SAMOA GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA AND UNICEF 2006 Samoa. A Situation Analysis of Children, Women and Youth. UNICEF Pacific Ofiice, Fiji. 2006 Copies of this publication are available from United Nations Childrenís Fund 3rd & 5th Floors, FDB Building 360 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji Email:[email protected] www.unicef.org Prepared by: Dr Chris McMurray This situation analysis was prepared for UNICEF Pacific by Dr Chris McMurray in collaboration with Key counterparts in Samoa. The views expressed are those of the author and donot necessarilly reflect the polices or views of UNICEF and of the Government. Any part of this publication may be reproduced without prior authorization from UNICEF but accreditation of the source would be appreciated. Table of Contents Acknowledgments List of Acronyms List of Table List of Figures The Situational Analysis 1.0 An Overview of Samoa 1.1 Samoa: a developing Pacific island country 1.2 A high level of political stability 1.3 Samoa as part of the Global Community 2.0 The Social economic and cultural context of children's, youth and women's lives in Samoan society 2.1 The place of children 2.2 The place of youth (young people) 2.3 The place of women 3.0 Patterns of Change 3.1 Social and cultural change 3.2 The provision of social welfare services for children, youth and women 3.3 The role of the media and information technology in social change 3.4 Population change 3.5 Economic change 3.6 Change in health patterns 4.0 The Issues 4.1 Issues for Children Children in the Population Definition of a child Children's survival National Polices on children National Health Services for children Infant and Child mortality Low birth weight Immunization Growth charts Birth registration Infectious diseases Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Children with HIV/AIDS Infant and child nutrition Breast-feeding Malnutrition Anaemia Child obesity SAMOA i Malnutrition Anaemia Child obesity Dental health Child development Access to formal education Early childhood education Primary and Secondary education Children with Special Needs School facilities for disabled children Child Protection Corporal punishment Children in difficult circumstances Physical, emotional and sexual abuse Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CESEC) Children in disputed custody Children who are neglected or abused Children who are exploited The participation of children Child Protection Interventions Child Protection Information System Children's court 4.2 Issues for Youth The situation of youth Emigration Overseas migration Internal migration Education and training Technical & Vocational Traning Employment and other livelihoods Youth recreation Young people with special needs Social development Youth Justice Delinquent youth and incarce rated youth An Indepth look at the offenders on probation in 2004 Youth Health Accidents Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Suicide Sexual Crimes Physical, Emotional and sexual abuse Unplanned Teenage Pregnacies and possible illegal abortion The situation of women ii SAMOA 4.3 Issues for Women The general advancement of women Women in Rural areas Women's health Main causes of illness and disease Reproductive health Pregnancy and child-birth Anaemia Domestic and Sexual Abuse Community Programmes Domestic and Sexual abuse and legal aid. Women and land Ownership Education Women with Special needs Livelihoods Maternity leave Suicide Women in prison HIV/AIDS and STI Reproductive Health Breast and Cervical cancer screening Aging women Women's involvement in national and village politics Cultural Influence Public Service Politcal Life 5.0 Agenda for Change 5.1 Comments on the Issues 5.2 Strategies for Future directions 6.0 Annexes SAMOA iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people assisted in making this report possible and I express my deepest gratitude to you all. First of all, thank you to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Ministry for Women Social and Community Development and the Assistant CEO, Division for Women for giving me the opportunity to write the report and for trusting in me to complete the job. Thank you also to the Principal Programs and Training Officer/ Pacific Childrenís Programme, Project Manager for CEDAW and the CRC for her support and encouragement and for coordinating the Consultative workshops and a special thanks to their staff for their help and smiling faces even when extra work had to be done. Faafetai tele lava. Thank you to the participants of the Consultative Workshops for their conscientious work. I truly believe this report is a result of our combined efforts and I am grateful to you all. I hope you will take ownership of this report. - Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development (MWCSD) DFW: Kuiniselani Tago, Louisa