United Nations in Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Samoa:

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09 April 2021

Samoa votes!

Polling was orderly and the queues good natured as Samoa began its day of national elections. Those who had voted already were proud to show off their purple thumbs – the result of indelible ink marked on those who have already gone to a polling station and voted - and a clear indication that someone has participated in a vital function of democratic governance. More than 128,000 Samoans are eligible to vote and voting is compulsory. There are 192 candidates standing, of whom 22 are women, contesting 51 seats for a five-year term in the legislative assembly. This election will see some changes to the electoral laws, which are aimed at improving transparency. Some of these changes include pre-polling for the elderly and disabled, and changes to the rules regarding political candidates transporting and feeding voters heading to the polls. Preliminary results of the election are likely to be announced tonight.

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10 February 2021

Drug use is a health issue – we need to decriminalize

Earlier this month, and in December 2020 the government conducted operations that resulted in the confiscation of a total of 1,400 grams of methamphetamine at the border, smuggled from the US. The law enforcement officials (from the Ministry of Customs and Revenue and the Ministry of Police and Prisons) that intercepted these drugs deserve congratulations for their professionalism and skill. Meth is destructive and harmful - and it is good to see this potential threat removed from the community. As small as this bust is by global standards, 1,400 grams in a couple of months is a record for Samoa (there were only two convictions for methamphetamine possession in Samoa in 2017). Perhaps it is inevitable that we will see an increase in seizures. As COVID-19 ravishes the economy and exacerbates inequality, some may look to less than legal means to supplement their dwindling incomes, and drug use is known to increase in communities facing economic hardship. Governments need to work to reduce drug consumption – especially with respect to more harmful substances like meth and opioids, which have devastated poor communities around the world. For example, there were more than 67,000 overdose deaths in the US alone in 2018. Thankfully, so far, Samoa has avoided this degree of harm. But while it is sometimes tempting to “crack down” (no pun intended) in the face of an emerging perceived threat, we must resist the urge to increase legal penalties. We should be decriminalizing drug use and possession. Drugs are a serious health and social issue, not a moral one. Reducing consumption requires a health and socially focused response, not moral panic. This must include carefully thought out laws that emphasize prevention, education and harm reduction. We need properly funded community based support services that help and protect vulnerable people, and assist them in escaping degrading and difficult circumstances. Stopping drug use will not be achieved through hastily drafted legislation that further criminalizes addiction. By discouraging the demand for drugs, we can actually be more effective in tackling drug trafficking and putting an end to the human suffering caused by increased consumption. This is not just my opinion – but the official policy of the United Nations, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, and multiple governments around the world. Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, and numerous Australian and US states are among the many jurisdictions that have embraced the global trend towards less repression of drug users. A recent example of this is New Zealand’s 2019 Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill, which gives police discretion to take a health-centred approach rather than prosecuting those in possession of drugs. Since its enactment in 1967, Samoa’s Narcotics Act has only been amended twice, in 2006 and 2009 respectively. An official report in 2017 says that these amendments “were inadequate to address the prevalence of drug-related issues in Samoa and the new developments in the evolving drug environment.” There is a clear need to reform Samoa’s ancient drug legislation, but we must reform in line with the best available evidence. Tougher prison sentences have not been shown to deter possession, reduce offending or diminish the social or health issues associated with drug use. They have only been shown to intensify and complicate these problems. Calling for decriminalization is by no means an endorsement of drug use – but an appeal to look towards the evidence. Samoa has been a willing participant in the global “war on drugs” – adopting the broken criminalization model for more than 50 years. (If you are fighting a “war” for more than five decades and you haven’t “won,” you need to reassess your strategy.) Prohibition has only succeeded in creating an illegal market ruled by violence, corruption and insecurity. Samoa must adopt better practices and distance itself from the failings of this ideologically-driven approach. Originally published as an op-ed by Simona Marinescu, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau - in the Samoa Observer - 10 February 2021.

