Sainimili Magimagi 
[Photo: File]
The Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is calling for a stronger human rights-based approach to public services to ensure the needs and concerns of people are heard and addressed.
Speaking at the government Human Rights training workshop, Commissioner Alafina Vuki says public service agencies must ensure people feel heard and that their concerns are considered when decisions are made.
She says the current dry conditions in the Western Division highlight the importance of protecting people’s rights, particularly access to clean and safe drinking water.
“So there’s a particular right that governments through the public service should be providing, and that is the right to clean, safe drinking water, and the right not only to drinking water but also the use of water for their plantations, for their farms, because there’s also been we’ve been hearing that farmers particularly are suffering, it’s not only the crops, it’s also the animals.”
She says making a human rights-based approach part of public service policy would allow government agencies to respond quickly when people’s rights are at risk.
The approach would also help ensure systems are ready to respond when problems arise, rather than waiting until communities are already affected.
Vuki says stronger public service systems are needed to better protect people’s rights and meet communities’ needs across Fiji.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for Civil Service Pita Tagicakirewa says they are currently conducting functional reviews of policies and services across five key government ministries, with plans to extend the process to all 31 ministries.
The review aims to improve the quality and responsiveness of services provided to the public.
