The delay in parents registering their children for birth certificates has become a significant national issue. Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, expressed his goal of achieving 100 percent birth registration within the next two years. Currently, the birth registration rate stands at 80 percent across the nation.
During a recent talanoa session with residents of Dreketi, Mr. Turaga highlighted that many parents tend to avoid registering their children in their early years and only seek registration when it is necessary for primary school enrollment. He emphasized that this lack of registration is particularly concerning within the iTaukei community.
Mr. Turaga noted that a significant number of unregistered births among the iTaukei population, especially for young children, is alarming. In response, the ministry has implemented proactive measures such as community outreach initiatives to address the issue.
Earlier this year, during his visit to Koro and Ovalau, the minister’s team identified gaps in information between the government and local communities. He mentioned instances where children in rural kindergartens were attending classes without birth certificates. The absence of proper registration hinders effective policy planning and educational resources since unregistered children are not accounted for.
Additionally, Mr. Turaga urged the iTaukei community to prioritize timely registration of death certificates. He explained that registering deaths with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) system is crucial for transferring privileges to the next eligible person. He cited that the registration of a new head of a yavusa cannot occur until the deceased’s name is removed from the system, thus indicating that this is a persistent challenge faced by the iTaukei ministry.