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02 February 2021

UN will review Samoa’s human rights record this year

The Geneva based Human Rights Council will conduct its third “Universal Periodic Review” (UPR) of Samoa’s progress on protecting and enforcing human rights at a special meeting to be held later this year. The UPR is a routine process by which the Human Rights Council, (an intergovernmental body made up of 47 United Nations Member States elected by the UN General Assembly), cross-examines government officials on their rights record. Samoa’s third UPR will take place in November 2021 most likely via video link. A series of reports will be submitted to the Council including from the United Nations, the independent Human Rights Institution in the Office of the Ombudsman, the government, NGOs and civil society. These will detail the official and public perception of how human rights are enforced in the country – and where access to rights is lacking. The UN in Samoa is writing its report now, to be submitted by 25 March. Samoan individuals and organizations will also have an opportunity to submit to the Human Rights Council during this UPR find out how here. The reports and the review will reflect on progress made since the last UPR (in 2016) that made 129 recommendations. Ninety one (73 percent) of these recommendations were “supported” by the Government of Samoa, while 38 were “noted.” Additionally, the reports will highlight any emerging issues from the 2016 UPR that affected or have the potential to affect people’s full exercise of human rights. They will include an analysis of whether or not Samoa is aligned with international standards on human rights, and how well Samoa is doing in terms of protecting and enforcing the rights of children, women, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQI community as a result of the ratification of five major human rights treaties, including: The Universal Declaration on Human Rights The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The Convention on the Rights of the Child The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Samoa’s Constitution guarantees certain fundamental human rights, including the right to life, personal liberty, a fair trial, religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom from inhumane treatment, freedom from forced labour, freedom of assembly and free association, freedom of movement and residence, individual rights regarding property, and freedom from discriminatory legislation. However, while the country’s rights record is generally well respected on a global level, the last review noted several issues remain. Of prominent note was the fact that gender equality advances at a low pace due to Samoa’s patriarchal culture, and women’s poor access to employment, property, credit and bank loans. The review also urged the government to act urgently to reduce gender-based violence – which continues to occur at high levels. Other challenges likely to feature in the upcoming review include the measles crisis in 2019, which may have highlighted inequalities in the provision of healthcare, and the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in 2020 and the resulting increase in inequality and poverty. Progress on reporting on ratified treaties as well as recent legislative changes including the package of laws adopted in 2020 (the Land and Titles Court Bill 2020, the Judicature Amendment Bill 2020 and the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020) will also be analyzed in the UN report from a human rights perspective. This is will be the third time that Samoa’s rights record has been reviewed through this process, with previous reviews occurring in 2011 and 2016. In preparation of the UPR report, the Government of Samoa launched on 27 January national consultations with key duty bearers in a meeting of the National Mechanism on Implementation Reporting and Follow Up that reviewed the process of development of the national report to the HRC, which is due on 9 August. Find out how to make a submission on behalf of yourself or your organization.

