Sixth Asia and Pacific Population
Conference
Dr. Jiko Luveni
Minister for Social Welfare, Women
and Poverty Alleviation
UNESCAP, Bangkok
16 – 20 September 2013
The Chairperson, Honorable
Ministers, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of
the Fiji Government, it gives me great pleasure to address this
important session. I extend my gratitude to UNFPA and UNESCAP for the
invitation.
At the
outset I am pleased to inform the forum that Fiji’s new
Constitution was assented to by our President just over a week ago.
For the first time in the history of our beloved nation and in
response to the strong wishes of our people, Fiji’s Constitution
has provided for a wide range of socio-economic rights. These rights
include rights to education, access to health care, housing and
sanitation, reasonable access to transportation, food security and
safe water, and social security schemes. It is also the first Fiji
Constitution to articulate specific rights to persons with
disabilities and to all children. It provides for greater civil and
political rights to youths through reduction of the voting age from
21 to 18 years ensuring their say in the political life of the
nation. Furthermore, it outlaws any form of discrimination based on
sex and gender.
While
increasing numbers of young people in Fiji are getting married late
or not at all resulting in low fertility, the fertility rate of 2.7
reflects the effect of the increasing teenage pregnancies. The urban
population growth rate is 1.5% against -0.1% rural growth rate.
According to a recent World Bank report, of the 32% poverty rate in
Fiji, poverty in the rural population stood at a high 44% while
poverty in the urban population is 25%. The report noted that the
high poverty rate is attributed more to monetary poverty as food
poverty was a low 7.5%. NCDs are the number one killer in Fiji with
increasing deaths due to cancer. Amputation of limbs due to diabetes
increased from 300 in 2006 to approximately 800 in 2012.
The effect
of climate change and natural disasters such as increasing intensity
and frequency of tropical cyclones and flashfloods has very
significant negative impact not only on the economy of the country
but also on the population challenges. Affected families are reduced
to poverty living and there is increase in domestic violence and
sexual violence that lead to unintended pregnancies in displaced
persons. The availability and accessibility of reproductive health
services particularly contraceptives becomes a major issue. Moreover,
the special needs of vulnerable population groups such as women,
persons with disabilities, children and senior citizens is a major
challenge and that it should be embedded in the national development
plans.
The
government recognizes the importance of gender equality and
empowerment of women for equitable and sustainable development. This
is proven through its increased budgetary allocation from $200,000
annually up to 2006 to $1, 010,000 in 2013. Subsequently, there have
been significant achievements in riasing the social status of women
through economic empowerment programmes, effective campaigns to
reduce violence against women and children, upgrading and expanding
scope in capacity building, leadership skills, etc. and overall
participation in the national development process.
Fiji has a
relatively young population with 57% below the age of 30. In response
to this fact, A National Youth Policy is in place to address the
needs of adolescents and youth in relation to community and family
support, employment opportunities, participation in the political
process and access to education and quality reproductive health
services.
The social
protection programs of the government include the provision of cash
transfers and food vouchers to almost half of the poor category, the
single mothers and all those who are 70 years and over. Relevant
legal frameworks with resources and structures are also in place for
our senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities.
The
Government of the Republic of Fiji believes strongly in the value of
education as a strong vehicle to ensure that its citizens are well
prepared to live free and worthwhile lives. And as we continue to
face the challenges of population demographics such as increased
rural to urban drift, and changes brought through globalization, we
need to ensure that we have an education system that is flexible and
responsive to better mitigate the impacts of such challenges.
To conclude,
given the fact that parents of the current era and certainly beyond
2015 are becoming better educated than the past generation, in
partnership with other relevant Government Line Ministries and CSOs,
the Fiji government will strengthen and mobilize community
participation to:
- Ensure the presence of the ICPD Programme of Action at community level through the Women’s and Young People’s Institutions including educational institutions;
- Promote sexual and reproductive health including improving accessibility of contraceptives;
- Take ownership of the campaign to eliminate violence against women and girls; and
- Ensure the implementation and enforcement of existing legal frameworks to protect the vulnerable population groups.
Thank you.
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