United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor is in Fiji on an informal visit, raising alarm about proposed development projects in Namosi and urging authorities to secure community consent before proceeding.
During a visit to highland communities, Lawlor met members of the Namosi Landowners Committee and local villagers, who told her about plans for a hydroelectric dam and an open-pit mine on their land. “I heard about their activism and the challenges they are facing from plans for a hydrodam and development of an open pit mine on their land,” she posted on X, underlining that such projects can pose direct threats to livelihoods, land rights and the safety of defenders who oppose them.
Lawlor stressed that development processes must respect fundamental human rights and the right of communities to decide on projects that affect them. “Free, prior and informed consent must always be obtained and failure to do so inevitably leads to cascading human rights risks,” she said, reiterating a core international human rights standard that indigenous and landowning communities often invoke in disputes over extractive or infrastructure projects.
The Special Rapporteur also acknowledged the Social Empowerment and Education Programme for helping to facilitate her meetings in Namosi. In Suva, Lawlor held talks with representatives of the Human Rights Coalition at the United Nations Office in Kadavu House, focusing on the work and protection needs of women human rights defenders. Participants described particular hardships faced by defenders operating in remote and isolated communities, where access to legal advice, secure communications and physical protection can be limited.
Lawlor’s engagement in Fiji comes as major development proposals across the country have drawn heightened scrutiny from communities and civil society over potential impacts on land, the environment and livelihoods. The visit follows long-standing concerns about governance in planning and resource management — previously highlighted by local officials who said sectoral fragmentation and weak oversight complicate decision-making on forestry, land and development projects.
The meetings in Namosi and Suva provided an opportunity for Lawlor’s mandate to identify areas for practical support and collaboration with local actors. Civil society representatives said the discussions were intended to explore ways the Special Rapporteur’s office can assist human rights defenders in Fiji and across the Pacific, including by amplifying local concerns at international level and advising on protection measures.
As an informal visit, Lawlor’s trip does not carry the procedural weight of a country visit requested by a government, but it brings international attention to contested proposals and the treatment of those who raise objections. Her observations and follow-up could feed into future reporting and advocacy efforts by her mandate and partner organisations.
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