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01 September 2021

Exploring social protection options in Samoa

Social protection is a universal human right. The need for social protection is a critical concern for governments across the globe, with the adoption of social protection mechanisms expanded significantly around the world in the past two decades to reduce poverty, inequality and exclusion. The advent of the global COVID-19 crisis with its huge economic and social costs has put even more emphasis on having in place solid social protection floors — or the first level of social protection in a national social protection system — that are country-tailored to provide the most efficient mechanisms for protecting the most vulnerable people. What is Social Protection? A mix of policies and programmes aimed at preventing and protecting all people against poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion, throughout their life cycle placing emphasis on vulnerable groups — by promoting effective labour markets, and enhancing their capacity to manage and to respond to disaster, economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. The Global Social Protection monitoring platform launched in March 2020 shows that the need for social assistance, social insurance and active labour market programmes to respond to and offset the impact of the pandemic is on the rise. As of December 2020, a total of 215 countries have planned and implemented 1,414 social protection measures. Each country is trying to come up with its best mix of programmes to manage existing and new sources of risks and vulnerabilities. National social protection policies are needed to provide an overall strategic agenda for the development of nationally owned social protection floors and effective and coherent implementation of social protection measures. Asking the pertinent questions now is a must as Samoa seeks to carve out its path in establishing a formal social protection (SP) system. “Existing social protection measures in Samoa are ad hoc and fragmented, and are not geared towards addressing life cycle vulnerabilities, especially amongst the poorest and most vulnerable groups, families and individuals. They are not considered as investments towards building human capital, resilience and economic growth. Social protection programmes can mitigate the negative and dramatic impacts of crises or shocks on the local economy, livelihoods and poverty levels.” — the draft National Social Protection Policy. The proposed National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) A draft National Social Protection Policy is the subject of intense deliberations and consultations over the next couple of months. While the draft policy itself is not enough to build a social protection policy, it does provide a clear picture of what needs to be established in order to protect citizens against social and economic risks. The proposed NSPP wants to ensure that ‘Samoa’s society and citizens are protected against the risks of vulnerability, poverty, inequality and exclusion through their life cycle’. The Policy aims ‘to prevent and reduce national and lifecycle poverty, vulnerability and inequality prevalence and risks in Samoa’. Its goal is ‘to establish a gender-sensitive and age-appropriate social protection framework to ensure a minimum social protection floor for all Samoan citizens for a life of dignity. This proposed National Policy aims to promote collaboration and partnerships for the realisation of this national development agenda, the adoption of international best practices as well as promoting the strengths of local institutions, principles and values, in ensuring the development of a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking social protection for Samoa and its people. A consultation was held in June 2021 to further gauge the level of interest and ownership amongst the key stakeholders. The formulation and finalisation of the National SP Policy is a matter of ongoing discussions between the Government and stakeholders on what is suitable and sustainable for Samoa. What social protection measures are currently in place? Samoa’s social protection system is composed of informal and formal social protection mechanisms. The key elements of the informal social protection system include support from extended family, community, and churches. Although in Samoa, the informal social protection system has been stable and promoting social cohesion and social capital while acting as a safety net cushion, the main concerns with the informal SP are its irregularity and unpredictability. Moreover, it is based on bonding which is more and more under threat in many countries due to the breaking down of extended family in favour of single-family. The formal social protection system is heavily biased towards the senior citizens with zero or small coverage of the other citizen groups such as children, working-age population, as well as persons living with disabilities. The formal social protection schemes are: (i) Samoa national provident funds and (ii) the accident compensation schemes — both forms of social insurance; (iii) senior citizens benefit scheme and (iv) Samoa school fee grant scheme — both falling under the social assistance category; and (v) ) registration of jobseekers and limited support in seeking employment — a form of labour market services that require further expansion. The main merits of a formal social protection system are regularity and predictability. It is rights-based and ratified by law (in most countries by Constitution). The development of the proposed National SP Policy also looks at how the role of informal institutions in social protection could be strengthened. A mammoth task ahead Due to the magnitude of the task at hand and the number of actors involved to make it a reality, discussions around social protection continue. The proposed SP Policy argues that social protection needs to be incorporated into and is an integral part of Samoa’s overall development agenda. Embedding social protection into the overarching development framework of Samoa will facilitate national ownership of that agenda and ensure that social protection is making positive impacts on the livelihoods, well-being and welfare of Samoan citizens now and in the future. Social protection is not about handouts to the poor alone. A social protection floor aims at providing coverage for the basic needs that income-less individuals have while helping them to return to the labour market and generate means for themselves and their families. Social protection is about guaranteeing that the basic needs of persons living with disabilities are being met and specialised services are in place. Ultimately, through social protection as a fundamental component of the social contract, governments commit to ensuring that people facing the loss of income due to unemployment, sickness, disability or ageing are helped to transition to safety without developing dependency. Cash transfers alone are not sufficient to guarantee sustained poverty prevention and alleviation. The social protection system will allow people to acquire skills and find jobs through dedicated labour market services. The complexity of human behaviour and facilitating positive and real change that originates from individuals and society require well-designed interventions in order to achieve impact and maintain people’s motivation to work and strengthen self-reliance. Social protection instruments regarding schemes, programmes and mechanisms must be provided together with other complementary developmental initiatives, in order to facilitate sustainable progress in preventing and reducing poverty and vulnerability and for improved inclusivity, self-empowerment and social cohesion. Social Protection is a cornerstone of achieving the ‘Leaving No One Behind’ commitment of governments through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More specifically, SDG Target 1.3 calls on all countries to ‘implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including social protection floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable’.

