Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative

Access to information as a key to empowerment and knowledge-based development

Towards a Solution

The Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative, funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund under the auspices of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), promotes knowledge-based sustainable development in Samoa, as inclusive knowledge societies are crucial for economic, social and political development. The initiative’s objective is to establish a knowledge society that includes a digital library, a lifelong learning lab and access to information policy. The initiative undertakes capacity development for policy and resource management.

The initiative is rights-based, acknowledging the right of all Samoans to access to information, contributing towards an enabling environment for enhanced digital development. As acknowledged by the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the initiative recognizes that partnerships are effective instruments for mobilizing expertise, technology and knowledge and can be powerful drivers for change, innovation and welfare. The initiative is premised on SDG target 16.10 and the principle that information not only empowers people to make decisions but also allows them to exercise their rights, be economically active, learn new skills and hold their governments accountable.

The Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative has been developed under the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNESCO following discussions with the Prime Minister, Members of Cabinet and the National University of Samoa and in consultation with several ministries, including those responsible for ICT, education, agriculture and health, and a range of professional associations, including educationists, librarians, health and agriculture professions, policy-makers, disabled person organizations, and public and private sector service providers. To elaborate a full proposal, the stakeholders engaged in dedicated consultations from 14 to 16 August 2019. Consolidated stakeholder consultation on the implementation of the project was held on 20 August 2019 in the presence of all stakeholders involved. Accountability is ensured through a Steering Committee that provides national oversight. A technical committee is charged with overall coordination.

UNDP and UNESCO, through an India-UN Development Partnership Fund Commonwealth window, are implementing the initiative, drawing upon experiences from India, Uganda and elsewhere in applying good practices in advancing knowledge societies. The United Nations Country Teams responsible for the implementation of the United Nations Pacific Strategy (2018-2022) have experience in Samoa in providing high-quality technical expertise and impartial policy advice, based on international experience, technical expertise and good practices, including advocating for the inclusion of vulnerable populations. Access to information can have a profound impact in advancing sustained and sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth with decent work for all.

In monitoring knowledge societies and access to information a contribution will be made towards the reporting on SDGs, specifically SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The initiative contributes to a number of other SDG targets, specifically, equal rights and access to services (1.4, 2.c, 3.7, 4.4), inclusive technological development and information technology as a tool for sustainable economic development (5.b, 8.5, 9.5, 9.c, 12.8) and South-South and multilateral cooperation (17.6). The initiative will be used as an opportunity to learn from the innovative promotion of knowledge societies in Samoa by using technologies.

The Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative marks the beginning of a broad- er effort in the region to support creating, organizing, accessing, disseminating, using and preserving information and knowledge to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2030. For sustainability of the initiative, the United Nations System will seek to establish a dedicated facility in the form of a trust fund for the management of the digital library and other knowledge resources. The second phase of the project, planned from 2022-2025, will provide foresight, scale-up and replication in the region and promote SIDS-SIDS exchanges.