Over 500 pending adoption applications set for court processing

More than 500 pending adoption cases can now be lodged in court after the government finalised the regulations needed to put Fiji's new adoption law into effect.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran confirmed this week that the long-awaited process is now fully operational.

"All applications could start being lodged – up till now it couldn't be," Ms Kiran told this masthead.

"There are new forms available and through that, our child protection officers, who have had more than 500 pending cases, have begun processing them to lodge."

Ms Kiran said the delay after the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2025 was passed in November last year was due to the need to develop supporting regulations.

"Once the adoption bill was passed, we had to develop the regulations because adoption means our ministry will be involved, judiciary will be involved, there are many stakeholders within the judiciary," she said.

"Over many months we worked together, had meetings, developed the forms – all the forms had to be regulated between our ministry and judiciary – all of that has been done and it has been gazetted."

Minister for Justice and Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga confirmed the bill had been passed, gazetted, and processing was underway.

Cabinet endorsed the Adoption Regulations 2026 and Adoption (Family Division) Court Rules 2026 in April, introducing clearer procedures for screening, placement, and approval of adoptions.

The new framework also strengthens confidentiality and oversight measures, and aligns Fiji's adoption system with international child protection standards.