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31 August 2021

National Reference Group, a strong force behind the Spotlight Initiative

Behind the UN agencies that are implementing the Spotlight Initiative, is the National Reference Group that keeps a close eye to ensure that the programme delivers its promise to end violence against women and girls in Samoa. It's a vibrant group of unique personalities, diverse professional capacities grounded in cultural and religious principles, who are now connected in the service to end violence against women and girls. This Group convenes once every quarter. It is an activity indicated in their Work Plan. It's an opportunity to sit down with the UN agencies to understand how the programme is progressing. It's an essential platform that allows the NRG to be the voice of the civil societies that advises the UN on the missing links and the opportunities to advance the programme. During the NRG meeting for the third quarter, the co-chairmanship was handed over to Mailo Helen Tanielu (Researchers and Academics) and Gabrielle Apelu (Women in Sports and Media) from Dr Walter Vermeulen (Men and Boys) and Lemau Palaamo (Faith-Based Organisations), who led the NRG since August last year. The NRG at the close of this meeting has reassured the UN of their support to continue to advocate for the changes that the programme aims to achieve. They are committed to mobilising the engagement of the civil societies to initiate and lead prevention interventions and mechanisms that are vital in the process of re-creating safe and violence-free communities for every woman and girl. The ten members of the CSO-NRG are; Lemau Palaamo – Faith-Based Organisations Mailo Helen Tanielu – Academia and Researchers, Mataafa Faatino Utumapu - Persons with Disabilities Samuel Fruean – Essential Services and Human Rights Dr. Walter Vermeulen – Men and Boys Fagalima Tuatagaloa - SOGIESC Fuatino Pamela Sua – Women’s Right Movement Gabrielle Apelu – Women in Sports and Media. Lualua Namulauulu Tautu – Rural communities and traditional leaders Taimalelagi Ramona Tugaga – Youth and Young women leaders

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13 August 2021

Pacific communities expected to experience devasting climate change impacts| New IPCC report reveals

10 AUGUST 2021 A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released early this month, finds that the world may warm by 1.5°C by the early 2030s, much earlier than previously estimated. It’s terrible news for the Pacific. With temperatures rising above 1.5°C, Pacific communities are likely to experience increasingly devastating climate change impacts. The key takeaway from the IPCC report is that the more we know, the worse it looks. The planet is now already between 0.8°C and 1.3°C warmer than in pre-industrial times – moving frighteningly close to the 1.5°C threshold. This warming has already worsened temperature extremes such as marine heatwaves that cause coral bleaching and heatwaves on land with dangerous consequences for human health. Temperature and other climate extremes will become more intense, frequent and appear in more locations with every fraction of a degree that the planet warms. Some of the worst impacts will be in the Pacific. Particularly concerning for the region are some of the historical sea level rise analyses and projections in this new IPCC report. In the Western Pacific, sea levels rose faster than anywhere else in the world between 1993 and 2015 and by 2050 they will continue to rise by an additional 0.10–0.25 metres, irrespective of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. By 2100, Pacific communities will experience extreme coastal impacts unless the world takes strong action to reduce emissions now; one in 100 year coastal inundation events will occur annually (or more frequently) by 2100 at 20% more locations under a high-emission scenario. This impending sea level rise will create compound events with other climate factors. Although the Pacific is projected to generally face fewer cyclones under future warming, they are likely to become more intense. This, coupled with sea level rise, will worsen already deadly storm surge events in countries like Fiji and Vanuatu. Additionally, despite a projected increase in rainfall with future climate change in the equatorial Pacific, many locations will likely face greater water scarcity due to saltwater intrusion from rising seas and higher rates of evaporation due to increased temperatures. For example, a 20% decline in groundwater availability is projected by 2050 in the coral atoll islands of Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Under a high sea level rise scenario, the availability of fresh groundwater in FSM could decline by more than half due to ocean water intrusion and drought events. The report confirms that it is not possible to achieve the low level of warming aimed for in the Paris Agreement unless we stop emitting high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, a point that has long been argued by Pacific peoples. This is because we now better understand and are more certain about how temperatures would increase based on a doubling of CO2 concentrations (a measure known as the equilibrium climate sensitivity). The range is now estimated to be 2.5°C – 4.0°C, up from 1.5°C – 4.5°C in previous IPCC reports. This means less chance of low-temperature rises and more chance of high temperature rises for a given level of CO2. If greenhouse gas emissions do not start to decline significantly before 2050, the world is extremely likely to exceed 2°C warmings during the 21st century. To avoid the more extreme future climate scenarios detailed in the report requires serious emissions reductions. The emission scenarios that lead to lower levels of warming all require removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, as well as aggressive reduction of emissions. Declining emissions from the 2020s onwards and reaching net zero in the 2050s is the best-case scenario for keeping the planet below 1.5°C. Fortunately, there are many emerging opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy as rapidly as possible, decarbonising transport, reducing emissions from agriculture, and drawing down and storing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. The findings from this IPCC report will be at the forefront of discussions at the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), the world’s largest meeting of climate policy decision-makers. More than 190 world leaders, joined by thousands of negotiators, government, NGO and industry representatives will partake in talks to update their Paris Agreement commitments. Countries in the Pacific, along with other Small Island Developing States, will lead the fight for a sub-1.5°C world by advocating for ambitious updates to all national commitments. They will do this by leading by example: setting the targets high and uniting under a common vision – a world in which we do not cross the line of 1.5°C in the next 10 years, or ever. It is vital Australia and other non-Pacific nations join them. About the authors: Professor Mark Howden is a Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at the Australian National University. Dr Morgan Wairiu is a Coordinating Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change based in the Solomon Islands. About the report: The Working Group I report is the first in a three-part series being released during the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment. Working Group I assesses the physical science of climate change; how and why climate has changed to date and the improved understanding of the human influence on a wider range of climate characteristics.

