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Milestones

1974

Ratification of Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and the ratification of Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)

2002

Ratification of Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

2007

Adoption of Employment Relations Act, which is strengthened by Health and Safety at Work Act 1996 and National Employment Centre Act 2009.

2009

Adoption of Crimes Act, which criminalizes some forms of labour, trafficking and all forms of sex trafficking.

2013

Fijian Constitution provides for freedom from slavery, forced labour and Human Trafficking, right to education, rights of children, among others.

Priorities

  • Stronger national legislation, policies and compliance mechanisms to protect all children from child labour, in particular the worst forms of child labour
  • Efficient data management and coordination mechanisms
  • Expanded social protection, livelihood and employment programmes to benefit the most vulnerable and child-centred preparedness and response strategies for national disaster situations
  • Targeted policies and actions to combat the worst forms of child labour (children in slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, illicit activities, and hazardous labour) informed by comprehensive baseline studies and supported by training for frontline workers and awareness raising campaigns
  • Targeted policies and actions to address forced labour, slavery and human trafficking in the fishing sector through the ratification of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 No. 188, conducting research and training programmes, among others
  • Targeted policies and actions to combat trafficking in persons in vulnerable communities (awareness campaigns, social protection and livelihood programmes)
  • Update and implement the NAP to eradicate Trafficking in Person & Children in Fiji and develop a resource mobilization strategy to support its implementation
  • Promote data management, coordination and collaboration to combat trafficking in persons, forced labour and modern slavery
  • Increase capacity building and research on trafficking in persons, forced labour and modern slavery

Progress

  • The Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations through its Labour Standards Services has conducted child labour awareness and training programs for 93 students and 29 teachers in 2019
  • The Ministry in Partnership with Cane Producers Association is conducting awareness training programs for cane farmers and cane cutters on issues related to child labour
  • The Ministry has conducted  8237 labour and child labour inspections between January 2018 and May 2020

Child Labour

  • The Compliance section of the Ministry has conducted 2400 Labour inspections at workplaces throughout Fiji.
  • The Interagency Training programs and meetings have been conducted to the benefit of all relevant stakeholders including the Fiji Police Force from August 2020 to February 2021
  • The Alliance 8.7 Employment Relations Advisory Committee has been established on 20 October 2020 and the Consultation workshop under the MAP16 project was conducted
  • The Ministry with ILO and interagency partners have conducted the awareness training program on at a community settlement at Qauia Village Lami, Suva
  • An inter-agency training on worst forms for child labour was conducted through the assistance of the ILO Map 16 project which included the government, employers, trade union and civil society organizations

Next steps

  • Conducting of Child Labour inspections at workplaces and ensuring child labour awareness programs are taken at the District and Divisional level

  • Discussing with the stakeholders the Draft National Action Plan for the eradication of child labour

Resources

Updates

  • 10 Jul 2020
    family work

    High-Level Political Forum 2020: Achieving SDG Target 8.7 and universal social protection in times of COVID-19 The High-level Political Forum on Sust..

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  • 12 Jun 2020
    family work

    COVID-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever! World Day Against Child Labour 2020 focused on the impact of crisis on child labour..

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  • 11 Jun 2020
    family work

    Honduras, Vietnam, Fiji, Guatemala, Nigeria, Albania, Mexico, Chile, Uganda, Costa Rica and Nepal have all launched video messages during the week-lon..

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  • 29 May 2020
    family work

    The human rights and labour rights of the most vulnerable must be at the heart of the COVID-19 response 1. The COVID-19 pandemic could reverse year..

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“I commend you all for joining hands in this fight. Together we can give our children a future that is free and for them to make informed decisions. Let us join hands and ensure that we move towards a better Fiji by eliminating all forms of child labor, forced labor and human trafficking from our society. We also remain committed to leading the region in this endeavor.”

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations and Youth and Sports, Honourable Mr. Parveen Kumar Bala, at the Strategic Planning Workshop

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