Fiji Review - 48th Session of Universal Periodic Review

Good morning, dear colleagues, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues.

I hereby declare open the fifth meeting of the 48th session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. Before we begin, let me remind you that all delegations should upload their oral statements through the online system for inscription on the list of speakers named event before the opening of the review they intend to address. Receiving the written form of oral statements ahead of the time, will greatly facilitate the work of the interpreters, as well as that of the troikas and the secretariat for their timely preparation of the working group reports after each review. We will now proceed with the review of Fiji. In accordance with the Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the review is based on the national report prepared by the state under review and the compilation of the UN information and the summary of the stakeholders information, both prepared by the OHCHR. And now I have the honour to give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Luke Daunivalu, Ambassador Permanent and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office in Geneva to introduce the delegation. Excellency, please you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Good morning to all. Bula vinaka, as we say in our greeting in Fiji. Fiji was last reviewed by the UPR Working Group in November 2019, where we received 242 recommendations from fellow Member States. We supported 207 of those recommendations and noted 35, and you will hear more about this during our presentation in just a moment. But those recommendations provided us with valuable guidance in advancing our human rights agenda. They have served as a catalyst for significant reforms in various sectors, including gender equality, climate justice, and the protection of vulnerable populations. The Fijian government has worked diligently to implement those recommendations, ensuring they are not merely aspirational, but translated into tangible actions that can improve the livelihoods of Fijians. Today, we welcome this opportunity to present Fiji's state report to the Human Rights Council, reflecting the progress we have made since our last review in 2019. And we see this as an opportunity for constructive dialogue, enabling us to learn from the experiences of others while sharing our own successes and challenges as a small island developing state. The interactions at these reviews give us space to work together to strengthen our collective commitment to progressing human rights in our countries. Having said that, let me introduce to you the members of the Fiji delegation. I have the Honorable Graham Leong, the Attorney General of Fiji, sitting next to me as the head of our delegation. Beside him, to his right, is Ms. Suliana Toke, Principal Legal Officer at the Office of the Attorney General in Fiji. And at the end of, beside her, at the end of our delegations is Miss Geraldine Naingulevu, also Principal Legal Officer at the Office of the Attorney General in Fiji. And we have Mr. Shanil Dayal, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Fiji here in Geneva behind me. And with that, Mr. Vice President, I would like to invite the honorable Attorney General to deliver his opening statement on behalf of the government of Fiji. I thank you.

Good morning, Mr. Vice President. I wish to reaffirm Fiji's steadfast commitment to advancing and protecting the fundamental principles and values of universal human rights enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights while cultivating a norm of a responsible human rights culture. As Ambassador Danivalu has mentioned, in the last review, we received more than 200 recommendations made by 97 Member States, and we supported the bulk of those recommendations. Fiji has taken positive steps since then to implement the majority of these recommendations, and I am very pleased this morning to share with you some of the progress we have made since then. By 2019, Mr. Vice President, Fiji had ratified all nine core human rights treaties and conventions and strengthened its legislative and institutional frameworks to ensure national compliance with international law and best practices. While we have ratified these treaties and conventions, we readily recognize that the treaty body reporting is a formidable task for a small island developing state like Fiji with competing priorities and limited resources. We acknowledge that Fiji is delayed in its reporting obligations under some of the core human rights treaties and conventions. But having said that, we are fully committed to fulfilling these obligations. Mr. Vice President, as such, We have established the Fiji Human Rights Task Force, which serves as Fiji's NMIRF. Since its inception in August 2024, the Human Rights Task Force has been instrumental in the preparation of our state report under review today. The Human Rights Task Force is also prioritizing the submission of the outstanding reports and is currently finalizing the fifth as well as the sixth combined state reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the initial report to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Vice President, In accordance with our UPR commitments, Fiji has since 2015 issued a standing invitation to UN special procedures mandate holders to assist in progressively realizing the rights guaranteed under the Fijian Constitution. For example, we have since hosted the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, in 2015, the Special Rapporteur on Racism in 2016, the Independent Expert on Albinism in 2017, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment in 2018, and finally, the Special Rapporteur on Physical and Mental Health in 2019. As with many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic posed severe challenges and required Fiji to prioritize national needs and address this global crisis within its limited resources. However, Fiji remains committed to constructive engagement with the United Nations human rights mechanisms and will continue to engage with special procedures. Fiji will respond to the requests from special procedures based on the government's areas of priority and following an internal process as well as cabinet approval. Mr. Vice President, On the environmental front, Fiji has made significant strides in recognizing the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Fiji's Climate Change Act of 2021, the National Disaster Risk Management Act of 2024, integrate gender equality, disability inclusion, and sustainable development principles. These laws align with national frameworks as well as global best practices. Fiji has since 2019 developed numerous policies aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy of 2018 to 2039 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. These policies, Mr. Vice President, expand the mandate for the disaster legislation to not only cover natural hazards, but also other potential hazards that may cause disasters, including biological, environmental, geological or geophysical, hydro-meteorological and technological hazards, with the exception of civil unrest and terrorism. Fiji's dedication to climate resilience and environmental justice is further highlighted in innovative initiatives. such as the nature-based sea walls, the National Adaptation Registry, and community-based disaster risk management programs. While our climate resilient initiatives reflect a forward-thinking approach to safeguarding vulnerable communities, our constitutional framework champions equality and prohibits discrimination, on multiple grounds. Together, these efforts form the foundation of a more equitable and sustainable future for all Fijians. Fiji has also constitutional provisions that address discrimination on the basis of disability, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, amongst other prohibited grounds of discrimination. Mr. Vice President, Fiji has also taken steps to address discrimination at the structural level, whether it is discrimination in education, in accessing institutions for justice, or indeed in access to other services. For instance, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has an expanded anti-discrimination mandate under the constitution to receive, to investigate, and to take steps to secure appropriate redress if human rights have been violated, including making applications to the courts for redress or for other forms of relief or remedies. In terms of education, Fiji continues to uphold its commitment to providing equitable opportunities for all its citizens. The tertiary scholarship and loan service, which has been in operation since its inception in 2015, exemplifies this commitment. This initiative ensures that scholarships are awarded solely based on merit, irrespective of race, gender, religion, gender identity and expression. This fund is designed to provide financial support to Fijian students who have qualified for higher education at appropriate tertiary institutions but are unable to support themselves financially. By doing so, the tertiary scholarship and loan service increases equitable access to higher education, enabling students from diverse backgrounds to pursue their academic goals at affordable rates. Mr. Vice President, Fiji remains committed to dismantling systemic and structural discrimination. which will allow every Fijian to realize their full potential and to celebrate their inherent dignity as humans. The open merit recruitment and selection process within the Fijian civil service has enabled all Fijians, regardless of color, creed, gender, or any other prohibited ground of discrimination, and equal opportunity to gainful employment. While advancing the principles of equality and non-discrimination, we are also acutely aware of the significant challenges we face, particularly in reducing sexual and gender-based violence in Fiji. We recognize that the root cause of such violence stems from patriarchal attitudes towards women and girls. Mr. Vice President, Fiji condemns violence against women and girls, recognizing it as one of the most pervasive violations of human rights globally. To address this, Fiji launched the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls, 2023 to 2028. This was a historic milestone for Fiji, becoming the first ever Pacific Island country alongside Australia to develop an inclusive, evidence-based plan aimed at eliminating gender-based violence and to empower women and girls. Mr. Vice President, This inclusive, whole-of-government initiative focuses on prevention through education, awareness campaigns, and systemic reforms. It emphasizes collaboration with civil society, community leaders, and international partners to create an environment where women and girls are able to live free from fear, and harm. Our Fiji police force operates a no drop policy ensuring all cases of gender-based violence are handled with zero tolerance and no reconciliation. Health services are also equipped with national gender-based violence guidelines enabling healthcare professionals to provide appropriate care and support to survivors. Fiji has also made progress in empowering women economically, recognizing that financial independence is critical to breaking cycles of violence and poverty. Programs like the National Women's Expo and the Fiji Women's Economic Empowerment National Action Plan of 2024-2029 provide platforms and resources for women to thrive as entrepreneurs and leaders. Mr. Vice President, as Fiji takes significant steps to address gender-based violence, It also recognizes the importance of freedom of expression, assembly, and association in fostering a healthy and democratic society. In April 2023, the repeal of the Media Industry Development Act, the acronym for which is MIDAR, was a landmark step in restoring media freedom. allowing journalists to report independently without fear of prosecution. This action significantly improved Fiji's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index from 89 to 44. Fiji has also reformed its approach to public gatherings under the Public Order Act of 2014. While permits are still required, the process has become more transparent and inclusive, ensuring that refusals are based on justified grounds. For example, in 2023 alone, 1,126 permits were approved, reflecting Fiji's commitment to facilitating peaceful assemblies. A key demonstration of these freedoms was a public march on the 25th of August 2023, when women's rights organizations peacefully protested the planned disposal of Fukushima wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. This event, like many others, highlighted Fiji's respect for the right to peaceful assembly and its support for civic participation. While guaranteeing these freedoms, Fiji remains vigilant against incitement to violence, hate speech, and discrimination, aligning with the limitations provided under our constitution and international conventions and norms. Building on this framework of human rights and protections, Fiji has also made notable progress in addressing serious crimes like human trafficking, modern day slavery, and child labor. In 2017, Fiji exceeded to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children. This marked a pivotal step in aligning Fiji's national efforts with international standards, reaffirming our commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, especially women and children. At the heart of our legal framework is section 10 of the Fiji Constitution, which guarantees freedom for all Fijians from slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking. Complementing this is the 2009 Crimes Act, which encompasses and includes provisions to address human trafficking, both trafficking in persons as well as trafficking in children. These robust legislative measures underscores Fiji's zero tolerance stance towards these crimes. Mr. Vice President, recognizing the need for a coordinated and victim centered approach, Fiji's Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, in collaboration with key stakeholders, has developed a national referral mechanism and standard operating procedures. This mechanism provides a structured framework to ensure that victims of trafficking are supported from their initial identification to prosecution and eventual reintegration into society. In 2021, Fiji took a significant step forward with the launch of its National Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy and its accompanying National Action Plan. These initiatives lay out a comprehensive roadmap of activities to combat trafficking, focusing on prevention, protection, as well as prosecution. Mr. Vice President, building capacity within our institutions and raising awareness are key pillars of our national efforts. We have conducted continuous training for law enforcement agencies, equipping them to identify victims at borders, to respond to reports, and to protect and assist those affected. Fiji also remains actively engaged on the international stage. As a participating member of the Bali process, we continue to receive critical assistance, including training materials and manuals from the regional support office, which strengthens the capacities of our law enforcement agencies as well as civil society organizations. While these legal frameworks provide essential protections, Mr. Vice President, in addressing serious crimes, Fiji has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, particularly those in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Fiji's UPR in 2019, the pandemic which began in 2020 reverberated throughout the global economy, triggering the largest economic crisis in over a century. The ripple effects of this crisis have been felt across many nations, including Fiji, where the impact on various sectors required swift adaptation and a renewed commitment to economic resilience and recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic presented quite significant challenges for Fiji, but it also underscored our resilience and commitment to protecting human rights under quite extraordinary circumstances. Fiji has had to navigate new challenges including the disruption of supply chains, job losses, and the pressing need to support vulnerable communities. These difficulties have reinforced the necessity of strengthening both the legal system and economic infrastructure to ensure that Fiji is able to emerge from this crisis with a more resilient and inclusive future. Mr. Vice President, in the health sector, Fiji has developed a comprehensive COVID-19 preparedness and response plan in line with WHO guidelines. This included a stimulus package to address both health as well as socioeconomic needs. Free vaccinations were rolled out nationwide targeting vulnerable groups, including children as young as five years old, ensuring widespread immunity. Mr. Vice President, despite disruptions to general health services, essential programs such as immunization for newborns and maternal health services continued, thankfully, uninterrupted. Partnerships with organizations like UNICEF and the Pacific community ensured the delivery of critical medical supplies and psychosocial support continued. In the education sector, Fiji implemented innovative solutions tailored to Fiji's circumstances to ensure continuity of learning during the lockdowns. Flexible approaches such as televised lessons, printed worksheets for remote areas, and online platforms like Moodle provided equitable access to education. Support from development partners enhanced outreach to vulnerable children. While Fiji remains steadfast in its commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights for all its citizens, we also recognize that as a small island developing state, we continue to face significant challenges that impact our ability to fully meet our implementation and treaty body reporting obligations. Human and financial resource constraints combined with the escalating impacts of climate change do present and will continue to present significant challenges. Frequent extreme weather events, like cyclones, hurricanes, and floods, which are prevalent in the Pacific region, often necessitate the redirection of resources to address immediate humanitarian needs. Additionally, election cycles and changes in administration and government can realign national priorities, temporarily slowing the progress of ongoing initiatives, including those limited to human rights. Together, these factors have to some degree affected Fiji's ability to deliver timely treaty body reports and to fully implement its commitment under international conventions. Despite these challenges, Mr. Vice President, Fiji remains steadfast in its dedication to balancing these critical demands alongside its human rights obligations and is resolute in its determination to address these challenges through comprehensive policies, strong legal frameworks, and a collective commitment across the whole of government. Mr. Vice President, I thank you for giving Fiji the opportunity to present our report on the protection, promotion, and preservation of human rights in Fiji. We look forward in the coming hours to a constructive dialogue with fellow member states and the international community. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Excellency, I thank you. We thank you for your statement. Dear colleagues, we shall now begin our interactive dialogue. I would like to remind you that the speaking time will be one minute and 30 seconds for all of us. As usual, issues of a political, bilateral and territorial nature should be kept out of our deliberations. Moreover, United Nations terminology should be used when referring to states and territories. Only the use of words recommend and recommendation will ensure that the relevant parts of your statements are included in the recommendations section of the working group report. Also allow me to recall that the Human Rights Council strongly rejects any act of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations and its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. We will now begin with the list of speakers and the first speaker on our list, invite the representative of Bulgaria, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Bulgaria welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks for the presentation of the national report.

