The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development today launched the
National Multimedia Campaign to Reduce Family Violence in Samoa.
The Ministry for Women, Community and Social Development, in partnership with
UNICEF, the European Union, the Samoa Victim Support Group, and key media
partners, has committed to deliver a multi-media campaign to promote gender-
equitable, child-friendly and violence-free norms, attitudes and behaviors, especially
within the family.
The National Multi-Media Campaign to Reduce Family Violence in Samoa, is one of
the many significant components of the Spotlight Initiative in Samoa through the
Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, and aims to raise
awareness and improve knowledge and understanding on the nature, causes and
consequences of family violence across the whole society, as well as promote social
and behavior change in relation to norms regarding gender and violence, among
children and adults.
The multimedia products launched today are the first of a series of products and
messages that will reach community members in Samoa via mainstream and digital
platforms, including television, radio and social media.
The messages in these media products will be reinforced by sustained community
dialogues with faith leaders, village chiefs, parents and caregivers, as well as
adolescents themselves, to promote behavior change.
In developing these key messages, the campaign team utilized evidence from
existing sources and organized consultation workshops with communities to guide
their work.
The Associate Minister for the Ministry of Women, Community and Social
Development, Seuamuli Fasi Toma, gave the Keynote Address at today’s launch
and emphasized “O le atoaga o le puipuiga o fanau iti, o le galulue faatasi lea o
Matagaluega a le Malo, Faalapotopotoga tumaoti, Ekalesia ma tagata lautele ae
faamoemoe i le lagolagosua a le Malo. E faavae nei taumafaiga uma i luga o le

GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA

Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development

faavae papa o la tatou aganuu ma le faa Kerisiano e fusia ai i aga tausili o le
faaaloalo, alofa ma le tausia o le va tapuia.”
Baseline research on child protection conducted by the Government of Samoa in
2013, showed that children experience significantly high levels of violence both at
home and at school.
The 2017 National Inquiry into Family Violence conducted by the National Human
Rights Institute found very high levels of intimate partner violence in Samoa.
The Inquiry found compelling evidence that shows that attitudes towards children
and the treatment they experience growing up is a significant contributor to family
violence.
Most recently, the Demographic and Health – Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019-
20 conducted by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics, revealed that nine out of 10
children in Samoa experience severe forms of punishment at home.
The UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathon Veitch, who provided the remarks on
behalf of the development partners at the Launch, emphasized that “Exposure to
violence in childhood is strongly associated with future victimization and perpetration
of abuse,” and that “any form of violence decreases a child’s ability to function, and
this impact may be irreversible.
Mr. Veitch further added that UNICEF believes that one case of child abuse is
already too many. Every child should feel safe and protected at all times.”
This National Multi-Media Campaign therefore has a specific lens on encouraging
child protection through the introduction of positive parenting guidance, in the form of
engaging trainings, and through the creation of media products that will be widely
disseminated via multiple media platforms throughout the country.
The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, with support from its
UN and EU partners, civil society organizations, faith based organsations, village
committees, families, and young people, will continue to roll out the National
Multimedia Campaign to promote a safe environment in Samoa for all children, to
live safely and be protected from any type of abuse.