Riya Mala 
[Photo: PARLIAMENT OF FIJI/ FACEBOOK]
While the 18 sexual offence charges recorded in March 2026 and a decade of rising case files may signal a growing trust in Fiji’s legal system, experts warn that a surge in reporting does not equate to the delivery of justice.
Despite the visibility of these figures – including a staggering 2025 finding where 100% of High Court rape victims were children – survivors remain trapped by geographic isolation, economic dependency, and systemic stigmas that often stall a report long before it reaches a conviction.
Minister for Women and Children Sashi Kiran says these challenges are also reflected in the CEDAW Committee’s 2025 Concluding Observations on Fiji.
Kiran says the Government is taking coordinated and concrete action to tackle this issue.
She adds that they will continue to implement the Domestic Violence Act 2009 and are expanding access to justice through legal aid services, safe shelters, helplines, community outreach, mobile service delivery, and strengthened referral pathways across police, health, and social services.
At the same time, the Ministry is investing in capacity building for frontline responders to ensure survivor-centred and gender-responsive approaches. Prevention remains equally critical.
The National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023–2028 is being implemented alongside strengthened nationwide awareness programmes to challenge harmful social norms and empower women and girls with knowledge of their rights.
Kiran made the comments while giving an update on Fiji’s participation in the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