Bulgaria.

Recognises that Fiji has made consistent efforts to establish a broad legislative and policy framework to enable all citizens, and particularly vulnerable persons, to enjoy basic human rights and freedoms, even in the face of climate change and natural disasters. We welcome women's representation in senior party positions in Fiji's political landscape and women's economic empowerment through the National Action Plan for Women's Economic Empowerment. Bulgaria appreciates the country advancement child protection legislation, notably the Child Justice Act and the Fiji Child Care and Protection Act. Bulgaria would like to make the following recommendations. One. continues strengthening the mandate, independence and pluralism of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission of Fiji to ensure that the commission achieves a status accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, and two, take measures to adapt infrastructure, organize training of teachers and provide assistive technologies that will contribute to the creation of an inclusive education system for children with disabilities. We wish the delegation of Fiji a successful outcome of the review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Cabo Verde, please.

Thank you, Vice-President. I'd like to welcome the delegation of Fiji led by His Excellency Ambassador Danai Valu, and we congratulate them for the presentation of the national report on progress achieved in the field of human rights since the last UPR cycle. In particular, Cabo Verde commends the efforts and progress made in the administration of justice, with the positive impact on human rights. In constructive fashion, Cabo Verde recommends to Fiji as follows: step up efforts to eliminate slavery, trafficking, prostitution and child labour, in particular of girls; include the right to education in national legislation by guaranteeing the right to an inclusive education for children with disabilities, children, girls and women living in rural and remote areas of the country. Three, accelerate finalisation of the national healthcare plan, which takes into account the specific needs of persons with disabilities and bolster healthcare services for persons living in the remote parts of the country. Cabo Verde wishes every success to Fiji in this UPR. Thank you.

Thank you.

I give the floor to Australia, Madam Ambassador.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President, and thank you to the Honourable Attorney General of Fiji for his comprehensive presentation. Australia acknowledges the progress made by Fiji since its last review, including Fiji's repeal of the Media Industry Development Act, labour law amendments under the Employment Relations Amendment Bill 2023, and ongoing efforts to strengthen policies to protect the rights of people with disability and to prevent violence against women and girls. Australia recommends Fiji, one, implement fully the national action plan to prevent violence against all women and girls. Two, strengthen the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission with a view to regaining full accreditation under the Paris Principles. And three, protect workers from human rights abuses in the workplace, including addressing allegations of exploitation and strengthening measures to ensure safe and secure working environments for all workers. We wish Fiji good luck the rest of its engagement in the UPR. Thank you.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now I invite the representative of Chile, please.

Thank you, Vice President. We congratulate Fiji for abolishing the death penalty and for ratifying the two optional protocols the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with a view to making progress with respect to the promotion of human rights, Chile recommends that the State ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR with a view to abolishing the death penalty; redouble efforts to harmonise the status of the human rights commission and the commission for combating discrimination with the Paris principles, guaranteeing their independence and financing; step up outreach and education campaigns for the police and administration of justice officials with respect to GBV and domestic violence so that victims can enjoy effective access to justice. Four, make efforts to guarantee equality and non-discrimination towards the LGBTI+ community, especially with respect to transgender people. Five, adopt measures to combat hate speech towards women in society and in the media. We wish Thank you.

Now I invite the representative of China, please.

Thank you, Vice President.

China commends Fiji's effort in promoting and protecting human rights. Fiji has effectively improved the living standards of the people, increased resources in education, health.

And social security, strengthened the legislation and the judiciary, effectively combating crimes such as torture and human trafficking, cooperated with international organizations and human rights mechanism. Fiji attaches importance to protecting the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities and minority groups, achieving new progress in human rights realization, China has three recommendations. One, take effective measures to further eliminate discrimination against women, continue combating crimes such as human trafficking, and safeguard the rights of women and children.

