The Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga, believes that his planned visit to Bangkok, Thailand next year will enhance understanding and help find solutions to the challenges related to birth and death registration in Fiji. The ministry has set a goal of achieving complete birth registration by 2026.
According to Mr. Turaga, Fiji is leading compared to other Pacific Island nations. Currently, the country has achieved an 80 percent birth registration rate, leaving 20 percent of the population unregistered, which the minister aims to address.
“Our teams conducted visits in some areas of Vanua Levu and noted that the issue of non-birth registration for newborns and children persists. Although there has been some increase in awareness, it still falls short of reaching the entire targeted population,” he stated.
Mr. Turaga emphasized the need for additional budgetary support in the upcoming financial year to further the birth registration efforts. Samuela Ligairi, the special administrator for Labasa Town Council, urged advisory councillors and village leaders to assist the ministry in identifying individuals within their communities who have not been registered at birth.