WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.907 --> 00:00:02.895 [broom sweeping leaves on gravel] 00:00:13.136 --> 00:00:19.113 [Speaking in Samoan]: I am Nuufou Salelologa Mose. 00:00:19.419 --> 00:00:22.114 I am 38 years old. 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:26.630 My disability is that I have a vision impairment. 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:32.718 I believe that there are plenty such instances 00:00:32.718 --> 00:00:36.737 facing women and girls with disabilities in Samoa 00:00:36.737 --> 00:00:40.482 but it's being hidden; not many people know. 00:00:41.147 --> 00:00:43.147 [marching drum] 00:00:46.368 --> 00:00:50.282 A good example of why I say it's happening 00:00:50.282 --> 00:00:53.700 is based on my experience of where I used to work. 00:00:54.540 --> 00:00:57.300 Sometimes, I can sense the discrimination, 00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:04.320 when, in many tasks, I am told that I cannot do, 00:01:05.460 --> 00:01:09.696 that I shouldn't be performing some  of these tasks because I can't. 00:01:16.641 --> 00:01:19.068 I am Oa Talatau Konefesi. 00:01:19.486 --> 00:01:20.880 Female of 58. 00:01:21.600 --> 00:01:26.520 I'm now having a big problem with my hearing. 00:01:27.297 --> 00:01:29.297 [rustling sand] 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:35.807 Most of the things I want to explain clearly to the people: 00:01:35.807 --> 00:01:39.959 I am getting this  problem with myself right now, 00:01:40.769 --> 00:01:44.383 but mostly they weren't giving a damn to me, 00:01:44.383 --> 00:01:50.760 sometimes discrimination with a wordings, discrimination with actions. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:12.893 Inclusion is key for any development, and the UNDP sees the importance   00:02:12.893 --> 00:02:18.032 of inclusion of the most vulnerable populations in Samoa, 00:02:18.032 --> 00:02:23.368 such as the women and girls of disability, in any form of development. 00:02:23.961 --> 00:02:24.679 [broom sweeping leaves] 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:49.654 I visited the Ministry Education office, where I was interviewed. 00:02:49.654 --> 00:02:52.620 I was instructed by the person who interviewed me 00:02:53.220 --> 00:02:56.514 to read the posters that were on the wall.  00:02:57.420 --> 00:03:00.262 I told her that I can't. 00:03:00.262 --> 00:03:04.476 She gave me books, if I could read them, 00:03:04.476 --> 00:03:06.624 and I told her I can't. 00:03:07.980 --> 00:03:12.900 I was told then how could I possibly do  my work as a teacher if I cannot read. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.754 I tried to explain to her how hard I have been working 00:03:20.151 --> 00:03:22.980 to fulfill my obligations as a teacher. 00:03:24.363 --> 00:03:30.163 [Mose asks question and students respond] 00:03:31.819 --> 00:03:35.892 However, I was told that I am to be informed  00:03:35.892 --> 00:03:37.865 that I need to resign 00:03:37.865 --> 00:03:41.083 because I cannot perform my duties as a teacher. 00:03:55.620 --> 00:03:58.617 I don't want to participate in any other things 00:03:58.617 --> 00:04:01.790 because sometimes when I found someone pointing 00:04:01.790 --> 00:04:04.683 his hand or her hands to me and said, 00:04:04.683 --> 00:04:06.784 "She's deaf! She's deaf!" 00:04:06.784 --> 00:04:10.414 and then by that time I really want to show that person. 00:04:10.414 --> 00:04:14.460 But I'm taking a look forward, I should go forward. 00:04:17.614 --> 00:04:25.129 If I think back to how long I fought and  tried hard to get my career, 00:04:25.129 --> 00:04:30.759 it's very difficult, because not only did my family made a lot of 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:34.867 economic sacrifices to put me through school, 00:04:34.867 --> 00:04:37.992 but also I invested a lot of time in it, 00:04:37.992 --> 00:04:42.180 because I was eager to find a job and a career. 00:04:42.476 --> 00:04:44.476 [students singing] 00:04:44.820 --> 00:04:49.963 So I can stand on my own two feet and be independent 00:04:49.963 --> 00:04:57.208 and have my own family that I can build from the sweat of my own hard work, 00:04:57.208 --> 00:05:02.298 so that's why I was very sad because of this impact. 00:05:04.409 --> 00:05:06.409 [students chanting] 00:05:08.487 --> 00:05:13.315 The other impact – people were making fun of me losing my job. 00:05:25.380 --> 00:05:32.460 There is obviously a lack of data   00:05:32.460 --> 00:05:37.579 or evidence to support some policy recommendations 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:42.306 to improve the lives of the women and girls with disabilities 00:05:42.306 --> 00:05:48.253 as well as to develop policy  recommendations for policy actions 00:05:48.253 --> 00:05:51.399 for women [with] disabilities in Samoa 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:56.820 in the area of stigma, discrimination, mistreatment, and abuse. 00:06:02.023 --> 00:06:09.389 I'm the one leading, or the senior nurse specialist  for the community in Tuasivi right now, 00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:14.566 so I'm just taking an example that God is so good. 00:06:14.566 --> 00:06:19.823 Even though there were a lot of problems facing with myself, 00:06:19.823 --> 00:06:23.682 but God is still raising me, telling the people 00:06:23.682 --> 00:06:27.840 that we are disabilities, we can do so as normal. 00:06:39.180 --> 00:06:45.600 The need now is for the government to  enact legislations to protect the rights   00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:49.689 of persons with disabilities in Samoa.