“UNITE TO END DIGITAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS BY SAMOA FAMILY HEALTH ASSOCIATION [09 December 2025]

SAMOA, December 14 - KEYNOTE ADDRESS by the Associate Minister of Health, Ale Vena Ale

Talofa Lava and Warm Greetings to you all.

Lau Susuga ile ta’ita’i ole sauniga Rev. Maauga Motu, distinguish guests, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my honor to join the Samoa Family Health Association, our development partners, community leaders, young couples and families as we gather for this important event “The Young Couples Contribution to Ending Violence, heldas part of the 16 Days of Activism under the global theme “Unite to End Digital Violence against Women and Girls.

Today, we celebrate not only creativity through poetry, music and performance but also the courage and commitment of our young couples from Vavau and Faleasi’u who have completed the Sexual GBV Fundamentals Training. Their willingness to learn, grow and lead change in their families and communities is something we must acknowledge with pride.

Violence whether physical, emotional, sexual or digital has no place in our societies. With the rapid rise of technology, digital violence has become one of the fastest-growing forms of abuse, affecting many young women and girls in Samoa and around the world. Online bullying, harassment, non-consensual sharing images, and harmful messages can cause deep emotional harm and long – term trauma.

As the Minister of Health, I believe that ending violence is essential to protecting the health, dignity and well being of our people. Violence disrupts families, affects mental health, contributes to unplanned pregnancies, increases sexually transmitted infections and creates cycles of harm that can continue across generations.

This is why the work of SFHA and partner is so important. By empowering young couples with knowledge on Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights, healthy relationships, gender equality and digital safety, we create stronger families and stronger communities.

I commend SFHA for using creative tools such as music, poetry and performance to help young people express their experiences and advocate for change. Young couples hold a special place in the vision pf safer Samoa and they have the power to break old cycles. When young couples stand together as equal partners, treating each other with respect and supporting each other’s dreams, they become powerful agents for ending violence.

To the couples performing today:

You are role models. You are showing Samoa that love built on respect, communication, and shared responsibility can transform our homes and communities. O outou o fa’ata’ita’iga lelei I totonu o aiga, ekalesia ma nuu. Ia faia lenei aso fa’apitoa ma lesona aoga e taoso ma tapena ai se lumana’I manuia mo outou ma I tatou uma mo a taeao.

To the village leadres, parents and families present:

Your support is essential. Ending violence requires all of us: government, community, churches and families working together, towards building strong, safe and loving families. Ole auga lena o faigamea, a lelei pulega a nuu ma afio’aga e saogalemu foi tupulaga ma ona tagata. Fa’afetai I lo outou lagolago ile una’ia o ulugalii e fa’atanuuina lenei faa’amoemoe.

As a nation, we reaffirm our commitment to creating a Samoa where women and girls feel safe both offline and online, where every person’s rights ar eportected and where our communities thrive in peace and respect.

Let us continue to work together, advocate together and stand together to end all forms of violence.

Manuia lo tatou fa’amoemoe.

Fa’afetai tele lava, and May God bless you all.