Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau

The programme brief description

Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau are among the most fragile Small Island Developing States due to their geography, size of the economy and exposure to climate change and extreme weather events. In the absence of economic opportunities, the quality of life for many of the persons living in these countries has deteriorated with incidence of NCDs, alcohol abuse and domestic violence rising at a high pace. This Joint Programme aims at increasing resilience through viable and financially sustainable social protection systems that will address life cycle vulnerabilities, strengthen social protection floors and enhance employability while also ensuring consistency with other programmes implemented by the UN Country Team (UNCT) to secure access to basic services, strengthen institutional responsiveness and improve disaster risk management.

Approach

To ensure the Social Protection Floors will address the most vulnerable, stakeholders consulted in the formulation of the Joint Programme recommended a people centered, equity focused and climate resilient approach.The Joint Programme will also address data gaps in poverty and vulnerability by taking a multi-dimensional approach and using traditional and non-traditional data sources to identify people at risk of being left behind.

Target groups

Women and girls, carers and persons living with disabilities and unemployed, especially youth.