Apelu, Kamu, Faafetai Koria, Jason Hisetake, DFY: Nanai S. Agaiava & from Talavou Project-Seletutu Visesio, DRPPIP - Roger Stanley - MOH - Sara Filemu, Francis Brebner - MESC- Children with Special Needs ñ Coordinator (Mailo Sio) - Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (MJCA)- Courts Division -Rita Ale - Ministry of Police, Prisons & Fire Services (MPPFS) HRD- Lorraine Lees - Public Service Commission - Rosaline Peters - Samoa Land Corporation - Arasi Tiotio Non-Government Organizations: - End Child Prostitution And Trafficking Samoa (ECPAT Samoa) Pereise Viki - Mapusaga O Aiga (MOA) Faoliu Wendt - Loto Taumafai Education Centre for Children with Disabilities (Teleofa Toomata) - Aoga Fiamalamalama for Children with Intellectual Disabilities (Suafalaoa Mann and Mari Bennett) - Youth for Christ (YFC) Kika Ulberg - National Council for Early Childhood Education Samoa (NCECES) Silafaga Malaga, Toba.T - Catholic Family Ministry/Fiaola Crisis Centre -Holly Badalamenti - Fetuolemoana Youth Office- Faafetai Lolotea - Seven Days Adventist Church Youth Office - Fenika Maalo - Samoa Nurses Association ñ Eseta Hope - Samoa Association for Women Graduates (SAWG) ñ Dr Emma Vaai - Komiti Tumama Atinae Samoa ñ Vaiee Tofaeono, KTF Bryce - Women in Business Development Inc.- Rosalia Me, Tusitino Nuuvali Patu I also wish to acknowledge and thank the following people who spared their time to meet with me to give further information and clarification. - Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw-Myint, Senior Programme Officer- UNICEF 28/2/06 - Christine Quested, Chief Nutritionist and head of the Nutrition Centre -17/3/06 vi SAMOA - Lorraine Lees, Information Officer- Ministry of Police- 20/3/06 - Sarah Faletoese Strategic Development & Planning Officer, MOH -22/3/06 - Frances Brebner, ACEOD Strategic Development. & Planning, MOH -22/3/06 - Maatasesa Samuelu, Principal Nurse ICHS- Upolu, MOH -22/3/06 - Palanitina Toelupe CEO, MOH 23/3/06 - Gaualofa Matalavea-Saaga- Project Manager/ Samoa Health Project, MOH 23/3/06 - Tuli Fepuleai Samuelu ACEO, Probation- Ministry of Justice & Courts 29/3/06 - Rita Ale, Probation Officer- Ministry of Justice & Courts Administration 29/3/06 - Nanai S.Agaiavao & Seletutu Visesio - MWCSD Division for Youth 29/3/06 - Kika Ulberg - Programme Officer -YFC 30/3/03 - Pafelio Momoisea- Director Youth With A Mission (YWAM) 11/4/06 I also acknowledge information received from the following people that we had discussions with whilst accompanying the SCNZ representative during his visit from 6-8/3/06. - NZ High Commissioner- John Adank & Phil Hewitt ; NZAID - UNDP (UNICEF Rep) - Georgina Bonin - &- Charmina Saili - CEO Health - Palanitina Toelupe - Taito Masunu - President NCECE - Sogi - Silafaga Malaga - Early Childhood Centre - Sogi -MWCSD - Sydney Faasau -ACEO Youth -MWCSD - Kuiniselani Logo -ACEO Women & Children - Leu Vaegaau - Legislative Dept - Mulinuu -Background/ Youth - Peace Corp - Acting Country Director and Henry P. Tamasese - Mapusaga o Aiga - Faoliu Wendt -Special Needs Coordinator at Ed Dept - Mailo Sio -Komiti Tumama - Tapusalaia Faatonu -ECPAT Members - President, Secretary -Runa Curry- Faataua le Ola -Lemalu Nele - SBC Thank you to UNICEF for assisting Samoa with this project and for the funds to hold Consultative workshops with the CRC & CEDAW partnerships. Thank you also for Asenaca Vakacegu for taking time to join us for the first Consultative workshop. Finally, thank you to my family for their support May God bless you all Faafatai tele lava. SAMOA v LIST OF ACRONYMS AusAID Australian Agency for International Development AUA Apia Urban Area BMI Body Mass Index CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CPIS Child Protection Information System CSEC Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CMAD Curriculum Materials and Assessment Division CYP Commonwealth Youth Programme DHS Demographic and Health Survey DFW Division for Women DFY Division for Youth DFIA Division for Internal Affairs ECPAT End Child Prostitution and Trafficking ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific FLO Faataua le Ola HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome HRPP Human Rights Protection Party HEAPS Health Education and Prevention Services IEC Information, Education, Communication KABP Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviour, Practice M.A.D.D . Motivational Arts, Dance and Drama Gallery MESC Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture MNREM Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology MOA Mapusaga o Aiga MOH Ministry of Health MOF Ministry of Finance MYSC Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture MWCSD Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development MJCA Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration NACC National Aids Coordinating Committee NCCRC National Council on CRC