The Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga, believes that his upcoming trip to Bangkok, Thailand, next year will enhance their understanding and help find solutions for the challenges related to birth and death registration in Fiji. The ministry is working towards achieving a 100 percent birth registration rate by 2026.
“Fiji is ahead of other Pacific Island countries in this regard,” Mr. Turaga stated. Currently, Fiji has reached an 80 percent birth registration rate, but he aims to engage with the remaining population that is not registered.
“This indicates that 20 percent of Fiji’s population is unaccounted for,” he pointed out. Mr. Turaga noted that their teams have recently visited certain areas in Vanua Levu and identified that non-registration of newborns and children is a common issue. Although there has been a slight increase in awareness, it is still falling short of reaching the target population.
To facilitate the ongoing birth registration process, Mr. Turaga emphasized the need for additional budgetary support in the upcoming financial year. Samuela Ligairi, the special administrator of Labasa Town Council, mentioned that advisory council members and village heads will assist the ministry in identifying individuals who have not yet registered their births within communities and villages.