A two-day Samoa Feminism Forum in Samoa hopes to address the rise in unemployment, mental health, financial and family conflicts affecting Samoan youth, particularly from the coronavirus pandemic.
Founder and Director of Brown Girl Woke, Maluseu Doris Tulifau told the Samoa Observer, this is the 3rd Pacific Island Feminist Forum which is funded by the Australian Government through the ‘We Rise Coalition’.
“This forum will celebrate the new generation of activists and changemakers and pay tribute to previous generations of Pacific feminists whose legacy forged a path and paved a way forward so new waves of activism can flourish.”
She said over the last three years, the COVID-19 Pandemic has significantly affected economies across the world and Samoa was not spared as the public health crisis spread throughout the globe.
“And we have, in Samoa, an increase in unemployment, a rise in youth issues such as poor mental health, school problems, familial conflict and financial security which have been exacerbated by taboo topics in our community,” she added.
Maluseu said, one of the benefits of the two-day conference is knowledge sharing, which would see discussions with youth leaders in non-government organizations.
“The conference is working with youth leaders in NGO so we are sharing knowledge and also finding out how to survive in the work we do,” she said.
“We need to make sure that equality works for the next generation and have them learn about marginalized groups at a young age, to fight for equality.”
Funding of FJD$16,000 was received for the initiative which will be followed by further programs.
“I thank our funders from Fiji, The Women’s Rights Movement, UN Women, Spotlight, the European Union, World Bank and Australian Aid for helping us bring together over 100 young leaders who have played significant roles as human rights defenders for Samoa,” Maluseu said.
Photo: Samoa Observer
