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Country Indexes
outcome XM-DAC-41146-WSM_D_1.1
By 2027, more people, especially those at risk of being left behind, contribute to and benefit from sustainable, resilient, diversified, inclusive and human-centred socio-economic systems with decent work and equal livelihoods opportunities, reducing inequalities and ensuring shared prosperity [PCF Strategic Priority 3: Prosperity]
This outcome is on track. In 2024, the Markets for Change programme in Samoa demonstrated transformative progress toward sustainable, inclusive socio-economic systems through a comprehensive approach that integrated individual empowerment, institutional strengthening and infrastructure modernization across the Salelologa, Fugalei and Savalalo markets. The initiative reached 1155 women(1% of Samoa's women population), creating pathways for economic empowerment through multiple interconnected strategies: building individual and household capacity that saw 500 women adopting family business models and 455 implementing climate-smart agricultural practices; strengthening market governance through formal Market Vendor Association (MVAs) led by 23 women executive members; establishing gender-responsive decision-making mechanisms that engaged 30 stakeholders(27 women,3 men)across government and markets; and modernizing market infrastructure with 498 vendor tables, digital systems and climate-resilient facilities. This systemic transformation created sustainable frameworks for women's economic participation, while ensuring accessibility through bilingual materials, traditional "talanoa" methods and mobile outreach services that help overcome time poverty barriers. These comprehensive changes show significant alignment with Samoa’s 5-Year National Plan titled “Pathway for the Development of Samoa” (2021-2026) aiming for Empowering Communities, Building Resilience, and Inspiring growth. Furthermore, it demonstrates progress toward the UNSDCF outcome of ensuring more people especially those at risk of being left behind, contribute to and benefit from sustainable, resilient, diversified, inclusive and human-centered socio-economic systems, by establishing concrete pathways for decent work, equal livelihood opportunities and shared prosperity across Samoa's market systems. The Markets for Change programme transformed 1155 women through a comprehensive approach that integrated economic empowerment with institutional strengthening. The work demonstrated how targeted interventions can create sustainable change by simultaneously addressing multiple dimensions: building individual capacity through skills training, transforming household dynamics(designed to give women a stronger family decision making role), strengthening market governance through formal vendor associations and enhancing market infrastructure with digital and physical improvements. The program's success in shifting power dynamics saw 60 women market vendors undertaking leadership roles, of which 23 women are members of MVA executive committees. This multi-faceted approach produced concrete results across financial inclusion, environmental sustainability and gender-responsive governance, with 75 women earning financial literacy certifications, and 25 achieving Level 2 Certificates in Business Operations from the Samoa Qualification Authority. This formal recognition created unprecedented pathways to higher education through the University of South Pacific, marking a systemic shift in educational accessibility for women in the informal sector. Furthermore, new economic pathways were created with 455 women transforming their agricultural practices through climate-smart techniques and 50 women vendors showcasing their products at the CHOGM Trade Fair. Through its rights-based gender-responsive approach the initiative created sustainable pathways for economic empowerment while dismantling structural barriers faced by marginalized women, catalysing transformative changes across individual, institutional and systemic levels that contribute significantly to the Pacific UNSDCF's prosperity pillar goals of creating equitable, sustainable and human-centered socio-economic systems. Protection and safety remained paramount with 75 women completing comprehensive occupational health &safety training that included protocols for addressing gender-based violence. Mobile outreach ensured access to support services, helping women overcome time poverty barriers and ensuring services reach those at risk of being left behind. In 2024, the formal establishment and strengthening of Market Vendor Associations marked a transformative shift in market governance, fundamentally altering traditional power dynamics and creating pathways toward inclusive economic systems. The emergence of women market vendor executive leaders, coupled with the official registration of the Fugalei MVA with government authorities and the development of constitutions across all three markets, strengthened institutional capacity and created sustainable frameworks for women's economic decision-making. This formalization created legitimate platforms through which women vendors now effectively engage with local government and market management, ensuring their perspectives directly influence decisions affecting their livelihoods. The establishment of protected spaces for collective advocacy reinforced women's fundamental right to economic independence, while demonstrating how enhanced institutional frameworks can normalize women's leadership in economic spaces. This transformation represents a fundamental shift from informal market operations to formalized, women-led governance systems that promote inclusive economic development. Cultural responsiveness meant bilingual training materials and traditional discussion methods for meaningful participation from both rural and urban vendors and ensuring no one was left behind while honouring cultural context. Systemic transformation in market governance was seen through strategic institutional capacity building that bridged duty bearer(government and market administrators) and rights holder(market vendor) interests through communication strategies and participatory decision-making processes. The program established robust mechanisms for gender-responsive decision-making by engaging 12 key representatives(10 women,2 men)from three government ministries and one state-owned enterprise in Project Management Committee meetings, while mobilizing 18 market stakeholders(17 women,1 man)through the Project Working Committee. The significant inclusion of women in these platforms ensures their voices and priorities are heard for actively shape policies and decisions. This strong representation fosters leadership development, empowering women to take on influential roles and build confidence to drive future governance transformations. Effectively