The barriers facing Samoan women attaining leadership roles

A research paper by the National University of Samoa discusses the factors that contribute to Samoa having the lowest level of female political participation in the world.

Despite Samoan women having a reasonably high status in modern life, says the Centre for Samoan Studies (CSS), they are discouraged from formally participating in village-based political decision making. Low political participation in villages translates to low political participation in national government.

Informal conventions mean that there are very few role models of women as leaders. Read the full report here.