NAME OF ORGANIZATION:

Department of Youth and Women's Affairs

ADDRESS:

American Samoa Government
Pago Pago, AS 96799
Tel: (68 4) 633-2835
Fax: (68 4) 633-2875
Email: DYWA@samoateloo. com

STATUS:

Governmental

HEAD OF ORGANIZATION:

Director

YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT:

1997

LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY:

Public Law No. 25-18 signed by Governor Tauese P. F. Sunia on April 25, 1997.

OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS:

* Establish goals and objectives relating to youth and women in the Territory.
* Create policies and coordinate public programmes addressing youth and women services and developments to include, but not limited to, youth and women programme planning goals, objectives, activities, projects, procedures and evaluation, articulation, and planning and budgeting.
* Study the factors concerning the needs of youth and women in the Territory through adequate research studies, such research to be carried on whenever possible through government agencies responsible for providing services in the fields of health, education, social welfare, employment, and related services. Where such research cannot be done within such established agencies, it may be carried out by this Department. The Department may develop pilot programmes when no other public or private agency is able to develop such programmes to fill a particular gap or critical need area, thereby reducing unnecessary duplication and procuring cost efficiency among programmes.
* Review legislation pertaining to youth and women appropriations made for services in their behalf in such fields as health, human and social service, education, recreation, and juvenile delinquency and its prevention. Consider and present revisions and additions needed and report to the Governor and to the legislature regarding such legislation.
* Evaluate the availability, adequacy, and accessibility of all services for youth and women within the Territory.
* Conduct selected monitoring and promote the coordination of the operations and operating policies affecting youth and women of all departments and agencies responsible for providing services for them, including, without limitation to the generality of the foregoing, the department of health, the department of human and social services, the department of education, the department of public safety, the department of parks and recreation, the criminal justice planning agency, and report such facts and the offices recommendations to the legislature.
* Maintain a data and information storage and retrieval system with respect to youth and women related information and maintain contacts with local, state, and federal officials and agencies concerned with planning for youth and women.
* Encourage and foster local community action on behalf of the youth and women through local committee establishments.
* Work closely with local, national, regional, and international Non Government Organizations (NG0s) in promoting programmes addressing both youth and women issues.
* Conduct educational workshops and seminars.
* Formulate national policies on development and protection of youth and women.
* Assist to coordinate activities with other NG0s for youth and women.