Two, continue increasing input in social security sector to protect the rights to life, health, and development for vulnerable groups.

Three, enhance international cooperation to further raise its capacity to deal with climate change and natural disasters. China wishes Fiji a successful UPR review. Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Thank you. Now we have a video message from the representative of Colombia. There is no sound. Let's jump back to live and maybe they can handle this. In the meantime, now I invite the distinguished representative of Costa Rica, please.

Thank you, Vice-President. My country thanks Fiji for the report and notes with satisfaction the ongoing progress in bolstering AOJ, including reducing backlog cases and improving legal assistance services. Costa Rica recommends that it implement specific measures to address the root causes of the drop in the rates for completing secondary school, such as poverty, early marriage and gender inequalities, at the same time as expanding initiatives that promote equitable access to high-quality education. It also recommends that Costa Rica safeguard the right to freedom of expression by repealing restrictive provisions in the law on crimes and public order law, which could be unduly used to persecute critics of the government by the media, civil society, journalists, activists, political opposition and other HRDs. Three, improve access to drinking water and sanitation for informal settlements in rural communities and remote islands by expanding infrastructure stepping up public investment and supporting community-led programmes; four, ratify the optional protocol to the CAT and lift reservations to the same convention, in particular those with respect to the definition of torture. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the distinguished representative of Cuba and in the meantime maybe the secretariat after that maybe they can run again the video. Please Cuba.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. We would like to welcome the delegation of Fiji. We thank them for their commitment to the UPR. We recognise the efforts made to implement the recommendations accepted in previous UPR cycles. as well as the outcomes reflected in the national report. Moreover, we recognise the country's action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, whose adverse impact have affected chiefly our small island developing states, we recommend one, continue strengthening actions to improve access to potable water, social protection and reducing inequalities. Two, continue efforts to empower persons with disabilities to ensure their full active participation without discrimination in society. Three, continue promoting a sustainable economic system, one that is responsible with the environment and able to maintain the well-being of its population. We wish Fiji every success in this UPR and in implementing the recommendations accepted. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I would like to ask the Secretariat if it can run again the video for Colombia.

Thank you. Colombia is grateful to Fiji for its report. We wish them every success. In a constructive spirit, we recommend that the UK accede to the optional protocol on the ICCPR and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; accede to the Convention to Reduce Statelessness of 1961; three redouble efforts to implement the national action plan for prevention of violence against women and girls including earmarking more financial human and technical resources thank you.

Mr. President, Cyprus welcomes the Honourable Attorney General of Fiji and thanks for the presentation. Cyprus commends Fiji for its efforts to advance human rights domestically. We appreciate the efforts Fiji carried out since the third UPR cycle related in particular to women's rights through the adoption of the national action plan to prevent violence against all women and girls 2023 up to 2028. We also welcome the ratification of the two OPs to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Cyprus recommends one, accelerated efforts to fulfill reporting obligations under human rights treaties, two, accede to the OP to the Convention Against Torture, three, enhance action to eliminate child slavery, trafficking, prostitution, and child labor, four, accede to the OP to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and five, ensure inclusive education for children with disabilities. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Denmark.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Denmark welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thank them for their report.

We highly value our close partnership.

In the global efforts to eliminate torture, particularly through the Convention Against Torture initiative, the CTI. And we acknowledge Fiji's commitment to fulfill its outstanding reporting obligations under the human rights, the UN human rights treaties, including UNCAT. We welcome efforts to improve freedom of expression and advance women's and girls' rights, while also noting the continued need to address challenges in this regard. Denmark recommends Fiji to one, repeal legislation that restricts freedoms of expression, press and assembly, including the Public Order Act of 1969, the Electoral Amendment Act of 2022, and the Sedition Provisions of the Crimes Act. Two, implement the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention number 190 in domestic laws and policies. And three, ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture. Denmark wishes Fiji a successful review, and I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now I invite the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic.

Thank you, Vice President. The delegation of Dominican Republic welcomes the distinguished delegation of Fiji and we thank them for submitting their national report. Congratulations to them on implementing policies that seek to reduce the risk and impact of climate change in the exercise of human rights, as well as risk management and prevention plans that protect the population, in particular those most vulnerable living on coastal areas. In a constructive fashion, we recommend as follows: one, implement measures to combat human trafficking, especially of women and girls who are exploited and forced to perform sexual activities or labor activities in rural and tourist areas. Two, step up protection and promotion of freedom of expression, as well as the right to peaceful assembly. association and freedom of the press. Protect journalists so that they can perform their activities and express their opinions freely and consider implementation of urban infrastructure and basic services such as electricity, water, sanitation in peri-urban areas and informal settlements with a view to improving the quality of life of its inhabitants. We wish Fiji a successful UPR.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now, I invite Egypt.

Thank you, Vice President. My delegation would like to welcome the Fiji delegation. We've taken note of efforts. made as set out in the national report, with a view to implementing the recommendations from the last UPR. In a constructive spirit, we have the following recommendations: continue to bolster social values linked to the role of the family, providing necessary support as the core unit of society; continue to promote protection of the rights of persons with disabilities; ensure their integration and full participation in society. Three, continue strengthening the national legal framework on promotion and protection of the rights of women by ensuring greater equality between men and women. Thank you, Vice-President, and we wish the Fiji delegation every success.

Thank you. Now I invite Estonia.

Thank you, Vice-President. Estonia welcomes the delegation of Fiji to this UPR and thanks for the presentation of its national report. We commend Fiji's progress and efforts to advance human rights, notably women's rights, strengthening the child protection system and protecting media freedom and freedom of expression and of associations. However, we encourage further efforts to ensure full and effective implementation of relevant laws and policies. We would like to recommend to, one, enhance measures to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including domestic violence against women and girls. Two, implement comprehensive awareness raising and education campaigns to promote positive parenting. Three, develop a strategy to end child marriage by 2030. Four, take all necessary steps to ensure full and effective implementation of Climate Change Act by ensuring that the most vulnerable persons such as women, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities are meaningfully engaged in its implementation. And five, ratifies the second optional protocol to ICCPR and the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture. We wish Fiji a successful review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite Eswatini.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Kingdom of Eswatini warmly welcomes the distinguished delegation of Fiji and commends the government of Fiji on the ratification of the core international human rights instruments, which underscores Fiji's efforts to implement the recommendations received at its third UPR cycle.

In the spirit of constructive dialogue, Eswatini has two recommendations for Fiji.

One, to take effective measures to ensure that thorough investigations and prosecutions are carried out for persons who engage in the use, procuring or offering of children for prostitution, and that sufficient, effective and dissuasive sanctions are imposed.

And two, to give priority to the right to health.

And implement effective measures to broaden access to effective and quality health services, which feeds all the success during the UPR process. And I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite Gabon.

Thank you, Vice President. The delegation of Gabon wishes a warm welcome to the delegation of Fiji and we thank them for the presentation of the national report. We congratulate Fiji for implementing policies to reduce the risk of natural disaster, which factors in the gender dimension and disability, and for acceding in 2007 to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and to the Additional Protocol to the Convention to Prevent, Suppress and Sanction Human Trafficking, in particular of women and children. However, given the challenges that persist, we recommend to Fiji as follows: one, pursue efforts to prevent human trafficking, in particular by conducting investigations and criminally prosecuting perpetrators of such acts; two, prioritise initiatives to combat youth unemployment, in particular of women; through training programmes and job preparation job training programmes. Finally, Gabon wishes Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now, video message from.

President, the Gambia warmly welcomes the distinguished delegation from Fiji and expresses appreciation for their constructive engagement with the Human Rights Council today. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, the Gambia commends Fiji for its efforts to strengthen its human rights framework, including ratifying key conventions such as the Violence and Harassment Convention and the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children and Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. We also applaud the repeal of MIDA, which has significantly improved media freedom in Fiji. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, the GAMBI offers the following recommendations. One, strengthen efforts under the Fiji National Action Plan to prevent violence against all women and girls by addressing the high number of violent cases reported in ensuring effective legal protections. Two, accede to the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and enact legislation that guarantees the full implementation of the CAT. Three, enshrine the right to education in national law and guarantee at least nine years of compulsory primary and secondary education for all students. My delegation wishes the distinguished delegation from Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Now I invite Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Georgia welcomes and thanks the delegation of Fiji for the presentation of the national report. My delegation welcomes the latest ratification of the optional protocols on the sale of children and on children in armed conflict.

Georgia is encouraged by government.

