Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection - Fiji

*FIJI REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CHILD PROTECTION ACROSS THE PACIFIC.*

Fiji has reaffirmed its strong commitment to Early Childhood Development (ECD), at the 2026 Pacific Island Forum Women Leaders Meeting, recognizing that investing in children from an early age is critical to building a stronger, healthier, and more resilient Pacific region.

Speaking during discussions on Early Childhood Development in the Pacific: A Foundation for Progressing the Status of Pacific Children, Permanent Secretary for Justice and Acting Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, Ms. Selina Kuruleca stated that Fiji supported recommendations to strengthen ECD across the region and welcomed plans to develop an ECD and Status of Pacific Children Report in 2027.

Ms. Kuruleca highlighted the importance of ensuring that research and surveys used to measure children's wellbeing are based on reliable and statistically significant data. This will help provide an accurate picture of the challenges and opportunities facing Pacific children and ensure all countries are properly represented.

She reaffirmed that child neglect, violence, poverty, and family instability are serious threats to children's wellbeing and the future development of Pacific nations. Fiji noted that women often carry the greatest caregiving responsibilities during times of economic hardship, natural disasters, health emergencies, and social crises.

Fiji's commitment is supported by a strong legal and policy framework, including the Child Care and Protection Act 2024, the Family Law Act, the Domestic Violence Act, the National Child Safeguarding Policy, and other national strategies that promote child welfare, gender equality, and family resilience.

The Government is also investing in a Child Wellbeing Center in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Fiji. These center is to provide a safe space where children and families can access counselling, psychosocial support, protection services, and other assistance.
Ms. Kuruleca highlighted the importance of prevention and early intervention, noting that strong partnerships between government agencies, civil society organizations, faith-based groups, and development partners are helping strengthen families and communities. Programmes delivered by organizations such as Frank Hilton Organisation, Medical Services Pacific, and Empower Pacific provide parenting support, counselling, health services, and outreach programmes across the country.

Recognizing the important role schools play in safeguarding children, Ms. Kuruleca pointed to ongoing school health programmes that provide free health screenings, dental and eye checks, immunisations, and health education. Initiatives such as the HPV vaccination programme for Year 8 students continue to support the long-term health and wellbeing of young people.

She stressed that protecting children requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Through coordinated efforts involving health workers, teachers, police, welfare officers, community leaders, and service providers, children and families at risk can receive timely support and protection. Ms. Kuruleca concluded by emphasizing that child protection is not only a welfare issue but also human rights, development, health, education and national security priority.

PACIFIC WOMEN LEADERS STRENGTHEN COMMITMENT TO DISABILITY INCLUSION ACROSS THE BLUE PACIFIC.

Ministers and delegates who attended the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting held important discussions on strengthening commitment to disability inclusion across the Blue Pacific region.

The dialogue focused on the importance of partnerships in advancing inclusive, equitable and resilient development, ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully included in the aspects of society.

Speaking during the session, Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Protecion, Hon. Sashi Kiran, reaffirmed Fiji’s support for the Refreshed Pacific Framework for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PFRPD) and endorsed the proposed next steps outlined in the framework.

Hon. Kiran highlighted Fiji’s strong legal commitment to protecting the rights of the persons with disabilities through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018. The Act guarantees equal protection and equal benefit of the rights and freedoms provided under the Fijian Constitution.

The Minister informed the meeting that Fiji officially launched its revised National Policy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2025–2035) on 15 October 2025. The policy provides a comprehensive 10-year framework aimed at strengthening inclusion, protecting rights, improving accessibility and expanding opportunities for economic empowerment for more than 120,000 Fijians living with disabilities.

The new policy replaces the previous framework that guided national efforts from 2008 to 2018 and reflects Fiji's renewed commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities can participate fully, equally and with dignity in society.

Hon. Kiran noted that disability inclusion must be integrated across all sectors of government and society. The policy promotes stronger coordination, accountability and collaboration at national, divisional and district levels and aligns with Fiji's National Development Plan and Vision 2050.

Fiji also called for stronger partnerships among governments, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), civil society organisations, technical agencies and development partners.
Particular emphasis was placed on investing in maternal and child health services, as well as early screening, assessment and intervention programmes to ensure disabilities are identified early and that children, families and persons with disabilities receive the support they need.

Hon. Kiran concluded by reminding leaders that the Pacific has a shared responsibility to build a region where every person with a disability can live with dignity, fully exercise their rights and contribute meaningfully to the social, economic and cultural development of their communities.

𝐅𝐈𝐉𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐔𝐌 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆

The Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sashi Kiran, represented Fiji at the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting (PIFWLM) held in Suva from 3–5 June 2026.

The meeting brought together Ministers responsible for women and gender affairs, parliamentarians, senior government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, youth representatives, and regional institutions to discuss priorities affecting women and girls across the Pacific.

During the meeting, Minister Kiran reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to advancing gender equality through strengthened implementation, accountability, survivor-centred systems, and inclusive leadership, in line with the 2025 CEDAW Concluding Observations, CSW70 outcomes, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Fiji highlighted key national priorities, including improving access to justice for women and girls, eliminating violence against women and girls, strengthening women’s leadership and participation, advancing women’s economic empowerment, promoting climate justice and resilience, and addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Minister Kiran emphasized the importance of moving beyond policy commitments to measurable action and outcomes, noting that implementation, financing, coordination, and accountability remain critical to achieving gender equality across the Pacific. Fiji also reiterated its commitment to the full implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls and to ensuring that women and girls remain central to regional policy and development discussions.

On the margins of the meeting, Minister Kiran engaged with fellow Pacific women leaders to strengthen collaboration and explore opportunities for regional cooperation, technical support, and knowledge sharing.

The Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting remains the region’s main platform for advancing women’s leadership, gender equality, and inclusive development across the Blue Pacific.