Jale Daucakacaka 
Over 5, 000 people were known to be “hidden victims” of human trafficking in Fiji from 2017 to 2021.
This is one of many findings of a 2021 national survey jointly conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Fiji Bureau of Statistics to estimate the prevalence of trafficking in persons over a five-year period.
UNODC Research Officer, Marie Fatiaki says the majority of the victims were trafficked for forced labour in the construction, food services, accommodation, retail trade, agriculture, fishing, and manufacturing sectors.
She adds some victims were also trafficked for sexual exploitation.
“So the indicators related to receiving less pay than what was promised, working longer hours than what was promised, doing different work from what was agreed to, being pressured to do something, or being uncomfortable doing something they were told to do.”
Fatiaki says the report also highlights an increase in the exploitation of Fijians working overseas, where some had no contracts, had their pay withheld, had travel documents confiscated, were restricted in their movements, and had money deducted for accommodations.
UNODC Research Officer, Marie Fatiaki.
Fatiaki was among the keynote speakers at the Pacific Regional Forum on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Suva this morning.
The roundtable discussion among regional and international stakeholders will result in the development of a concept note to enhance trafficking in persons’ data in the Pacific.
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