Steps in combating trafficking, including a development of the draft national referral mechanism and standard operation procedures for victims, as well as adoption of the relevant strategy and national action plan in 2021. We commend Fiji for establishing national mechanism for monitoring implementation and follow-up to ensure timely reporting to treaty bodies. Georgia also positively evaluates efforts made by Fiji to strengthen the administration of justice and uphold the rule of law. With this, Georgia would like to recommend to the Republic of Fiji the following: first, to continue to align its relevant policies with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and second, to take further steps aimed at achieving the A accreditation status for the HRADC. With this in mind, we wish the delegation of Fiji a very successful UPR. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite Germany.

Germany welcomes the delegation of Fiji and commands the country for its efforts in implementing international human rights obligations. Germany welcomes the abolition of the restrictive Media Industry Development Act since the last UPR and encourages Fiji to continue its efforts to ensure the freedom of press and the freedom of expression.

We welcome the 2023-2028 National Action Plan to prevent violence against women and girls, which sets an important precedent.

For the whole region. However, Germany still sees considerable potential for a greater commitment to the full realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, equality for women and girls, and the protection of minorities. Germany therefore recommends Fiji to, one, guarantee freedom of expression, media freedom, and the freedom of peaceful assembly, inter alia by abolishing the Public Order Act, the Electoral Amendment Bill, and parts of the Crimes Act, which enforce the practice of limiting civic space and the freedom of peaceful assembly.

Two, ratify the optional protocol of CEDAW and the optional protocol of OPCAT.

Three, ensure the full implementation of CEDAW and the Convention on the Political Rights of Women, especially in regards to increasing the political representation of women in official state positions. and protecting all women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence. Germany wishes Fiji a successful UPR. Thank you.

Thank you, Germany. Now I invite Guyana.

Thank you, Vice-President. Guyana warmly welcomes the distinguished delegation of Fiji to the fourth cycle of the UPR and thank the delegation for their comprehensive report. We commend Fiji on ratifying the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019, number 190, on June 25th, 2020. Fiji also ratified the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child *********** on March 2021, and the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict in March 2021 as well. We commend Fiji on the repeal of the Media Industry Development Act 2010, an action that provides a freer entitlement for freedom of speech and operation of the media. We would also wish to commend Fiji on its effort to strengthen its national policy architecture to address the human rights of Fijian in the establishment of the Fiji Human Rights Task Force, as well as its comprehensive actions on human rights and climate change. In this regard, Guyana, as a fellow small island developing state, would wish to recommend that Fiji continues its efforts on its national seawall strategy and community-based disaster risk management actions. In the spirit of constructive engagement, Guyana proposes the following recommendations to the delegation of Fiji. Adopt and implement anti-discrimination legislation and/or strategies regarding gender and race. enhance actions to eliminate child labour and trafficking in persons; and finally, enhance protection of vulnerable and at-risk groups. Guyana wishes the delegation of Fiji every success during this UPR process. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Now I invite the Holy See.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. The Holy See thanks Fiji for its engagement with this process and in a spirit of constructive dialogue recommends the following. One, that it strengthens protection mechanisms and fights against abuse and all forms of exploitation of children, including through the full implementation of the new Child Care and Protection Act, as well as the Child Justice Act. Two, that it combats discrimination while further promoting reconciliation efforts among the entire population.

Three.

That it investigates and prosecutes the purported violations of human rights and illegal activity that damages the environment related to mining and extractive industries; and four, that it ensures just working conditions for all and investigates any alleged violations of the rights of workers. We wish Fiji every success with its review. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Now I invite Iceland.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Iceland welcomes the delegation of the Republic of Fiji and its national report. In the spirit of constructive engagement, Iceland recommends the following. One, ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR. Two, ratify the optional protocol to CETA. Three, strengthen existing legal frameworks to prevent and respond to GBV and hold perpetrators to account. Four, enhance support services for GBV survivors. Five, eradicate child early and forced marriage. Six, decriminalize abortion and repeal section 235 and 236 of the Criminal Act. Seven, guarantee the right to health and health services for all, including for transgender persons. Eight, develop a comprehensive strategy policy with the aim to eradicate all forms of discrimination against persons of diverse origins. I wish Fiji all success for its review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of India.

Mr. Vice President, India warmly welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks them for the presentation of their national report. We appreciate the significant efforts made by Fiji towards strengthening its national legislative framework in the face of serious challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters.

We welcome the steps taken by Fiji through its National.

Climate Change Coordination Committee in the areas of climate change mitigation, adaptation, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. We note the National Disaster Risk Management Act of 2024. The community-based disaster risk management training program is also noteworthy. In the spirit of constructive engagement, we recommend the following to Fiji. One, continue efforts to combat gender-based discrimination. Two, continue efforts to combat youth unemployment through training programs. And three, continue efforts towards better access to quality healthcare, including maternal and reproductive health services. We reiterate our commitment to cooperate with Fiji towards its development goals.

We wish Fiji a successful UPR review.

Thank you. Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Indonesia welcomes the esteemed delegation of Fiji to the UPR and thank them for presenting its report. We acknowledge Fiji's continued enhancements of its human rights and anti-discrimination commission to fully comply with the Paris principles, including by increased financial allocations and resources. We also value Fiji's commitment to advancing women's economic empowerment and preventing violence against all women and girls through the adoption of national action plans on these two respective areas. In a constructive spirit, Indonesia recommends Fiji the following. One, strengthen cooperation with its development partners in elevating measures to combat illicit drugs and drugs abuse, as well as establishing rehabilitation centers for drug addicts. Two, take further steps to guarantee inclusive access to education for all children and eliminate school dropouts, including in rural areas. Three, expand the social protection programs to cover all groups of people without discrimination, particularly the most vulnerable ones. Finally, we wish Fiji every success in its UPR process. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks them for their national report. Iran commends Fiji for ratifying the Optional Protocol on the Sales of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child *********** in 2021. We also acknowledge the various efforts undertaken by the government to enhance transparency in the judicial system and combat corruption. As a small developing island that faces significant climate change challenges, Fiji has commendably integrated climate change considerations into the planning and policymaking. We take note positive impacts of such planning on reducing the vulnerabilities of women, children and persons with disabilities. In the constructive spirit, we recommend Fiji to first intensify efforts to adopt more effective anti-discrimination strategies and enact legislation prohibiting all forms of discrimination against women and girls. Second, ensure the elimination and prohibition of torture and other related punishments by the law enforcement personnel. Third, integrate the right to development into national planning and policies. And fourth, strengthen complementary national social security programs to create a more inclusive social protection framework, particularly for those most in need. The Islamic Republic of Iran wishes Fiji a successful review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Iraq.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We welcome the head members of the delegation of Fiji participating in this fourth cycle of the UPR. We thank them for putting together this report, for presenting the report as well. We welcome the steps and plans developed by Fiji to implement the sustainable development goals. We also welcome its accession to the human rights, international human rights instruments in a constructive spirit. With regard, with a view to promoting human rights, we would like to advance the following recommendations. One, to continue efforts to end discrimination in education and to entrench the right to education in national legislations. Two, to continue efforts to support those affected by natural disasters; and three, shore up efforts to combat violence against women and girls. In conclusion, we wish Fiji all success in this review. Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Ireland.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Ireland welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks it for its presentation today. Ireland acknowledges Fiji's efforts in advancing human rights domestically and notes progress made since the last UPR cycle, including efforts made to tackle violence against women and girls. We commend Fiji's efforts as a global advocate for small island developing states in addressing the effects of climate change and natural disasters, including the human rights impacts of climate change. Ireland regrets that Fiji has not ensured that the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission enjoys the human, financial and material resources required to discharge its mandate fully in compliance with the Paris Principles. Ireland recommends that Fiji, one, provide institutionalized training on violence against women and girls to law enforcement officials and the judiciary to ensure that survivors do not face further discrimination and harassment and that perpetrators of offenses are brought to justice. Two, accede to the optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Three.

Conduct impartial, thorough and independent investigations into all cases of attacks, harassment and intimidation against civil society members, human rights defenders and journalists to ensure a safe and enabling environment for their work. We wish Fiji every success in the CPR cycle. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Israel.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Israel would like to warmly welcome the delegation of Fiji and thank them for their presentation. Israel takes note of Fiji's progress in adopting and implementing the recommendations from the previous UPR sessions. Specifically, we welcome the progress in guaranteeing freedom of expression and the cancellation of the Media Industry Development Act, MIDA, in 2023. Israel welcomes Fiji's efforts in the field of disaster risk reduction, which are crucial to ensuring the safety of its population as a small island state, and congratulate the government on the establishment of a comprehensive legislation in this regard. We welcome the efforts of the government to make advancements in the gender equality and protection of women and children, and for ensuring gender equality in Fijian armed forces and in Fijian peacekeeping operations. We would like to recommend that the Government of Fiji continue in strengthening comprehensive efforts aimed at protecting the rights of women and children and ensuring their safe and full participation in society, and adopt and implement anti-discrimination and gender equality legislation. Israel wishes Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite Italy.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We welcome the distinguished members of the delegation of Fiji and we thank them for today's presentation. Italy commends Fiji's commitment to the UPR and appreciates efforts carried out since the last UPR cycle, including particularly the ratification of the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child *********** and on involvement of children in armed conflicts. We also appreciate the efforts in reducing restrictions to the freedom of the press. Italy seizes this opportunity to offer Fiji the following recommendations. Implement public policies with adequate funding for the public awareness raising campaigns in the area of violence against women and girls and domestic violence, including through specific training programs for service providers dealing with victims of violence. continue taking measures to eliminate all forms of abuse and violence against children; ensure the full and proper implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, with the aim of removing all barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities in social life.

