Samoa brought the voices and priorities of Pacific women to the global stage at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Delivering Samoa’s official Country Statement, Honourable Mulipola Anarosa Molioo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Samoa, emphasized the country’s commitment to advancing justice, inclusive governance, and stronger protections for women, children, and families.
Addressing the global forum, the Deputy Prime Minister reflected on the fundamental question many women and girls still face around the world:
“Around the world today, millions of women and girls still ask a simple question: Will justice reach me?”
She stressed that for Samoa, justice must go beyond legal frameworks and be felt in the everyday lives of families and communities.
“Justice must not exist only in law.
It must be visible in our communities, supported by policy, and strengthened through deliberate national action.”
The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted Samoa’s approach to advancing gender equality through community-driven development and national investment, noting that real progress is achieved when policies translate into tangible change in villages and households.
A key example is Samoa’s District Development Programme (DDP), which allocates funding directly to districts to support locally identified priorities.
Through this programme, 20 percent of the WST 51 million district development fund is dedicated to Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) initiatives, supporting projects that ensure women, youth, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups are actively included in development decisions across Samoa’s districts.
The statement also highlighted Samoa’s efforts to strengthen prevention and protection systems for women and girls, including the Pola Puipui National Prevention Framework, which coordinates national action to prevent violence against women and girls.
Community-based responses are supported through the Village Representatives Programme, where trained representatives work directly with families and communities to connect them with government services and support systems.
Recognizing that long-term change begins in the earliest years of life, the Deputy Prime Minister also underscored Samoa’s continued investment in Early Childhood Development (ECD).
With more than 60 percent of Samoa’s population aged 35 and under, the country is prioritizing support for children and families from the earliest years.
“Science reminds us that 80 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five.”
Building on Samoa’s National Early Childhood Development Framework, the Government will introduce the Child Wellbeing Benefit in July 2026, strengthening social protection and support for families raising young children.
Samoa also reaffirmed its leadership in advancing ECD across the region, having hosted the Pacific Early Childhood Development Forum in 2025, which brought Pacific leaders together to strengthen collaboration and investment in children’s wellbeing across the Blue Pacific.
In closing her statement, the Deputy Prime Minister reminded the international community that global commitments must translate into real change for the most vulnerable.
“Justice for women and girls cannot remain words in our declarations. It must be felt in every home, seen in every woman, and lived by every girl.”
Samoa’s Delegation to CSW70 Samoa’s delegation is led by:
• Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molīoʻo – Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance (Head of Delegation)
• Afioga Tilafono David Joseph Hunter – Associate Minister, MWCSD
• Loau Donina Tili Vaa – Chief Executive Officer, MWCSD
• Mata’afa Fa’atino Utumapu – General Manager, Nuanua o le Alofa
• Ana Leau Vaasa-Teo – Assistant Chief Executive Officer, MWCSD
• Sylvan Fa’afetai Elisara – Principal Communications Officer, MWCSD
• Iliganoa Feagaimaalii Soti Mapu – Miss Samoa 2025–2026, Youth Ambassador
• Mataia Meritiana Tanuvasa – Principal Advisor, Office of the Minister of Finance
Together, the delegation carries the voices and aspirations of women and girls across Samoa to the global stage.
From the Blue Pacific, Samoa brings a message shaped by faith, culture and service:
When women rise, communities strengthen and when communities strengthen, nations flourish.
As Samoa shares its story at CSW70, it does so with a simple commitment:
We give today so that our daughters can gain tomorrow.
Give to Gain.
