Those who ran in the 1996 elections in spite of fono objections faced ostracism and even banishment from their village. Following the 1996 elections, there were multiple charges of fraud and bribery. Four elections subsequently were overturned by the Supreme Court, and by-elections were held. The 12-member Cabinet has 1 female member, and women hold 3 of the 49 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The first female Attorney General was appointed in 1997.
Government officials are usually cooperative.
The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, religion, disability, language, or social status. Society is homogeneous with no significant ethnic minorities. Politics and culture are the product of a heritage of chiefly privilege and power, and members of certain families have some advantages. While the law prohibits the abuse of women, social custom tolerates their physical abuse within the home. While police receive some complaints from abused women, domestic violence offenders typically are punished by village councils, but only if the abuse is considered extreme.