The caretaker Minister of Women, Community, and Social Development highlighted Samoa's progress toward promoting women’s participation in leadership at the 65th Commission on the Status of Women. 

Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama addressed the commission from Samoa; it is usually held in New York but was this year hosted virtually due to travel restrictions. 

Tuitama said that Samoa had reaffirmed its commitment to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, in accordance with international treaties. 

He said that including women and girls and people with disabilities in decision-making processes was a top priority for creating an inclusive and just future in the Pacific. 

"Samoa has made progress in our efforts to enhance women’s full and effective participation in leadership and decision making processes," Tuitama said.

The caretaker Minister referenced Government partnerships such as aligning national legislation to a number of key treaties including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (C.E.D.A.W.).

He said this had been achieved by amendments to the Family Safety Act (2013); the passage of the Labour Employment Relations Act; the Education Act and establishing the Family Court and National Human Rights Institute. 

"There is also the finalisation of the National Gender Equality Policy, National Family Safety Policy and the National Community Economic Development Policy & Strategy,” he said.

“This collection of policies is key to providing opportunities and promoting the full and effective participation and decision-making of women in public life and in achieveing gender equality."

He also mentioned programmes designed to consult with women and girls and people with disabilities such as the Samoa Women in Leadership Programme designed to advance women’s position in public life. 

The Samoa United Nations Spotlight Initiative also worked on measures to prevent violence against women. 

The District Development Planning Programme (D.D.P.P) also ensures women and girls’ participation in decision making at the community level.

The head of the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, Afamasaga Faauiga Mulitalo, told the Samoa Observer in an interview they have been working on new initiatives. 

"Recently we’ve emphasised the importance of the roles of women's committees hence the reason why we’ve put up a number of programmes to promote the relationship of Government and our [village] women's committees," Afamasaga said.

"We’ve also supported women’s committees through the stimulus package for COVID-19 because we recognise the important role that our women play at the community level.

“We have to make sure that we build and strengthen those relationships with our women's committees"

She said that they are strengthening their relationships with Non-Government Organisation (N.G.O) partners working on leadership programmes giving women the opportunity to lead community developments.

She also said that they are also trying to promote more opportunities for women to be part of the higher-level decision making as well as in the political arena.