NGOCHR Raises Alarm on Governmental and Human Rights Shortfalls in Fiji
31 Dec, 2025
The NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) expresses deep concern at Governments continued decline into unfettered governance practises that has resulted in human-rights failures in Fiji throughout 2025 that poses a threat to democracy and the rule of law.
While our government frittered away time, resources and money on various superfluous issues and conflicts in 2025, the lived realities of many Fijians reveal ongoing systemic injustices, weak accountability, and shrinking civic space.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
A concern is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and its problematic and politically motivated design.
The NGOCHR’s concern is that the design undermines justice by failing to clearly distinguish perpetrators from victims, thereby diluting accountability for serious human-rights violations committed during Fiji’s coup periods.
Truth-telling without justice risks retraumatising survivors, minimising the violence that were inflicted on the survivors and eroding public trust in reconciliation processes. Questions have been raised about its rationale and process – who is this TRC really for? For further details refer to the NGOCHR statement on the TRC.
The National Referendum Bill 2025
A careful review of the Bill reveals provisions that criminalise ordinary advocacy, restrict public discussion, and give exclusive authority over referendum materials to the Supervisor of Elections. The Rights to freedoms of expression, association, and political participation is enshrined under Fiji’s Constitution and international human rights obligations. Laws that criminalise or limit speech or civic action should be avoided in a democratic society.
Fijians must be able to freely discuss, debate, and advocate on matters of national importance without fear of criminal sanction.
As submissions are still open, the NGOCHR urges ordinary citizens to put in their submissions on this Bill.
The NGOCHR asks – why the need to restrict conversation amongst citizens on referendum which is about people voicing their opinion on an issue by voting.
Increased Militarisation and Jingoism
Fiji has been militarized since 1987. Despite the current military lead posturing as benevolent, the NGOCHR continues to voice concerns over the increased military budget, militarized Parliament (both sides of the house), military language, ongoing and normalized cadet training in schools and the troubling foray of the military into civic spaces including reconciliation. In a democratic society one would ask – why the ongoing prominence of the military and how much of that is to do with section 131(2) 2013 Constitution? Why can’t Fiji downsize the military and stop electing military as our Prime Ministers?
Freedom of Assembly and Media
Despite the repeal of restrictive media laws, the NGOCHR continues to observe tamed reporting by the media due to self-censorship. A cornerstone of a healthy democracy is the media’s ability to carry out their “watchdog” function without fear or influence, however the NGOCHR has noted the media’s lack of scrutiny, in particular with regard to the government’s actions throughout the year. The NGOCHR urges the media to continue to ask the questions and question the answers.
While the NGOCHR acknowledges the repeal of draconian media laws, the Public Orders Act continues to exist, even with the upcoming elections just around the corner. Peaceful assembly and protest continue to face undue police restrictions and intimidation.
Laws governing public order and political expression are still applied in ways that discourage dissent and silence community voices contrary to Fiji’s constitutional and international human-rights obligations.
While extensive consultation with regard to the Electoral laws took place, provisions that restrict Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations from facilitating civic education and elections related activities continue to exist. With the upcoming elections on the horizon, these restrictive provisions within the Electoral Act enables shrinking spaces and limits free and open debate on political and election related matters.
Government Priorities
NGOCHR is further concerned by governance and transparency failures, including questionable public spending priorities, limited consultation on key decisions, and insufficient accountability in public institutions.
Excessive government expenditure, particularly on travel and administrative costs, contrasts sharply with growing poverty, rising cost of living pressures, and underfunded social services. The NGCHR notes with despair the prioritizing of Government MP salaries despite the struggles of the ordinary Fijian.
Pomp and Ceremony
The NGOCHR is also concerned about the grand displays of awards, pomp and ceremonies despite the continued lack of tangible improvement in government services. While a lot of noise is made regarding what the government is doing for its people, the lived realities of Fijians continue to show an increased cost of living, a failing and hazardous health system and infrastructure, ongoing water woes, systemic weaknesses in policing, impunity for perpetrators of violence against women and girls, insufficient support for people living with disability and their families, to name a few.
Willy Nilly Decisions and the Consequences
In 2024, a Commission of Inquiry (COI) was appointed to look into the appointment of the then FICAC Commissioner. What followed thereafter, and took up much of 2025, were the consequences of haphazard decisions. We saw the dismissal of the then Attorney General, allegations of “crocodiles in the pond”, a non-functioning link to a redacted version of the COI report, various police investigations, several applications for legal redress pending before the Court, and a lot of taxpayers’ money being unnecessarily spent.
The NGOCHR continues to be concerned with ongoing cabinet changes that will continue to cost taxpayers. In the span of a year, 3 cabinet reshuffle announcements were made, one of which will be effective from January 2026. The cabinet size was expanded with new Ministers and Assistant Ministers being appointed and several portfolio changes being observed during the year.
Towards the end of 2025, we continue to see willy nilly decisions of the government, including the appointment of the Fiji Competition and Commerce Commission Chair, which was changed overnight.
Such willy nilly decisions result in chaos and instability.
The NGOCHR also notes with concern that when such decisions are questioned, government reaction is authoritarianism. We remind the government that they were voted in by the people, are the servants of the people, must remain accountable to the people and are responsible for the people. Most recently the Government Minister who had a boat load of day picnickers stopped from approaching a public island because he was having his Ministry party after Christmas is an example of a pompous and self-aggrandizing leader. Question – is there a law forbidding ordinary citizens from using the same public island for a picnic at the same time?
