Kreetika Kumar 
Women will no longer be required to change their names on birth certificates when registering to Vote.
The Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Bill 2023 has been passed in parliament this afternoon, following which the amendments made to Section 4 of the Act in 2021 will be removed.
The amendment in 2021 made it compulsory for people to use birth certificates when registering to vote.
It also stated that Fijians must also use the name as stated in their birth certificate and no other assumed names.
Attorney General, Siromi Turaga says the amendments made in 2021 were seen as a disadvantage for people, especially women who chose to use their spouse’s surname but were required to first change the name on their birth certificate in order to be registered as a voter using their spouse’s surname.
Attorney General, Siromi Turaga
He adds that some women changed their birth certificates to reflect their spouse’s name on the birth certificate in order for the identity documents to remain valid.
“This is unacceptable. A person had to change the name that was given at birth in order to continue using the spouse’s name on identity documents. Names have meanings. It is an identity that is given to a person at birth. The name change policy discriminated against women and violated and restricted women’s constitutional right to vote.”
Turaga says the passing of the amendment bill 2023 provides that the name of an applicant who is a Fiji citizen either by registration or naturalization that is on his or her certificate of registration or certificate of naturalization is acceptable for the purpose of registering as a voter.
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