country, we need to acknowledge and understand that men and women have different needs and aspirations. 

"Our men are perceived as heads of their families and may not be however they need to embrace an equal opportunity to understand, communicate efficiently and to be open minded perhaps more patient and understanding of the diverse circumstances experienced by their female counterparts."

On leadership and the prioritisation of women in Samoa, Dr. Motusaga stated in her opinion piece that she has always argued that the "current indicators and formulas used to measure the current situation on women in leadership positions in Samoa needs to be contextualized."

Dr. Mema added that encouraging women to enter politics and take up matai titles is a common strategy to address the gender imbalance in leadership positions in Samoa.  

"However, this requires working through gendered notions of who is the right person to take up a matai title and who is the right person to serve."

While many women have sought to improve their status through secular and political forms of authority through the matai titles, many have resisted this domain as outside of women’s interests and aspirations, according to Dr. Motusaga. 

"Encouraging women to stand for politics therefore is not merely enhancing women’s political aspirations, but also about understanding the deep-seated ideological foundations and distinctions between political, secular and spiritual service for families and communities."