News

Two percent children miss three meals

September 14, 2021 9:44 am

Only two percent of children in Fiji were deprived of three meals a day in 2019-20.

The 2019-20 Household Income and Expenditure Survey says this means that a large majority of children in Fiji do not go hungry due to a lack of money.

Around one in five school aged children in Fiji are educationally deprived.

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This as their parents cannot afford for them to participate in school trips and school events that cost money or their children do not have a suitable place at home to study or do their homework.

These children are disadvantaged compared with richer children.

On the other hand, around 16 percent adults in Fiji cannot afford to have celebrations on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or religious festivals

About one in five adults do not have enough money to meet social/traditional obligations.

This includes things such as church obligations and family functions.

They are also not able to visit friends and family in hospital or other institutions or get-together with family and friends for a drink or meal at least once a month.

The survey says the most common coping strategies when households are faced with adverse shocks in their income or consumption include seeking help from friends and relatives, changing consumption patterns to less preferred foods, and withdrawal from savings.