Samoa's Second Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Samoa is either on track to or has achieved 47 percent of the selected global and national indicators used to measure progress on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Education is compulsory and fee-free for public schools and there is universal access to primary education. There is almost universal access to clean water, sanitation, roads and electricity and less mothers are dying at childbirth. More women than men are in senior management in the public sector, more children with disabilities enrolled in schools and enhanced resilience to disasters and climate change is fully integrated across all sectors and at the community level.  There is also increased domestic financing and stable ODA and FDI levels.

However, challenges remain. Global shocks, natural disasters and health crises are disrupting national development, affecting economic growth, and undoing hard won development gains in Samoa. Literacy and numeracy at all educational levels are declining, premature deaths from non-communicable diseases are rising, income inequality is significant and the loss of biodiversity is worsening.  There are also high levels of violence against women and children and an increase in Samoans under hardship conditions. Samoa also faces a rocky road in the short to medium term, including COVID-19, which has weakened the economy, and increased unemployment and income inequality.