We wish Fiji a successful review.

I thank you.

Thank you, Italy. I now give the floor to the delegation of Fiji to address observations and comments raised so far in this part of the interactive dialogue, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. First of all, let me say at the outset that the Fiji delegation has listened intently and with the greatest of respect to the submissions and the views of the member states. We welcome the constructive dialogue and the spirit of cordiality that has been a part of the dialogue so far. Let me, Mr. Vice President, touch on a couple of thematic areas which have resonated throughout this important dialogue. A number of delegations have commented, and rightly so, on Fiji's national human rights institution and the fact that its current status is B, let me assure the member states, Mr. Vice President, that the Fiji government is aware of the shortcomings, is working diligently towards regaining its A accreditation. One of the problems with that has been the appointments process for the commissioners of the anti-discrimination commission. That process is embedded in the constitution of Fiji. And for anyone who knows anything about the constitution of Fiji, it requires 75% of the members of parliament to amend the constitution. And having passed that hurdle, it then requires 75% of the registered voters to endorse the parliamentary approval. So in saying that, one of the hurdles to address the lack of independence in the appointments process is as a result of systemic structural issues in the constitution. Despite that limitation, Mr. Vice President, the Fiji government is currently working on regulations to strengthen the independence of the commission and to facilitate the plurality and appointments process that will then be a basis for Fiji to be able to graduate to the top tier or the A accreditation process. We are working fully and earnestly towards this, and the expectation is that by the end of this year, we would have achieved that goal. In terms of funding, Mr. Vice President, of course, the capacity and ability of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, to carry out its statutory mandate will, of course, be a result of its ability in terms of resources and capacity within the Commission. The budget of the Commission has steadily increased, but we recognize that more financial resources need to be at the disposal of the Commission in order for it to fulfill its statutory and legal mandate. With respect to climate change, Mr. Vice President, many delegations have commented on this particular aspect. For the small island developing countries in the room today, you would be well aware of the challenges that all SIDS face with respect to climate change and natural disasters. At the national level, our National Climate Change Coordination Committee is fully engaged in the planning, mitigation and adaptation efforts that are needed to address the many challenges that accompany climate change. For example, We have laws that relate to planned relocation and they are financial mechanisms for relocating communities affected by climate change. At the national level, we have a minister devoted solely to climate change and environmental issues and a new minister was sworn into office last week. He will have his work cut out for him. On legislative achievements with respect to climate change, as I mentioned in my opening statement, we have two pieces of legislation, the Climate Change Act and the National Disaster Risk Management Act. Those establish a strong platform for achieving our goals with respect to addressing natural disasters that have been caused as a result of climate change. Interestingly, and we have under our climate change challenges, we have adopted an inclusive and rights-based approach to tackling climate change. And in this regard, Mr. Vice President, we have prioritized gender equality, disability, as well as social inclusion. and these thematic areas and concerns have been embedded in cyclone and disaster programs. I would at this juncture, Mr. Vice President, take this opportunity to invite Ambassador Danivalu to speak on trafficking and child labor issues.

Thank you. Mr. Vice President, excuse me. Several comments and recommendations have been made with respect to child labor and employment. As the honorable Attorney General has indicated in the report, the Constitution sets the framework for a lot of the actions that the government has put in place to address the various human rights aspects that the nation is focusing on and in particular to address also and guarantee equality before the law and specifically mentions that all persons are entitled to equal treatment and protection regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability and that anyone who have been discriminated on any of those grounds can seek constitutional redress in Fiji's courts. And Fiji has also put in place strong legislative provisions and policies on discrimination in the workplace, and particularly addressing gender, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression, as well as protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. In terms of employment grievances on the basis of discrimination, those can be dealt with and addressed with the mediation services within the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations. If not possible to be resolved through mediation, then it can be taken up to the Employment Relations Tribunal. in the extreme circumstances where our corrections services are involved, they also have policies in place to address those. And the collaboration with various stakeholders allow our government to take progressive steps to promote equality and address the concerns and the priorities or interests with respect to children and ensuring that child labor is addressed. Let me touch quickly on the recommendations that have been raised with respect to trafficking. Fiji, of course, recognizes that human trafficking is a pernicious crime with the greatest impact on women and girls, and that Fiji itself is vulnerable to trafficking, both in relation to forced labor and sexual exploitation within the Pacific region. And so we have acceded to the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which of course supplements the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. And again here, reinforcing the imperatives under the Fijian constitution that guarantees all Fijians freedom from slavery, servitude, forced labor, and human trafficking. Mention has been made of Fiji's crimes law, which has various provisions dealing with specific offenses for human trafficking. including trafficking in persons and particularly children, which has also been highlighted in some of the recommendations. Mr. President, let me stop there and invite other members of Fiji's delegation to make comments on some of the other topics.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Vice President. A number of delegations have quite rightly and very usefully made recommendations with respect to Fiji acceding to various optional protocols. Can I, Mr. Vice-President, at this juncture observe that given our resources and capacity limitations, given the fact that as we have candidly acknowledged. We are late in a number of our reports for various treaty and convention obligations, and we will defer the, it is our intention to defer the ratification of optional protocols so that we are able to prioritize and complete our work on the outstanding reports. So yes, that is work in progress, those optional protocols are very important, and they operationalize the basic fundamental treaties that we are a state party to. So that is important. We take on board those serious and constructive recommendations. And in the fullness of time, we have every confidence of meeting our serious obligations as a responsible member of the international community. I did, Mr. Vice President, wish to comment on a suggestion that Fiji should be encouraged to promote national reconciliation efforts. And I'm pleased to inform this honorable council that last year in Fiji's parliament, we passed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act. That legislation is about to be operationalized. But the law recognizes that there was a period in our relatively recent history because of political dislocation, that the result of that was some racial tension and discord, and in the aftermath of various political upheavals, which are well documented, that has had a polarizing effect on people. We've come out of 16 years of difficult authoritarian rule as well. And all of those factors have had the effect of dividing and polarizing the country. So the expectation, Mr. Vice President, is that this commission will add value in terms of bringing harmony to the country. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you, Excellency. Thank you, Excellencies. Dear colleagues, let's now go back into the interactive dialogue, and now I give the floor to the next delegation on the list of speakers. I invite Japan, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Japan warmly welcomes the delegation of the Republic of Fiji. Japan appreciates the positive steps taken by Fiji based on the recommendations made during the previous review cycle, including the repeal of the Media Industry Development Act of 2010, which led to the expansion of press freedom in the country, as well as the implementation of the enhanced public service delivery platform, the Reach Program, to improve access to social, economic, and legal services, especially those in rural areas. We also commend the development of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls, 2023 to '28, the first such plan among the Pacific Island countries. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, Japan recommends that Fiji, one, further strengthen initiatives and measures to ensure the rights of women and girls, and two, continue to engage with and improve cooperation with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the treaty bodies. We wish the delegation of Fiji every success in the review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Jordan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. It is my pleasure to welcome the members and the president of the Fiji delegation. We commend their efforts in preparing the current report on the review, which reflects achievements in the field of human rights since the previous UPRs. My country's delegation recommends the following: first, strengthen national programs to address the impacts of climate change with particular attention to vulnerable local communities by increasing resources allocated for disaster mitigation and climate adaptation. to expand efforts to raise public awareness of social and economic rights, to ensure effective remedies for vulnerable groups, with a particular focus on improving education and vocational training. We wish the Republic of Fiji success in this current UPR. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite Kuwait.

Thank you, Mr. President.

We would like to welcome the delegation of Fiji.

And welcome the efforts made by the government in order to live up to its international human rights obligations.

We have taken note of the report and recommend the following: To continue action to protect children's rights, notably by strengthening child protection systems and to expand the scope of educational programmes to focus on children. Secondly, to guarantee the improvement of national health systems and to provide equitable access to medical services in rural and remote areas and develop policies to ensure the.

Comprehensiveness of health services.

Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite Lebanon.