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Press Release

08 April 2021

MEDIA ALERT: The United Nations presence during Election Day

Simona Marinescu, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau will be available to the media during Election Day. She can be reached directly on: + 685 753 1007 simona.marinescu@un.org The United Nations in Samoa will not act as an official observer during the 9 April 2021 elections. The position of the United Nations in national elections in general is objective, impartial, neutral and independent, and guided by the principles of national sovereignty and ownership. Free and fair elections are the expression of respect for human rights and dignity, and the cornerstone of democratic governance and human development. The role of the UN Resident Coordinator on Election Day includes having a presence on the ground to get a general sense as to how polling is going, and to receive updates on the voting process for internal reporting purposes. The United Nations Country Team is confident that the 2021 elections will unfold peacefully and will lead to a positive outcome for the people of Samoa. -ends- For further information: Simona Marinescu, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau: + 685 753 1007, simona.marinescu@un.org Aterina Samasoni, Communications Officer: +685 762 9145, or 757 3703, aterina.samasoni@un.org Damian Kean, Communications Consultant: +685 766 4375, damian.kean@one.un.org

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Press Release

01 May 2020

Press Freedom and Disinformation during the COVID-19 crisis, flagship event of World Press Freedom Day 2020

Paris, 30 April—On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated every year on 3 May, UNESCO and its Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, will host an online discussion on the importance of free media in providing the public with reliable independent information, vital in times of crisis. The High-level Dialogue on Press Freedom and Tackling Disinformation in the COVID-19 context, will be streamed online on Monday 4 May, 5pm Central European Time (GMT +2). UNESCO’s flagship event of World Press Freedom Day will bring together UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, journalist Younes Mujahid, President of the International Federation of Journalists, Maria Ressa, investigative journalist from the Philippines, founder of the Rappler news website, and the Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders, Christophe Deloire, alongside a number of other high level participants. Prominent Mexican-born American journalist Jorge Ramos will moderate the debate. The debate will address the danger of what the UN Secretary-General has described as the “dangerous epidemic of misinformation.” It will advocate the need for a free press in countering disinformation which is putting lives at risk and undermining the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by promoting false cures, conspiracy theories and myths. The debate will follow the launch on 3 May of a global UNESCO media campaign called FACTS which highlights the role of free and independent media in the context of COVID-19. Leading media organizations around the world are joining the campaign, developed by award-winning communication agency DDB. On this Occasion, UNESCO will also present latest data from its 2020 World Trends Report on Media Independence and press freedom in times of COVID-19, to be launched on 5 May. Examining the information landscape during the pandemic, the report points to research showing that nearly 42 % of over 178 million tweets related to COVID-19 were produced by bots, and that 40% of these messages were unreliable (the report will be made available here: http://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldpressfreedomday).. “ Information is a fundamental right. In times of COVID-19, Information can save lives. I wish to pay tribute to journalists, women and men who commit and take risks to keep us informed,” said the Director-General of UNESCO. “Their work is more important than ever, as they help members of the public know how to act and governments to take informed decisions,” she added.

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