The executive director of the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS), Vani Catanasiga, has urged the Government to handle human trafficking with great caution and concern. She emphasized that with Fiji being identified as a source country for human trafficking, it is imperative for policymakers to address this issue with seriousness.
Catanasiga pointed out that human trafficking could reflect the broader context of development in Fiji, and there is a need to scrutinize policies related to immigration, employment, and labor mobility schemes. She also mentioned the necessity of examining the social impacts of these mobility schemes, beyond just their economic benefits.
Referring to the US State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report released earlier this year, Catanasiga highlighted a decrease in governmental efforts to identify and protect victims of human trafficking. She stressed the importance of recognizing the social implications of labor mobility schemes alongside their economic impacts. Catanasiga noted that many policymakers, both current and former, have acknowledged the need to address these issues.
She also referenced a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on the Fiji National Trafficking in Persons Prevalence Survey, which identified Fiji as a transit point for human traffickers. The report indicated a significant rise in foreign workers from countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and other Southeast Asian nations in Fiji since 2017. Most of these workers are men aged 25 to 45, drawn by favorable working conditions and opportunities to migrate or work in New Zealand or Australia. According to the Fiji Migration Profile of 2020, the number of permits issued to foreigners increased notably between 2013 and 2019.
The Asia Foundation’s report also brought to light that domestic trafficking in Fiji primarily involves child labor and sexual exploitation of children. The report stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in children leaving school and engaging in street vending, loitering, begging, or working in casual labor. Additionally, a growing number of youths aged 15 to 24, both male and female, are involved in the commercial sex trade in urban and rural areas, as well as in locations with motels, hotels, yachts, and fishing vessels. The report also identified instances where families have been complicit in the exploitation of these children.
Asia Foundation representative Sandra Kraushaar confirmed that Fiji has become both a source and destination for human trafficking, noting that the Pacific region is no longer merely a transit point. She emphasized that human trafficking is occurring within Fiji, not just at its borders. Kraushaar described human trafficking as a grave crime affecting families, communities, and nations across the region.
Kraushaar also highlighted the crucial role of the media in raising awareness about human trafficking. She stressed the importance of exposing traffickers, advocating for survivors, educating the public, and influencing policies and public opinion.
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