[Photo: FILE]

Fiji must address the barriers keeping vulnerable families in poverty, including unsafe housing, limited access to essential services and a lack of sustainable income opportunities.

This, according to Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran.

She states that social welfare assistance alone is not enough to help families achieve long-term economic independence.

Kiran says poverty cannot be measured by income alone, as access to education, healthcare, clean water, electricity and employment also determines whether families can improve their living conditions.

Speaking ahead of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which was observed last Friday under the theme United for Peace and Human Rights: Safe Homes for All,
Kiran says families in rural and maritime communities face additional barriers, including high transportation costs, geographical isolation and limited access to essential services.

She says the Government has approved the National Fiji Poverty Alleviation Strategy Framework 2026–2035 to coordinate efforts across government agencies, non-government organisations and development partners.

The framework complements the National Development Plan 2025–2029 and Vision 2050, which sets a target of reducing Fiji’s national poverty rate to 18 per cent by 2029.

Kiran says social protection programs remain important, but long-term poverty reduction also depends on creating opportunities for families to earn sustainable incomes and become less reliant on financial assistance.

She highlights women’s economic empowerment as a key part of this approach, particularly for those in rural and maritime communities who depend on farming, fishing, handicrafts and market vending for their livelihoods.

Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment National Action Plan, the government aims to improve women’s access to skills training, finance, transport and markets, helping them turn their products into sustainable sources of income.

Kiran says efforts to address poverty must also tackle violence against women and girls and the abuse of children, which can undermine family security, disrupt education and limit economic opportunities.

The Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023–2028 and the National Action Plan on the Prevention of Violence Against Children form part of the government’s response to these challenges.