A recent study conducted by UNICEF is investigating the effects of the Pacific labour mobility scheme on children left behind in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. The report indicates a lack of adequate family support and rising tensions, primarily attributed to infidelity, with children being significantly impacted.
The research highlights several challenges, including social costs linked to labour mobility such as family breakdowns, exploitation, social isolation, and insufficient care for families remaining in their home countries. Talei Cama, a Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Pacific, expressed hope that the findings would encourage the development of policies and support systems for children who are left behind.
Fiji’s Minister of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, Agni Deo Singh, voiced concern over the alarming findings of the study. He emphasized the urgent need for a collaborative response, advocating for dialogue and the sharing of best practices among countries with similar issues. He also stressed the importance of a thorough assessment of the impacts, the need for protective measures, and regional cooperation to effectively tackle these challenges.
UNICEF Pacific is collaborating with the Ministry of Employment to advance this research, and the Permanent Secretary for Employment, Maritino Nemani, remarked that the outcomes of the study would prompt the Ministry to reevaluate how labour mobility is managed.