The Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga, is confident that his upcoming trip to Bangkok, Thailand, next year will enhance understanding and facilitate solutions for birth and death registration challenges in Fiji.
The ministry has set an ambitious goal of achieving a 100 percent birth registration rate by 2026. According to Minister Turaga, Fiji is ahead of other Pacific Island nations, with an official birth registration rate of 80 percent. However, he highlighted that the remaining 20 percent of the population remains unregistered, which is a key focus for engagement.
“Our teams visited several areas in Vanua Levu and noted the persistent issue of unregistered births among newborns and children. While awareness is slightly increasing, it still falls short of reaching all targeted demographics,” he explained.
Mr. Turaga also mentioned the necessity of additional budgetary support in the next financial year to sustain the birth registration initiative.
Labasa Town Council special administrator Samuela Ligairi emphasized the role of advisory councillors and village heads in helping the ministry identify individuals who have not been registered at the community and village levels.