The delayed registration of children by parents has emerged as a significant concern nationwide. Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, expressed his intention to achieve 100 percent birth registration within the next two years. Currently, the rate stands at 80 percent across the country.
Minister Turaga pointed out that many parents neglect to register their children during their early years, often waiting until it becomes necessary for primary school enrollment. He highlighted this issue during a community meeting with residents of Dreketi.
The minister, who attended the Fiji Day celebrations in Labasa, noted that the low birth registration rate is especially problematic within the iTaukei community. He mentioned that a significant number of births among iTaukei individuals, particularly infants, remain unregistered, which is a serious issue.
To combat this, the ministry is taking active measures such as community outreach programs. During a recent trip to Koro and Ovalau, Turaga and his team sought to address the information gaps between the government and local communities. He encountered situations where children attending kindergarten in rural areas did not possess birth certificates.
Turaga emphasized the implications of unregistered children, stating that if a six-year-old is not registered, it means they are not accounted for within the nation.
In addition to birth registrations, the minister urged the iTaukei community to ensure timely registration of deaths. He stressed that death certificates must be filed with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) to enable the proper transition of entitlements. For example, the head of a yavusa can only be replaced after the previous head’s name has been officially removed from the list.
Turaga concluded by acknowledging the ongoing challenges faced by the iTaukei ministry in managing these registration issues.