A/HRC/33/6 achieved a critical milestone in the legislative landscape with the passing of the Family Safety Act 2013, which provided greater protection for families and the handling of domestic violence and related matters through the use of protection orders. Additionally, the Family Court of Samoa had been established in 2014 in an effort to protect the vulnerable, mainly women, children and youth offenders. Linked to those developments was the establishment of the Drugs and Alcohol Court in 2015, which received support from gender programmes to fund officers of the court. Both the Family Court and the Drugs and Alcohol Court were presided over by female Supreme Court judges. The initial setting up of the courts had been supported through secondment of New-Zealand-based female judges to Samoa, one of whom was Samoan. 8. Another notable piece of legislation enacted was the Crimes Act 2013, which had introduced several significant changes to provisions relating to sexual offences, such as an increase in maximum penalties; a more inclusive definition of offences, including a variety of forms of unwanted sexual contact; and the criminalization of marital rape. 9. Non-legislative measures for the prevention of violence against women and children were catered for under the gender programme funded by the Government of Australia and the United Nations country team, with complementary support provided by a regional programme on gender funded by the Government of Australia. Non-governmental organizations were contracted to deliver public awareness and community conversations through traditional drama, cultural songs and dance. 10. The delegation stated that, in response to the recommendation on the improvement of the situation of women in Samoan society and political life, Samoa had ensured greater participation of women in political and public life by unanimously passing a constitutional amendment in June 2013 that introduced a 10 per cent quota for women representatives in the national Legislative Assembly. That quota was a minimum, and it did not prohibit more women from entering into political roles in future general elections. Elections in March 2016 had resulted in a woman holding the position of deputy prime minister and deputy leader of the ruling party, namely the Human Rights Protection Party, as well as a record number of women running as candidates and the largest number of women ever being elected to Parliament (five). 11. Samoa recognized that the presence of more women in Parliament could influence and bring greater sensitization to a more balanced discussion of gender issues, as well as encourage a way forward to harmonize traditional and customary practices with the law regarding women in politics and the empowerment of women in general. 12. The pre-elections programme to enhance the political awareness of the public of the potential role that women could play had served its purpose well. Never before had there been such a popular issue clearly highlighted or one that had caused such interest in the outcome of the elections. Representatives of academia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development and non-governmental organizations, were initiating discussions with the small number of villages that still did not recognize female title-holders. 13. Samoa had also enacted the Labour and Employment Relations Act 2013, which had introduced significant changes into the employment laws of Samoa, for both employers and employees, such as new maternity and paternity leave entitlements, an increase from two months to three months of paid leave and the introduction of new fundamental employment rights, including a ban on forced labour and equal pay for equal work. The Government would soon be launching the Samoa national employment policy, which provided a framework for employment under three pillars: labour supply, labour demand and policy framework. That would ensure equal opportunity employment for all, including women and youth. The youth employment programme supported by the United Nations country team, 4 GE.16-10832