The failure of parents to timely register their children has become a national concern. Siromi Turaga, the Minister for Justice, aims for 100 percent birth registration within the next two years. Currently, the registration rate stands at 80 percent across the country.
Mr. Turaga noted that many parents neglect to register their children during their early years, often waiting until they need to enroll them in primary school. He shared these insights during a talanoa session with villagers in Dreketi and was present at the Fiji Day celebrations in Labasa.
A significant issue within the iTaukei community is the high rate of unregistered births, particularly among young children, which he described as a grave concern. In response, the ministry is taking proactive measures, including conducting community outreach efforts to reduce the number of unregistered births.
Earlier this year, during his visits to Koro and Ovalau, Mr. Turaga’s team addressed information gaps between the government and communities. He revealed that there are instances in rural kindergartens where children attend without birth certificates.
The lack of registration and official documentation complicates proper policy planning and educational resource allocation. Mr. Turaga emphasized that if a six-year-old is not registered, they are essentially unaccounted for in the country.
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of timely death registration within the iTaukei community. He stressed that death certificates must be registered with the Fijian Affairs Board’s Vala ni Kawa Bula (VKB) to ensure proper transfer of privileges to the next eligible person. He explained that new heads of yavusa registration cannot be appointed until the name of the deceased is removed from the records, reiterating that this issue remains a persistent challenge for the iTaukei ministry.