Government has dismissed a report by a non-governmental organisation which ranks Fiji poorly in  children’s access to justice.

It describes the report as factually incorrect.

The report places Fiji  at 116 out of 197 countries. It was prepared in early 2014.

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum  said the report failed to take into account issues such as the Child Welfare Decree 2010, the Criminal Procedure Decree and various sections of the Fijian Constitution which protects the rights of children.

He said the Fijian Government noted that in the preparation and publication of this report on access to justice for children, no consultations were undertaken by the writers with the relevant agencies such as the Judicial Department (including the Chief Justice or the Family Court), the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, the Legal Aid Commission and the Ministry of Justice.

“The Fijian Government does not give much heed to such unilateral and factually incorrect reporting. The Report does not provide an accurate picture of the human rights landscape in Fiji, in particular in relation to the rights and protections offered to children.

“Our human rights laws have been assessed in line with international best practices and standards by the relevant UN agencies, including in particular the UN Human Rights Council.

“In this regard, Fiji has submitted its country reports with regards to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2012 and the Universal Periodic Review in 2014 which have been very well received by the Human Rights Council and the international community as a whole.

“The Fijian Government ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (“CRC”) in 1993. We have since ratification enacted a number of laws that are in line with our obligations under the CRC in order to provide children with various rights and to provide adequate and necessary protection to children.”

He also highlighted that the Legal Aid Commission has assisted 427 juveniles in the last five years.

Edited by Paula Tuvuki

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