Mr. President, Lebanon welcomes the delegation of Fiji and notes with appreciation its commitment, despite challenges, to implement recommendations of human rights mechanisms, and especially its obligations in fighting torture, including by lifting reservation on Article 1 of the Convention against Torture. We also welcome significant efforts for protecting children, including disabled ones, from all forms of violence, especially in education sector infrastructures. Lebanon thanks Fiji for its commitment to international humanitarian law through its contribution to peacekeeping operations, including to the UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. In a constructive spirit, Lebanon would like to recommend Fiji, one, to continue its leading role in showcasing and fighting all negative impacts on human rights of of environmental challenges and especially climate change. Two, to enhance efforts aiming at protecting and strengthening media freedom. Three, to provide full attention to the education sector by fighting dropouts of children and providing all means for improving completion rates while keeping in mind that girls, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups are particularly affected by such trends. In conclusion, Lebanon wishes Fiji all success. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

I thank you. Now we have a video message from the representative of Libya.

Thank you, President. We would like to welcome the delegation of Fiji. We thank you for the report. We would like to thank the country for its presence here in the UPR. We recommend ongoing efforts to promote the rights of children and to accelerate the adoption of the law on the protection of children. Two, to continue efforts to raise awareness on human rights, and this includes among law enforcement. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Malawi.

Mr. Vice President, Malawi welcomes Fiji to this review and thanks the delegation for the comprehensive presentation. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, Malawi makes the following recommendations to Fiji. One, accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Two, accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

And three.

Continue in the efforts to strengthen the administration of justice and upholding the rule of law.

We wish Fiji all the best at this review.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now, we have a video message from the representative of Malaysia.

Malaysia thanks Fiji for the presentation of its national report. Malaysia comments Fiji for its gender inclusive strategies that integrate women into climate change and disaster risk reduction efforts. We also commend Fiji's investment in human rights training for law enforcement and public servants aligning with our previous UPR recommendations. In the spirit of constructive engagement, Malaysia recommends the following. First, continue strengthening the human rights and anti-discrimination commission to ensure its full compliance with the Paris principles. And second, continue efforts to promote gender equality, including by developing a policy to ensure equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and increasing women's participation in leadership and decision making at all levels. We wish Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Maldives.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Maldives warmly welcomes the distinguished delegation from Fiji to this fourth cycle review and thanks the delegation for their presentation today. The Maldives commends Fiji's efforts to combat climate change. In this regard, we welcome the adoption of the Climate Change Act, National Oceans Policy, Fiji National Climate Finance Strategy, and the establishment of a separate Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. In constructive spirit, the Maldives makes the following two recommendations.

One, expedite the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Two, continue its efforts to ensure the right to inclusive education for students with disabilities, particularly those in vulnerable situations. We wish our fellow Small Island Developing State, Fiji, a successful review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of the Marshall Islands.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Republic of the Marshall Islands welcomes Attorney General Leon, Ambassador Donivalu, the esteemed delegation of Fiji, and thanks them for their comprehensive report.

Bula.

We commend Fiji for their strong efforts in addressing the adverse effects of climate change through a human rights-based approach. In particular, we welcome the incorporation of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion considerations in its Climate Change Act of 2021. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, we recommend the following. One, continue to advance the rights of women, including by considering ratifying the optional protocol to the convention of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

Two.

Continue efforts to combat the adverse effects of climate change and ensure an inclusive approach to climate change adaptation measures. And three, take additional measures to promote and protect the right to education for all children, especially those in rural areas. We wish the delegation every success during its fourth EPR cycle.

And I thank you.

I thank you. Now we have a video message from Mauritius.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Mauritius delegation extends a very warm welcome to the high level delegation from Fiji attending this whole cycle of the UPR. We welcome the progress made by Fiji since its last review. As a SIDS like Mauritius, we understand the challenges faced by Fiji. Mauritius commends Fiji for its efforts such as resource mobilization and coordination amongst agencies to ensure that Fijians continue enjoying their basic human rights as they continue being impacted by climate change. In a constructive spirit, we would like to recommend that Fiji one, continue its efforts to put in place adequate social protection policy measures and make appropriate budget allocations to support children in vulnerable situations in order to achieve SDGs one and four and consider ratifying the UNESCO convention against discrimination in education. We wish Fiji a successful review and continued progress. I thank you.

Now I'll give the floor to the representative of Mexico.

Thank you, Vice President. We thank Fiji for the report. We recognize the efforts made to incorporate a gender focus and disabilities and inclusion in the measures to tackle climate change and the comprehensive management of natural disaster management. Constructively and respectively, Mexico recommends the following. One, strengthen the fight against and prevention of gender violence. There should be an elimination of traditional practices for reconciliation such as bulu-bulu and its inclusion as an attenuating factor in judicial cases. Two, to adopt draft laws on child justice and care and child protection. They should be brought in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and additional protocols. and also to foster positive child rearing and the collection of data on child abuse. Third, increase access to comprehensive health care services. This is especially so in rural and remote areas, remote islands. This through a broadening of health care infrastructure and training of health care professionals. This should include sexual and reproductive health. It should also include maternal health care and primary care. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Now I'll give the floor to the representative of Mongolia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Mongolia welcomes the delegation of Fiji to its fourth UPR review.

We commend Fiji's advancements in several.

Areas, including the protection of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the promotion of climate change awareness. Fiji's commitment to improving the legal framework for the protection of women's rights is notable. Mongolia wishes to offer the following recommendations to Fiji. One, continue its efforts in addressing all forms of violence against women and girls, including gender-based and domestic violence. Two, consider ratifying the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. Three, to further strengthen its engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms. We wish Fiji every success in its review.

I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

I thank you. Now I invite Montenegro, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Montenegro welcomes the distinguished delegation of Fiji. Montenegro commends continued efforts of Fiji in advancing human rights, its commitment to align national policies with international human rights framework, and improve human rights trainings for respective authorities. We welcome activities to develop climate and environmental adaptation programs with human rights centered approach with particular focus on children and persons with disabilities and fully integrated gender perspective. We commend initiatives to improve the rights of the child programs and campaigns regarding child labor and exploitation and physical and sexual violence against children. We encourage government to expand programs to reduce dropout rates, particularly for boys, raising awareness about importance of education, particularly among vulnerable groups. Montenegro makes the following recommendations. to fully investigate and prosecute all cases of human trafficking and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice, and to explicitly prohibit corporal punishment of children in all settings.

We wish Fiji a successful UPR cycle, and I thank you.

Thank you. Now we have a video message from Mozambique.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mozambique welcomes the high level delegation of Fiji and thanks them for the comprehensive presentation of the human rights situation in the country. In the spirit of constructive engagement and solidarity, Mozambique offers the following recommendations to Fiji. One, strengthen national human rights institution to enhance their capacity to monitor and promote human rights across the country and ensure its full compliance with the Paris principle. Two, continue to implement measures aimed at promoting gender equality and protecting women's rights, including measures to combat gender-based violence. Mozambique wishes Fiji every success in this UPR process. Thank you, Thank you, Mr. President.

Now I invite the representative of Namibia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Namibia warmly welcomes the delegation of Fiji to the fourth UPR cycle and thank them for the national report. We commend Fiji for its commitment to honor its reporting obligation by prioritizing the submission of all outstanding reports to the human rights treaty bodies. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, we wish to offer the following recommendations. One, accede to the optional protocol to the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. Two, intensify efforts to address violence against women in politics to ensure they are full and effective participation without fear of violence and/or intimidation. and three, review national laws, policies and legal frameworks to ensure alignment with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We wish the delegation of Fiji a successful review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Nepal.

Mr. Vice President, Nepal welcomes the delegation of Fiji to the fourth cycle of UPR and thanks them for presenting the national report. We appreciate Fiji for the constructive engagement with the human rights mechanism and take note of the efforts made towards implementing the recommendation of the last UPR. We take positive note of the Climate Change Act 2021 and the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. We appreciate Fiji's progressive efforts to realize right to a fair minimum wage. In a constructive spirit, we recommend Fiji the following: one, redouble efforts to expand social protection programs for wider inclusion; two, continue efforts to increase the participation of women in decision-making bodies; three, continue efforts to combat climate change with appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures. We wish Fiji a successful review. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. The Kingdom of the Netherlands thanks Fiji for the presentation of its national report and for implementing the Netherlands' recommendation on freedom of expression made during the third UPR cycle. The Netherlands commends Fiji for repealing the 2010 Media Industry Development Act in 2023. The Netherlands also welcomes Fiji's support for the recommendation to develop and implement a national action plan for the prevention of sexual violence against women and girls. However, the issue persists. The Netherlands therefore recommends Fiji, one, to allocate additional resources to fully operationalize the national action plan for the prevention of violence against women and girls and strengthen the capacity of the coordination and implementation office. two, to integrate gender and LGBTIQ+ inclusive measures into national laws and policies to eliminate discrimination and violence while ensuring that marginalised groups have access to essential services. The Netherlands wishes Fiji every success with the implementation and follow-up of all recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Thank you.

I now give the floor to the representative of Niger. Niger.

Okay, then I will invite the representative of Oman.