Law Enforcement
Police conduct remains a serious of concern.
Ongoing and public complaints of alleged police officer involvement in criminal activities throughout the year has worsened and erodes already fragile between the people and the police force. Reports continue to highlight ill-treatment, misuse of authority, perpetrator impunity and limited human-rights awareness among law-enforcement officers.
Accountability mechanisms remain weak, leaving victims without effective remedies. Troublingly the police position on holding officers to account is to support the officer – where is the justice?
Marginalised Communities
Marginalised communities continue to bear the greatest burden.
Women and girls face ongoing gender-based violence and insecurity this year, with at least 9 women allegedly killed by their intimate partners. The justice system continues to fail women and girls particularly because of systemic weaknesses in policing, which continues to encourage impunity and fail to hold perpetrators accountable. This continues to be one of the greatest barriers to justice for women and girls in Fiji.
Women and girls continue to face limited access to reproductive health services. LGBTQI+ persons experience discrimination and insecurity.
With rising fascism and misogyny globally, human rights and women’s rights spaces continue to shrink. This is also seen at a national level. The NGOCHR is concerned with the resistance to the acknowledgement of patriarchy being the root cause of gender inequality and violence against women and girls, despite the Fiji National Action Plan on the Prevention of Violence Against Women recognising patriarchy; despite Fiji declaring this recognition at the UN Human Rights Council in January. The regression to traditional family values, faith and culture is also concerning.
Persons with disabilities encounter persistent barriers to employment, education, and participation, despite new policy commitments.
Migrant workers remain vulnerable to exploitation, with Fiji still failing to meet minimum international standards on human trafficking prevention and prosecution.
Inter and Intra Racial Conflict in Fiji
Despite 1987 and 2000 being part of our history, racially motivated crimes like vandalism of temples and places of worship continued through 2025. Social media highlights of increased hate crimes and racism continues in posting and sharing of posts and language of hate and intolerance. There is still little presence or reaction from Government on CERD and race relations and building through 2025. While indigenous rights are enshrined in the 2013 Constitution, Fiji’s laws governing indigenous institutions continue to face difficulties aligning where land reforms continue to stagnate leaving indigenous resource owners unsure of where to go for redress or to be heard. This situation has in the past given rise to the exploitation of indigenous rights for the benefit of a few (indigenous politicians, failed businessmen and military personnel) – and continues to happen today. This is because no one wants to question the indigenous institutions that continue to exploit their own people.
Regional Solidarity
At the regional and international level, NGOCHR is concerned that foreign policy decisions increasingly contradict Fiji’s stated human-rights commitments, risking reputational harm and weakening the country’s moral leadership in the Pacific.
The Government’s opening of an embassy in Israel, amid international war-crimes allegations, has been criticized as conflicting with human-rights principles and Fiji’s commitments.
NGOCHR continues to urge Fiji to uphold Melanesian solidarity and human-rights standards in regional diplomacy, including on issues affecting West Papua and Kanaky New Caledonia.
Recommendations
NGOCHR calls on the Government to urgently amend the TRC Act to centre victims, ensure accountability, and provide pathways for justice and reparations.
Government must protect civic space by repealing or reforming laws that restrict peaceful assembly and expression.
We call for the promotion of democracy without the need of heavily relying on militarisation concepts.
NGOCHR calls for the utmost protection of our Freedom of Expression and Civic Participation and urges that the Referendum Bill 2025 must align with international norms, protecting civil liberties while ensuring the integrity of the voting process.
We urge that sections which restrict CSOs and NGOs in facilitating civic and election related education urgently reviewed or removed to allow for a space where the Fiji Elections Office works collaboratively with CSOs and NGOs.
We call for more strengthen police accountability and ensure independent investigations into allegations of abuse and ill-treatment.
We call for urgent, meaningful and united action to end the persistent impunity surrounding violence against women and girls in Fiji.
Government must adopt a people-centred national budget prioritising poverty reduction, social protection, and essential services.
The NGOCHR encourages the Government to put an end to the pomp, grandeur, noise and ceremonies, and instead focus on the priorities for the people.
NGOCHR urges the Government to protect vulnerable groups through enforceable laws, adequately funded services, and inclusive policy implementation.
We further call more effort in the combat of labour exploitation and trafficking through stronger enforcement, prosecutions, and migrant-worker protections.
Fiji must align foreign policy decisions with international human-rights and humanitarian law obligations.
Fiji stands at a defining moment. Symbolic reforms are not enough. Human rights must be realised in practice, not just policy.
NGOCHR stresses that justice must be meaningful, governance transparent, and dignity guaranteed for all.
NGOCHR remains committed to constructive engagement but will continue to speak out where rights are undermined and accountability is denied.
All Goverments need to remember that they are there in service to the people – do your job and tell the truth.
-ENDS-
- Shamima Ali, Chair of the NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji
Members of the Fiji NGO Coalition on Human Rights are Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (Chair), Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Citizens’ Constitutional Forum, femLINKpacific, Social Empowerment and Education Program, and Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality Fiji. Additionally, Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) is an observer. For more information or questions reach out to NGOCHR Chair Shamima Ali: fwcc.shamima@gmail.com