Samoa's gender-based violence still a concern at UN rights council

Samoa has been urged by the international community to do more to counter domestic and gender-based violence.

It was a recurring theme as the country fronted up for its Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights council this week.

Diplomats from dozens of countries gave feedback on Samoa's human rights performance.

One of them was Aurora Díaz-Rato Revuelta of Timor-Leste, whose submission neatly summed up those of most other governments involved.

"Timor-Leste seizes this opportunity to recommend Samoa first to develop comprehensive legislation and strengthen community-based programmes aimed to preventing and tackling domestic violence, child abuse, sexual exploitation and neglect, and to address gender-based violence."

According to the Human Rights Measurement Initiative, Samoa is one of the best performers in the world on human rights generally, with good scores in the basics of life - incluing access to food, housing, and education - as well as democratic freedoms.

But the Initiative's Thalia Kehoe Rowden said Samoa had some weak points in its human rights performance.

"The Human Rights Measurement Intiative's most recent data for Samoa confirms also that there is a significant problem with violence towards several different vulnerable groups in Samoa, particularly people of sexual and gender minorities, people with disabilities, women and girls, and children."

In response to the UPR discussion, the Chief Executive Officer of Samoa's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi, said her government was strengthening the human rights framework in the country, as well as increased awareness campaigns and related training.

"Domestic violence and gender-based violence remain priority issues for government, and we remain committed to addressing, and a whole-of-society approach is being used" she told the delegates.

"Our recently launched inclusive governance, family safety and gender equality policies ensure inclusion of, and non-discrimination against people of diverse gender identity, and this includes the groups that are unique to our situation: Fa'afafine and Fa'atama."

Another recurring recommendation for Samoa at its review was to actively address child labour practices, which remained a grave concern.

Peseta told the council the child labour taskforce had a proactive upcoming schedule, including surveys to update data, and the establishment of a national forum to strategise approaches to address child street vendors.

'No easy solutions'

Earlier, Samoa's prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, told the UPR session her country had ratified six of the nine core human rights conventions, and was committed to ratifying them all in due course.

"The protection of Samoans' civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, are evident through the multiple legislative and policy interventions; but more work remains," she said.

"There are no easy solutions to some of the ongoing challenges, including on domestic and gender-based violence, climate change, and recovery from the health crisis."

She reiterated that in Samoa the Fa'asamoa held core values that "guide social interaction such as respect, dignity, love, protection, and service, which mutually reinforce human rights".

Fiame also said that while there was progress, not all were benefitting equally, leaving many challenges.

She added that the Universal Periodic Review was a useful platform for Samoa to identify the gaps for dedicated attention, saying her government was committed to address the new and emerging issues from this UPR cycle in the country's development priorities for the next five years.

Fiame said a "whole-of-society approach with a whole-of-government response can make all the difference".