Thank you, Mr. President. We would like to welcome the delegation of Fiji and commend their efforts in drafting the national report, as well as the constructive engagement with the UPR. Mr. President, my country's delegation took note of the report of friendly Fiji and commend their efforts to address climate change, namely by promoting the role of the National Coordination Committee on Climate Change to mainstream climate consideration into national planning and decision making as well as promoting climate change mitigation measures in such a way to support sustainable development. In a constructive dialogue spirit, we recommend the following. First, to continue implementing inclusive policies to tackle gaps in social assistance programmes. Second, to pursue improving access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation and to enlarge their scope to reach rural areas. And third, to pursue inclusive legal measures to protect children from worst forms of treatment, exploitation, and emerging digital threats. Finally, we wish the friendly Republic of Fiji success in its UPR. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. My apologies, I think I skipped a speaker. New Zealand? I'm sorry, please, you have the floor. My apologies.

Thank you, Vice-President. New Zealand warmly welcomes the Honorable Attorney General and delegation from the Republic of Fiji, and we acknowledge our close partnership. We commend the Republic of Fiji on steps it has taken to strengthen media freedom, particularly the repealing of the Media Industry Development Act in April 2023. We commend Fiji's leadership and domestic actions in the fight against climate change. New Zealand recommends that the Republic of Fiji, one, continue its efforts to address violence against women and children, including through education and awareness programs. to amend the Public Order Amendment Act to remove restrictions around freedom of assembly in accordance with international human rights.

Standards.

We thank the delegation for their participation today and wish them a successful review. Thank you, Vice-President.

I thank you, and again, my apologies. Now I will give the floor to the representative of Paraguay.

We would like to hail the delegation of Fiji. We thank you for the report. Here are our recommendations. We appreciate the efforts on implementation and recommendations from the previous cycle, and we encourage redoubling of efforts to address. We hail the ratification and accession to the optional protocols on children, prostitution, and child ***********. Our recommendations, respectfully, are, one, to accede to the convention, on the on to reduce the cases of statelessness in 1961 as well as the optional protocol on from the cat and the second protocol of the ICCPR and also to move further towards the abolition of the death penalty as well as moving to provide timely services to those that have been struck by the climate emergency in step with recommendations of a previous cycle, and also to improve the juvenile justice system pursuant to previous cycle, and to undertake awareness raising campaigns to offer positive parenting and to strengthen the compilation of data to reduce ill treatment of children. to consolidate and optimize the task force on human rights in Fiji, such as the national mechanism for the implementation of follow-up of the recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to the representative of Philippines.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. My delegation warmly welcomes the distinguished delegation of Fiji to this review process. We acknowledge Fiji's robust domestic frameworks to combat climate change, including the establishment of a national coordinating committee to facilitate collaboration and resource mobilization among key government agencies. We likewise recognize Fiji's committed efforts to protect groups in vulnerable situations and advance social justice during the review period. To build on these gains, we wish to recommend the following. One, further strengthen the enforcement of laws protecting women and girls from gender-based violence and increase support services for victims and survivors. Two, continue to implement mandatory and targeted education and training programs for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges to equip them with knowledge and skills on how to effectively handle human trafficking cases in line with international human rights standards. and three, consider establishing mechanisms ensuring the rights and welfare of migrant workers in line with the CMW. In conclusion, the Philippines wishes Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Portugal.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Portugal welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks it for the presentation of its national report. Portugal commends Fiji for the establishment in 2024 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as for the adoption of action plans to prevent violence against all women and girls, 2023-2028, and to promote women's economic empowerment, 2024-2029. Portugal recommends that Fiji, one, ratifies the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Two, enhances measures and creates awareness-raising campaigns to prevent and respond to gender-based violence against women and girls, including sexual abuse, by addressing societal attitudes, establishing awareness-raising campaigns, improving support services, and ensuring effective law enforcement. Three, guarantees access to maternal health care, family planning, and sexual and reproductive health services without discrimination. Portugal wishes Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Mr. President, We note the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the past UPR. There have been an increased number of cases of violations by law enforcement officers which run against the Convention against Torture. In particular, in September 2023, there was abuse against the Russian citizen, Mr. Marchenko. There was an arrest. under pressure, this man was obliged to confess and he was then extradited to the US where he is currently punished. We recommend that Fiji accede to the CAT and we are concerned by the punishment against children and families in school. We recommend that Fiji adopt a law against corporal punishment against children. We are concerned by the high level of threats of harassment on the internet, which end at times in suicide. We recommend that Fiji adopt effective measures to fight this phenomenon. We note that there is overcrowding in prisons and we recommend that measures be taken and that the penitentiary facilities be improved. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I will give the floor to the representative of Samoa.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, and good morning, colleagues. and welcome to the Honorable Attorney General and the delegation of Fiji. We appreciate your national report and the presentation this morning. Samoa is a fellow small island developing state and from the Pacific. commends Fiji for their disaster risk reduction, adaptation and mitigation initiatives and efforts in addressing climate change displacement. Since the last UPR, Fiji has established the Fiji Human Rights Task Force and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, two mechanisms which we believe will further contribute and enhance Fiji's work on the implementation of UPR recommendations. And we congratulate Fiji for the appointment and swearing in, as we heard this morning, of the dedicated Minister for Climate Change last week. Samoa kindly recommends, one, strengthen environmental conservation efforts, including biodiversity and habitat protection, waste management, and preserving cultural heritage. Two, adopt proactive measures to combat cyberbullying, especially hate speech directed to women and girls. and three, ensure inclusive education for children with disabilities and improve their accessibility to schools and public infrastructure. We convey our best wishes to Fiji and wish them every success for their review.

Thank you, Ambassador.

I now give the floor to the delegation of Senegal.

Thank you, Vice President. Senegal wishes to offer a warm welcome to the delegation of Fiji. We commend Fiji for presenting its national report. My country hails the measures taken by Fijian authorities to strengthen the legal framework for protecting and promoting human rights. This includes ratification of the optional protocol from the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, Senegal would like to offer the following recommendations. One, to consider the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. And secondly, to continue efforts to fight against trafficking in persons. To conclude, Senegal wishes the greatest of success to Fiji in the implementation of the recommendations accepted. I thank you.

I thank you, and I now give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Sierra Leone extends a warm welcome to His Excellency Attorney General Mr. Graham Leung and the delegation from the Republic of Fiji. And thanks for the national report. We commend Fiji for its bold strides to advance human rights, including media freedom, and for taking legislative and policy frameworks in response to climate change and strengthening disaster resilience to ensure the protection of human rights. We welcome the government's efforts to supporting communities prone to severe impacts of climate change. In the spirit of constructive dialogue, we offer the following recommendations for the consideration of Fiji. One, accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Two, accelerate the enactment of the Child Justice Bill into law. And three, improve access to basic social services to people living in deprived or rural communities. Sierra Leone conveys best wishes to Fiji for its successful fourth cycle review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I will give the floor to the representative of Singapore.

Mr. Vice President, Singapore warmly welcomes the participation of Fiji, a fellow small state in the UPR process, and notes the progress it has made since its third review. Singapore commends Fiji's efforts in rooting out gender-based discrimination and supporting women empowerment. In particular, we welcome the launch of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls and the Fiji Women Economic Empowerment National Action Plan. We recommend that Fiji continue its efforts to promote gender equality and enhance support for women entrepreneurs. Singapore also welcomes Fiji's progress in protecting the rights of persons with disability and supporting their inclusion in various aspects of society, including in the areas of education, health and employment. Singapore recommends that Fiji continue to implement policies and measures of inclusivity for persons with disabilities, especially for women and children. We convey our best wishes to the Fiji delegation for its review. Thank you.

Thank you. That was another chunk of the Interactive dialogue, and now I will get back to the Fijian delegation to, if you allow me to use a terminology from rugby, to tackle the observations and comments made during this debate. And, Your Excellency, the floor is yours, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, for that rugby metaphor. As many of you know, Fiji Sevens rugby and fifteens rugby is the national sport. So thank you, Mr. Vice President, and distinguished delegates, members of the Council. The Fiji delegation has listened with the greatest respect and receptivity to the last set of speakers. We acknowledge that we need to redouble our efforts at the promotion, protection, and realization of human rights. It is a journey. It is not a single event. And in this regard, Mr. Vice President, we acknowledge that we will need the support of the international community, as well as the United Nations, and our development partners. But of course, we take full and primary responsibility for the realization and the implementation of all relevant international human rights commitments, which we have subscribed to and taken on board. I just wanted to make some broad comments. A number of delegations had made mention of the Electoral Act and the Political Parties Act. As I speak, those two pieces of legislation are undergoing a rigorous review and scrutiny. We recognize, Mr. Vice President, that there are aspects or provisions in both those laws which are anti-democratic in both spirit and intent as well as operations. It is my sincere and earnest wish that when the reviews of those pieces of legislation are completed, hopefully in the coming months, the concerns that have been raised by some of the distinguished delegates will be addressed. On matters of governance, I'm happy to report to this distinguished body. Again, there are three pieces of legislation which are presently being reviewed and drafted, and the expectation is that I will be taking to Parliament at an early session in the first quarter of this year, significant amendments to the Information Act to increase transparency and access to information by citizens, a code of conduct bill which will address codes of conduct on high-level officials in government, including politicians, and It is the expectation of the Attorney General's chambers, which I head, that I will be able to go to parliament in the relatively recent or relative recent future to introduce a bill to establish an accountability and transparency commission. These are measures, Mr. Vice President, that will widen democratic participation in government and hold government to greater standards and higher standards of accountability in government. With respect to the rights of women in employment, Mr. Vice President, as I speak, we are in the advanced stages of finalizing the amendments to the Employment Relations Bill. and issues of gender parity and wages in employment will be addressed under the rubric of that legislation. For now, Mr. Vice President, it is my honor to invite Ambassador Danialu to speak to the rights of persons with disability and to cover some of the broad concerns which distinguished delegates have raised with respect to the rights of children. I thank you.

