Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo urged stronger inclusion of women, girls and other vulnerable communities in land and climate decision-making as the latest development in Fiji’s push to align policy with human rights and sustainable development goals. Speaking recently at the Capacity Building Program on Climate Change, Human Rights and Business at the Pacific Theological College in Suva, Vosarogo said reforms must be designed from the outset to be inclusive or risk entrenching injustice.
“We must also face an uncomfortable but essential truth: women, girls, and the most vulnerable communities bear the heaviest burdens, yet their voices are too often marginalised,” Vosarogo said, warning that policies that overlook such inequalities will not only fall short but “will compound injustice.” He called for gender-responsive planning, meaningful consultation and equal access to remedies to guide land governance and climate strategies.
Vosarogo cited a recent vanua decision that directed a kava ban for women as an example of how customary or community-level rulings can exclude women from public life and cultural practices. He said he had “read with interest differing views and opinions on the subject” over the past few days, from arguments invoking strict equality before the law to perspectives urging examination of the intent behind customary decisions. The minister used the debate to underline the need for policy approaches that recognise both human rights obligations and the realities of customary governance.
The minister’s remarks signal a deliberate effort within government circles to reconcile land policy, customary authority and human rights norms. “In Fiji, deliberate steps are being taken to align laws and policies with these realities,” Vosarogo said. “These land reforms are about more than efficient management — they are about justice, stronger governance, and sustainable development that upholds human rights.” He positioned the reforms as not only technical changes to land administration but as mechanisms to ensure equitable participation in decisions that shape livelihoods and climate resilience.
The intervention at the Pacific Theological College reflects growing attention to how climate adaptation and land-use planning intersect with social inclusion. Climate impacts disproportionately affect women and marginalised groups in the Pacific, and decisions about relocation, land access and resource management increasingly require both technical and social safeguards. Vosarogo emphasised that gender-sensitive policy design and prior consultation are essential to effective and just outcomes.
Vosarogo’s statements come amid wider public debate about customary authority, gender norms and the reach of law in communities across Fiji. By foregrounding the need for remedies and inclusive consultation in land governance and climate strategy, the Lands Ministry is framing upcoming reforms as part of a broader human-rights-centred approach. The minister did not set out a specific timetable for legislative changes at the event, but his comments mark a clear policy direction and signal that future reforms will stress participation and equity alongside management efficiency.
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