The Silence and Shame of Human Trafficking in Fiji

Despite the attraction of Fiji’s natural beauty and cultural richness, there is an underlying issue that must be addressed: human trafficking. Like many other countries in the world, Fiji is not immune to this global problem.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Fiji government, The United Nations, non-governmental organisations, universities, the US Embassy in Suva, and other entities, conducted a study to investigate and report domestic and international instances of human trafficking in Fiji. The study focused on identifying the volume, characteristics, and risk factors for both adults and children and aimed to identify the challenges in Fiji’s response to trafficking.

The intersecting challenges include the significant portion of the population living in extreme poverty, gender discrimination, abuse, and lack of access to essential resources such as clean water, sanitation, education, healthcare and safety, as well as basic infrastructure and resources. Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the vulnerabilities of individuals, and it is imperative to take a firm stance against it. To combat this issue, it is crucial to spread awareness both locally and globally. Perpetrators of human trafficking tend to capitalise on existing factors and vulnerabilities, and it is our responsibility as an international community to raise awareness and act on the threat of human trafficking in Fiji.

Recent data reported by The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data in October 2023 revealed that roughly 0.6 percent of the population in Fiji have experienced “severe” instances of human trafficking. While this figure might seem low, the unawareness of the key indicators of trafficking in persons cases may not be reported by victims or the public to the authorities for investigation. Analysis must also take into close consideration the taboo against speaking negatively about elders in Fijian culture which can often lead to victim blaming, a prevalent issue among young Fijians.

National authorities and experts interviewed for this report noted that the COVID-19 pandemic-driven economic downturn caused an increase in trafficking and exploitation of individuals facing a loss of livelihood and seeking other, potentially risky, options. An increase of children left school to assist their economically struggling families, thus being exposed to a higher susceptibility of being trafficked or exploited.

Reports from the UNODC have provided evidence over the past decade from the region indicating that the Pacific Islands are a source, transit point, and destination of trafficking in persons. Data reported, for instance,that 22 victims were trafficked throughout the tourism industry in hotels or brought to fishing vessels and exploited offshore out of the view of authorities.

Fiji’s national legislation is not fully in compliance with international standards, and, as a result, gaps persist regarding Fiji’s ability to comprehensively address the exploitation of adults and children. These inconsistencies with legislation, inadequate proactive investigations, and formal victim identification procedures across relevant agencies are a serious concern and must be addressed.

The UNODC launched a commendable project (Trafficking in Persons in Fiji) to enhance the existing data collection systems that estimate and monitor the number of victims of human trafficking. This project has been instrumental in assisting the respective authorities to curb trafficking in persons and bring the perpetrators to justice. These perpetrators of trafficking have been known to loiter around schools to recruit girls and may use taxi drivers to take the victims to fishing vessels docked at ports, and hotels. In other domestic trafficking instances, the suspected offender may be a member of the victim’s family, who may pressure the victim to be involved for money, particularly if they are children. This offender profile makes it difficult for victims to self-identify due to the close nature of the relationship.

More recent improvements have been made in awareness due to campaigns and an improved outreach program developed and regularly conducted by The Division of Anti-Human Trafficking Services (AHTSD), targeting vulnerable members of local communities. But the fight against human trafficking faces numerous challenges, as revealed in the report’s findings. We must acknowledge, address, and act on these challenges to protect the safety and lives of Fijians.

Ellia Green OAM is an intern with the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Canberra. 

This article is published under a Creative Commons Licence and may be republished with attribution.