Mosese Raqio 
[file photo]
The Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has slammed the government for failing to tackle human trafficking, saying victims are being left behind.
Director Loukinikini Lewaravu said Fiji has stayed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a second year, highlighting serious gaps in victim protection, prevention, and prosecution.
“Updating plans is not enough. Without real accountability, traffickers walk free and victims are denied justice.”
The Commission is calling on the government to investigate all trafficking allegations, including cases involving officials, hold complicit authorities accountable, protect survivors with safe, rights-based support, without punishing them, and train and resource police, prosecutors, and labour inspectors to international standards.
Leawaravu says the Government should also make National Action Plan progress public and transparent.
She says human trafficking is a test of Fiji’s commitment to human rights and the rule of law, and it is time to prioritize victims, punish perpetrators, and stop exploitation in its tracks.
Lewaravu says the commission is ready to work with the government, civil society, and partners to deliver justice, protect survivors, and uphold human dignity across Fiji.
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