Disability advocates urge Reserve Bank of Fiji to review new banknotes

The Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation (FDPF) has backed concerns raised by the United Blind Persons of Fiji (UBP) that the new banknotes launched by the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) in December 2025 remain difficult for blind and low-vision users to identify independently.

Despite the inclusion of tactile dots on the new notes, the organisations say the features do not clearly indicate denominations, forcing users to rely on sighted assistance for everyday transactions.

“We hear this change being presented as an effort to ensure independence for persons with disabilities, especially our members with vision impairment, but what we have now remains a major challenge,” FDPF office manager Senimelia Seru said.

She said many members now preferred the previous banknote series, as the current notes lacked the clarity needed for daily use.

“The majority of our members are struggling to confidently tell notes apart,” Ms Seru said.

The federation warned that the lack of independent identification posed a serious security risk, exposing blind and low-vision users to potential exploitation.

“If we cannot verify our own money, we can be easily cheated,” Ms Seru said.

“By the time a trusted sighted person confirms the value of the notes, it is often too late to do anything about it.”

The concerns build on issues earlier raised by UBP, which has formally stated that the new banknotes do not adequately meet accessibility needs.

UBP said members nationwide had reported ongoing difficulty identifying denominations, undermining their ability to manage money safely, confidently and with dignity.

One of the key challenges relates to the removal of clear size differentiation between denominations.

Previous banknotes featured a two-inch size difference between notes, a tactile design element introduced after consultation with UBP, which allowed blind and low-vision users to distinguish currency independently.

The new series, however, no longer provides a detectable size difference.

UBP has also questioned the effectiveness of the raised dot markings on the new notes, saying they do not follow recognised Braille standards, a system of touch reading and writing used by blind people.

The organisation said the dot patterns on the $50 and $100 notes did not correspond to any Braille characters, resulting in confusion rather than assistance.

Both UBP and FDPF said the situation was particularly disappointing given Fiji’s history of inclusive consultation.

The previous banknote series was developed through direct engagement with disability organisations, including UBP and pioneers of the disability movement in Fiji.

“The consultative process of the past ensured our needs were met,” Ms Seru said.

“We do not see why this same inclusive process was not followed this time to ensure the notes were fit for purpose.”

The organisations are urging the Reserve Bank of Fiji to re-engage with disability stakeholders, conduct a comprehensive accessibility review of the current banknote series, and adopt internationally recognised best practices in future designs.