The current report acts as a first step in addressing the data gap by exploring two main issues, vis-à-vis the policy space: 1. Taking stock of the current status of data that captures women’s involvement in the MSME sector in Samoa. 2. Providing recommendations and insights on what data is needed to measure changes in the sector over time, in order to contribute to policy development.

The pursuit of these two goals is intended to identify a starting point from which a relevant data project can begin. With a long-term goal of addressing the dearth of data in the MSME space, the Government of Samoa’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) and their constituents will be able to draw on the findings of this report to develop a greater range and depth of relevant evidence to support policymaking for small business. This report is not intended to be an official baseline derived from an original research exercise, rather, it is a secondary research review of what is known about the size and scale of women-led entrepreneurship through existing data. The secon- dary research, in combination with the 14 stakeholder interviews conducted as part of the research, will provide a springboard to identify the most appropriate research and monitoring approach to use as the sector evolves over time, considering new programmatic inputs and the MSME Development Policy and Strategy 2020.