UNICEF urges Budget investment in early childhood to boost Fiji's economy

Investing in early childhood development is one of the smartest economic decisions Fiji can make, with long-term benefits for the country's workforce and economic growth, UNICEF Pacific Representative Hamish Young said as he urged the Government to prioritise spending on children in today's 2026-2027 National Budget.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bebbo Pacific parenting app launch in Muanikoso yesterday, Mr Young called for increased investment in maternal and child health, education and child protection, saying such spending would strengthen the country's future workforce.

"Well nourished, well stimulated, well protected, well-developed babies grow up to be far more productive students and then workers," Mr Young said.

"There is a direct causational line between early childhood development and labour force productivity."

Mr Young said while the benefits of investing in children may take 18 to 20 years to be fully realised, the evidence clearly showed that early childhood development contributed to stronger economic growth.

"Investment in early childhood development is a national investment and works out in increasing GDP in the long run," he said.

Mr Young also urged greater investment in children's mental health, warning that Fiji's growing drug crisis highlighted the need for stronger support services for young people.

"They're either addressing underlying pathologies or they're being forced and pressured into it," Mr Young said, referring to young people using drugs.

He said many young people who turned to drugs were self-medicating underlying anxiety and other mental health conditions.

Mr Young said UNICEF was working closely with the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection to provide more holistic support for adolescents, including mental health services.

He said investing in children from an early age would not only improve individual outcomes but also deliver long-term social and economic benefits for Fiji.