this increases the likelihood that women-specific needs and challenges will be systematically integrated into market governance strategies. Furthermore, decisions made with such robust female representation are better positioned to address critical barriers faced by women market vendors, such as access to resources, safety and equitable opportunities, ultimately advancing gender-responsive governance. The transformation of Fugalei Market's infrastructure and operating systems demonstrated how targeted physical improvements can create sustainable, resilient socio-economic systems that ensure shared prosperity in Samoa. The initiative implemented comprehensive improvements, including 498 modernized vendor tables, 99 selling counters with storage, 43 new shop units and ten disability access ramps, while pioneering Samoa's first digital marketplace transformation through WiFi services & QR code systems. This modernization integrated multiple dimensions of sustainability: enhanced emergency preparedness infrastructure with public announcement systems, fire alarms for safety, planned solar air-conditioning units for environmental responsibility, weather-resistant tents for climate resilience and improved sanitation facilities for public health.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-WSM_D_2.1
By 2027, more people, particularly those at risk of being left behind, benefit from more equitable access to resilient, and gender-responsive, quality basic services, food security/nutrition and social protection systems. [PCF Strategic Priority 2: People]
In 2024, Samoa made strides toward ensuring more equitable access to resilient, gender-responsive services, particularly focusing on those at risk of being left behind. These efforts centered on strengthening prevention and response systems for gender-based violence through comprehensive policy frameworks, enhanced institutional capacities, and innovative community engagement strategies. A cornerstone achievement was the launch of Samoa's first National Prevention Framework for Ending Gender-Based Violence (Pola Puipui Framework) in October 2024. This landmark initiative, developed through extensive consultations with diverse stakeholders, reached 2,854 individuals across communities, demonstrating strong commitment to inclusive participation. The framework particularly emphasized reaching marginalized populations, incorporating specific needs of women, girls, youth, and persons with disabilities in its design and implementation strategies. The framework's development exemplified meaningful participation through its 'Made in Samoa for Samoa' approach, engaging women's rights advocates, civil society organizations, government agencies, traditional governance bodies, and community members from all walks of life. This participatory process ensured that traditionally excluded voices shaped the policies affecting their lives, while addressing structural barriers to access and participation. Institutional performance showed marked improvement through enhanced coordination between government agencies and civil society organizations. The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) demonstrated strengthened capacity to implement gender-responsive service delivery, successfully coordinating the nationwide distribution of the Inter-Agency Essential Services Guide in both English and Samoan languages. This bilingual approach ensured linguistic accessibility, particularly benefiting rural and traditional communities. Behavioral changes were evidenced through increased male engagement in violence prevention. The Male Advocacy Workshop engaged traditional male leaders ('Alii') in redefining their roles from positions of authority to facilitators of service access, indicating evolving social norms and power dynamics. This transformation was particularly visible in the sports sector, where Lakapi Samoa effectively integrated gender equality principles into community programs. Through their strategic programming during the 16 Days of Activism campaign, Lakapi Samoa is catalysing behavioural changes across multiple community levels. Their Young Leaders Forum empowered women aged 15-25 to challenge gender norms while respecting cultural contexts, while their comprehensive safeguarding training equipped high school students with practical tools for violence prevention and effective communication. The "Rugby For All" Festival visibly challenged traditional gender roles by showcasing women's participation in rugby, contributing to shifting community perceptions. These initiatives, reaching 2,854 participants through the Get into Rugby PLUS program, demonstrated how sports can effectively catalyse broader social transformation, particularly in addressing gender-based discrimination and violence. These initiatives demonstrated strong protection and safety measures through standardized protocols for gender-based violence response services, coordinating health facilities, police stations, and social service providers. The Inter-Agency Essential Services Guide established clear referral pathways, ensuring consistent, survivor-centered care that particularly benefits marginalized women and girls. Gender responsiveness was embedded throughout all activities, from policy development to implementation. The framework specifically addressed harmful gender norms, structures, and practices across individual, community, and societal levels. Gender-based violence was tackled through comprehensive prevention strategies, including youth leadership programs, community sports initiatives, and male advocacy workshops. Transformative change was evident in several areas: institutional reforms strengthened service delivery systems, community engagement strategies challenged traditional gender roles, and policy frameworks addressed root causes of inequality. The initiative's comprehensive approach ensured changes extended beyond direct beneficiaries to impact broader community systems. These achievements significantly contribute to the Pacific UNSCF People Pillar by strengthening inclusive service delivery systems while promoting women's meaningful participation in decision-making. The combined approach of high-level policy framework implementation alongside community-based engagement demonstrates effective strategies for advancing equitable access to essential services in Samoa. Executing Partners: The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development led implementation with technical support from UN Women through the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls, coordinating with multiple stakeholders including Lakapi Samoa, Soul Talk, and various civil society organizations.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-WSM_D_2.2
By 2027, the operational, normative and collaborative potential of the UNCT Cooperation Frameworks to contribute to greater gender equality is fully optimised by UN Women’s interventions
