The lack of timely birth registrations among parents has raised national concerns. Justice Minister Siromi Turaga expressed his goal of achieving complete birth registration within the next two years. Currently, the registration rate stands at 80 percent across the country.
During a community discussion with villagers in Dreketi, Mr. Turaga noted that many parents postpone registering their children until they prepare for primary school. He highlighted that this issue is particularly pressing within the iTaukei community, where a significant number of births remain unregistered.
To tackle this challenge, the ministry has begun proactive outreach efforts to engage communities. Earlier this year, while visiting Koro and Ovalau, Minister Turaga’s team identified information gaps between government services and local communities. He mentioned an instance where children in a rural kindergarten were attending classes without birth certificates.
Mr. Turaga emphasized that the absence of birth registration hampers policy planning and educational provisions. “If a six-year-old is not registered, it simply means he or she is not accounted for in this country,” he warned.
Additionally, the minister urged the iTaukei community to ensure that the deaths of their relatives are registered promptly. He explained that death certificates must be recorded with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) to allow the next eligible person to access the associated privileges. He pointed out that the ongoing registration of deaths continues to be a challenge faced by the iTaukei ministry.