“Violence was never part of the Samoan culture”: C.E.O.
The Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development (M.W.C.S.D.) Dr. Mema Motusaga has invited the public to join their Ministry in “Thursdays in black” and to put an end to violence against women and girls.
Dr. Motusaga made the comments during the launch of the Samoa Gendership Programme at the Tooa Salamasina Hall on Thursday morning when she was asked why her Ministry was wearing black on Thursday.
Thursdays in black is an initiative conducted by Samoa’s Ministry of Women where all employees wear black to stand together and eliminating violence against women and girls.
“I was asked why are you wearing black. Why are you and your Ministry wearing black? Why is your Minister wearing black? And I didn't want to let go of the opportunity because this is one of our initiatives and I believe that as the partnership, the Gender Partnership Programme, this is one of our main agenda,” Dr. Motusaga said on Thursday.
“Thursdays in black is an initiative of the Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development to recognise that achievement of gender equality in Samoa hasn't been easy over the years, it has been quite a ride. In particular, our work on the eliminating of violence against women and girls.
“It is an initiative that started off at the regional level but as the new lead for the Ministry of Women I wanted to bring it home, I wanted to localise it. Black has always been interpreted as a signal of sympathy, a reflection of darkness and sorrow.”
Dr. Motusaga said that although it was a day that Europeans declared mourning of massive murdering of women and girls, they have turned it around and used it to declare that enough is enough.
“A lot has been said already and it is time to act. And I believe that this is very fitting with our launch this morning and our commemoration this morning.
“Thursdays in black is our interpretation of standing in solidarity with our sisters, our girls, our mothers, our aunties, and our grandmothers, and also our men, our brothers, our uncles, and our sons, who are being abused everyday, but in particular our sisters, our daughters, our aunties, our mothers, and grandmothers.”
Dr. Motusaga explained that black represents the courage and the strength of women to persevere, and speaks to their resilience.
“Why am I sharing this today? I wanted to make the most of the opportunity to share it with you, and I wanted to invite our Samoa Gender Partnership programme and the rest of us who are here this morning to join us and stand in solidarity with us, with our men advocates, with our men champions including my own Minister, and our Minister to declare that enough is enough, that violence is never and was never part of the Samoan culture,” she said.
Dr. Motusaga said that she would like to see everyone stand in solidarity with the Ministry to wear black to declare that enough is enough, and that it is time for Samoa to act.