The reluctance of parents to promptly register their children has emerged as a significant national issue. Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, expressed his ambition to achieve a 100 percent birth registration rate within the next two years, noting that the current registration rate stands at 80 percent.
Mr. Turaga pointed out that many parents delay registering their children in their early years, often waiting until it is necessary for primary school enrollment. He raised these concerns during a community dialogue with residents of Dreketi on Wednesday and also addressed attendees at the Fiji Day celebrations in Labasa on Thursday. The minister highlighted that the issue of unregistered births is particularly prevalent within the iTaukei community.
He emphasized that a high percentage of iTaukei births remain unregistered, especially among younger children, which he described as a serious issue. In response, the ministry is proactively working to reduce this statistic through community outreach initiatives.
Earlier this year, while visiting Koro and Ovalau, Mr. Turaga and his team tackled the informational gaps between the government and local communities. He revealed instances of children attending kindergartens in rural areas without birth certificates. The minister stressed that the lack of registration hinders effective policy planning and educational resource allocation, declaring that an unregistered six-year-old is effectively unaccounted for in the country.
Additionally, Mr. Turaga urged the iTaukei community to ensure timely registration of their loved ones’ deaths. He reiterated the importance of registering death certificates with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) to allow the rightful successor to take over the deceased’s entitlements. He explained that the head of a yavusa cannot be registered until the former head’s name is removed from the records, highlighting it as an ongoing challenge for the iTaukei ministry.