Throughout 2024, the Samoa UNCTs' capacity for gender equality continue to strengthen through coordinated interventions and technical support provided by UN Women. The Samoa Gender Theme Group and Gender Development Group achieved improved collective action on gender equality initiatives, with UN Women serving as co-chair. Furthermore, the Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Public Sector Collaboration, of which UN Women is a member, established new standards for gender-responsive and inclusive development across Samoan agencies. Gender equality monitoring and accountability mechanisms across the UN system advanced through enhanced frameworks. The UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard and Gender Equality Marker processes now provide more robust tracking and assessment of gender equality results, supported by UN Women's strategic guidance. Regional expertise deepened through knowledge exchange in specialized technical working groups spanning Samoa and Pacific jurisdictions. Gender mainstreaming across UN programming improved through collaborative efforts of UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, and UN Women, evidenced by more robust Country Implementation Plans and Gender Equality Marker application. In addition, UN system safeguarding mechanisms strengthened through enhanced PSEA protocols and digital safety measures. At the national level, Samoan institutions continue to strengthen capacity for gender-responsive governance through UN Women's technical leadership. The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development achieved critical advancements in legislative frameworks through the "Translating CEDAW into Law" report and the third Legislative Compliance Review. The Beijing +30 National Report consultations established new benchmarks for inclusive policy development. Building on insights from the Spotlight Initiative, a comprehensive proposal addressing gender-based violence created new pathways for tackling harmful social norms and data gaps. Samoan progress in gender equality gained international recognition at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and Commonwealth Women's Forum (CWF), engaging over 400 women participants. UN Women supported this visibility by facilitating the showcase of three transformative national initiatives: Samoa's Women's Economic Empowerment initiative through Manaia Market, which demonstrated concrete pathways for women's financial independence and market access; the National Prevention Framework, which presented innovative approaches to addressing gender-based violence; and the Gender and Environment Survey findings. This comprehensive national household data now informs gender-responsive climate action and disaster response planning. Through UN Women's technical expertise and platform-building support, these achievements highlighted Samoa's comprehensive approach to advancing gender equality through economic empowerment, violence prevention, and climate resilience. Throughout 2024, the Community Sector Advisory Committee, encompassing 16 government sectors and 24 Civil Society Organizations, enhanced institutional mechanisms for inclusive development through sustained engagement with UN Women. This extensive network ensured diverse stakeholder participation and strengthened inclusive approaches to capacity development across Samoa's government and civil society sectors. These achievements demonstrate Samoa's growing capacity for gender-responsive development, establishing sustainable frameworks for continued progress. The rights-based, participatory approach continues to enhance institutional effectiveness in advancing gender equality, directly contributing to Pacific UNSDCF objectives.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-WSM_O_1
Advancing business transformation
In 2024, UN-Women Samoa demonstrated transformative business model innovation through two flagship programs that delivered substantial impact at scale: the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) and Markets for Change (M4C) initiatives. Together, these programs reached over 4,000 beneficiaries (2,854 through EVAW and 1,155 through M4C), showcasing UN-Women's ability to achieve significant reach while maintaining program quality and sustainable outcomes. The strategic planning approach manifested differently but effectively in each program. EVAW established Samoa's first National Prevention Framework for Ending Gender-Based Violence (Pola Puipui Framework), creating a comprehensive policy foundation for systemic change. Meanwhile, M4C strengthened grassroots institutional structures through formal Market Vendor Associations (MVAs), which provided practical platforms for women's economic participation and decision-making, further enhanced by cross-regional knowledge exchanges by Samoa’s women market vendors participating at the SIDS4's Gender Equality Village in Antigua and Barbados and the Manaia Women's Market at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which introduced innovative approaches to market vending and business transformation. Both programs were enhanced through diverse partnership networks spanning government ministries, state-owned enterprises, civil society organizations, and traditional governance bodies. Business model innovation manifested through integrated service delivery that adapted to local contexts while advancing modern practices. The EVAW program combined sports, faith, and cultural elements as entry points for prevention work, while M4C merged traditional market practices with digital innovation, including Samoa's first digital marketplace transformation. Both programs successfully implemented bilingual delivery and traditional "talanoa" methods, demonstrating effective localization strategies. Agile leadership was evidenced by responsive adaptation to both challenges and opportunities. The EVAW program maintained momentum despite leadership transitions at MWCSD. A culture of continuous improvement underpinned both initiatives. The EVAW program built on knowledge gained from the lessons from previous phases and research findings, while M4C implemented regular stakeholder consultations and monitoring mechanisms. Both programs integrated innovations - from sports-based social transformation in EVAW to climate-smart agricultural practices in M4C - while creating clear pathways for capacity enhancement. These programs demonstrate UN Women's successful transformation toward delivering impact at scale through strategic planning, business model innovation, agile leadership, and continuous improvement. The comprehensive approach, balancing organizational aspirations with operational agility, provides a model for future gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives.Showing 1 - 4 of 4