Mosese Raqio 
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation says disability inclusion must shift from policy statements to practical, affordable action supported by government, employers and national systems.
Speaking at the national dialogue on disability inclusion, FCEF Manager Advocacy, Gaylene Kamali said Fiji’s new 2025–2035 Disability Rights Policy provides a clear vision, but the challenge is turning that vision into real jobs and opportunities for persons with disabilities.
She says MSMEs, which employ about 60% of Fiji’s workforce, operate under tight margins, meaning inclusion cannot fall on employers alone.
Kamali highlighted that persons with disabilities make up only 0.8% of the working population, showing the gap is due to limited systems and accessible pathways.
“Employers have identified three major barriers: the cost of workplace adjustments, access to adapted skills training and the need for technical guidance, especially for small businesses.”
Kamali says a meaningful partnership with organisations of persons with disabilities is essential and the private sector is ready to collaborate on realistic, sustainable policies.
OHCHR Pacific Regional representative Heike Alefsen commended the tripartite approach, stressing that disability inclusion is a legal right under the CRPD and ILO Convention 159.
She says inclusion begins in early education and requires dismantling discrimination, providing reasonable accommodation and supporting career development throughout a person’s life.
The UN’s own experience in Fiji shows that disability inclusion strengthens workplaces and must be a lived reality, adding nothing about us, without us.
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