Mr. Vice President, on the recommendations that have been raised with respect to persons with disability, let me just say that Fiji had ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2017 and has put in place a robust legal framework, of course, under the aegis of our constitution also. to protect the right to equality and freedom from discrimination, and also protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. Our national employment policy addresses the quotas and tax incentives that encourage the hiring of individuals with disabilities. In relation to the natural disaster risk reduction policy, It includes elements that integrates a gender sensitive and disability inclusive approach. The Department of Social Protection under Fiji's Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, they administer the programs that assist persons with disabilities, vulnerable children and older persons. and that also includes disability allowance scheme and the transport assistance scheme that provides financial and mobility support for persons with disabilities. We have empowerment and participation policies that actively involves women, children, and persons with disabilities in planning or the formulation of community-based disaster risk reduction, disaster risk management, and climate change adaptation, which has also been raised by delegations. Now turning to child labour, which has been highlighted also, the Fiji Employment Relations Law sets the minimum employment age at 15 years and regulates working conditions for children. It also defines and prohibits the worst forms of child labour. The Fijian line ministry, our Ministry of Employment and Workplace Relations, has conducted training for key stakeholders, including worker organizations, employer groups, and civil society, to be familiar with child labor laws and protocols and focus on equipping businesses with knowledge to identify and address child labor. Mr. Vice President, let me invite the other members of our delegation to address some of the other topics that have been commented on by delegations.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Vice President. I would like now to invite Ms. Geraldine Naingolewu to speak to the issue of the right to education and the rights of children in that regard. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. In relation to the recommendations for education and the right to education, the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji provides for the right to education and mandates that the state must use all measures within its means to progress this right. Accordingly, the government and its constitutional obligations and through the Ministry of Education has progressed several programs and initiatives to ensure this right is realized. For example, the free education grant and the tertiary scholarships and loan services provides free and monetary assistance to children. The transport assistance for the students from low income households targets children from rural and maritime areas. Free textbooks for all students to minimize the cost of education to parents and guardians. The provision of library books to support the improvement of literacy for students. and more recently, the menstrual hygiene management program whereby sanitary pad vouchers are distributed to female students from year seven to years 13. These initiatives have greatly eased financial burdens, which can often be an obstacle from children accessing education. that in relation to disability in education in September of 2023 the Fiji National Education Summit was convened between government and relevant stakeholders the outcome of the summit saw the adoption of the 2023 Denarau Declaration which was launched by the Ministry of Education together with a three-year strategic plan In line with the declaration, the government has developed the special and inclusive education policy to guide education policies, programs and initiatives aimed at ensuring inclusiveness to all students, including students with disabilities. In relation to corporal punishment, again, the Constitution safeguards against corporal punishment, ensuring that the right to security of the person, right to be free from any form of violence at home, school, work, or in any other place. In the national legislative framework, the Domestic Violence Act of 2009 prohibits all forms of violence against children, and the Juvenile Act of 1973 provides a guide to the court on the punishment of offenders. Now, in line with this domestic legislation, the government, the Ministry of Education, has progressed several policies to target corporal punishment. The Child Protection Policy and the Behavior Management Policy provides for reasonable administration of punishment that must be done consistent with the constitutional provisions as well as the legislation. It also provides for zero tolerance policy to admit to the administration of corporal punishment. In relation to the quality of education, the Ministry of Education has been actively working on various strategies to improve the quality of education across the country. It has been implementing reforms to ensure that the national curriculum is relevant, inclusive, and adaptable to the needs of all students, including those in rural, remote, and maritime areas. Assessments and financial assistance are also being made to improve infrastructure in schools, specifically targeting remote and rural schools to ensure that they are well-equipped with the necessary facilities and learning resources. These policies are reflective of government's commitment to ensure the progressive realization of the right to education. Thank you.

Mr. Vice President, just one brief comment before we hand back the floor to members. Recommendations have been made with respect to the death penalty. Fiji had abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2015. by amending its military law and removing past legislative provision on capital punishment. And Fiji had abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes previously and had revised its penal code and the crimes decreed to eliminate references to the death penalty. With that, Mr. President, we will hand back the floor to you.

Okay, thank you for this second-half. And let's go back to the interactive dialogue, dear colleagues. Now, the next speaker on the list is the representative of Slovenia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Slovenia commends the delegation of Fiji for their report and its presentation today and for its commitment to the UPR process. Slovenia commends Fiji for adopting the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls 2023-2028 and the National Action Plan for Women's Economic Empowerment 2024-2029. Slovenia would like to recommend to Fiji to adopt measures to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. We would also like to recommend to Fiji to continue reforms in law enforcement and enhance its accountability. We wish Fiji a successful review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite South Africa, please. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. South Africa welcomes the distinguished Attorney General and the delegation of Fiji to this UPR session. My delegation commends the strides made by Fiji since the previous cycle of the UPR mechanism that include the accession to the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the launch of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023 to 2028. South Africa wishes to respectfully recommend that Fiji, one, continue to develop measures to ensure inclusive education for children and students with disabilities, including those in rural and remote areas. Two, align the minimum age of marriage for girls and boys to 18 without setting exceptions. Three, continue to raise awareness to combat victimization and discrimination of persons living with HIV and AIDS. South Africa wishes Fiji a successful review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the distinguished delegate from Spain. Ambassador, please, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. Spain wishes a warm welcome to the delegation of Fiji and welcomes their participation here. We congratulate the Fiji Government for ratifying the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and for having established a national action plan against gender-based violence. We recommend one, and as the ambassador explained, in 2015 the death penalty was abolished, that they can now move to ratifying the first and second optional protocol to the ICCPR with a view to abolishing the death penalty. Secondly, ensure full implementation of measures already adopted to prevent and combat GBV. scourge that still affects us and promote awareness raising campaigns improving support services three take necessary legislative measures to guarantee freedom of expression and the press and promote a safe conducive environment for human rights defenders and other civil society actors finally we recommend combating acts of discrimination and violence against LGBTI guaranteeing investigation and sanction of the perpetrators Thank you.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now we have a video message from the representative of Sri Lanka.

Mr. President, Sri Lanka appreciates the constructive engagement by the government of Fiji today.

We welcome Fiji's ratification of the optional protocols to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child *********** and on the involvement of children in armed conflicts, in 2021. Sri Lanka takes positive note of the various social protection programs being implemented by the government of Fiji, specifically targeting vulnerable segments of the population and welcomes the proposed visit of the SR on right to development to Fiji in 2025. Taking note of these achievements and developments, Sri Lanka recommends that Fiji, one, takes further necessary steps to combat trafficking in persons, including through addressing existing legislative gaps hindering the prosecution of trafficking; 2. continues implementing government policies, programmes and initiatives to promote universal access to education for children, paying further attention to prevent school dropouts, particularly in rural areas, through appropriate interventions; continues to take progressive measures to promote the rights of women and girls in all spheres towards achieving gender equality. We wish Fiji success in its UPR engagement.

Thank you.

Now I will give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

Thank you, Vice-President. Switzerland welcomes the progress achieved by Fiji and would make the following recommendations: one, ratify the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment and Punishment; two, ratify the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with a view to abolishing the death penalty; three, amend legal provisions restricting freedom of expression, including but without being limited to the Crimes Act and the Public Order Amendment Act, to bring them into line with international law; four, adopt and implement laws to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence, allocating sufficient resources to guarantee effective support services for victims and prevention of this kind of violence; five, ratify the optional protocol; to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Thailand.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President. Thailand welcomes measures taken within Fiji Correction Service to observe the Nelson Mandela Rules, particularly to improve facilities for women prisoners. We also welcome the launch of its first national action plan to prevent violence against all women and girls. Thailand recommends that Fiji first take necessary measures to ensure that the human rights and anti-discrimination commission aligns with the Paris principle and promotes adequate resource allocation to the commission. Second, continue prioritizing the rights to health by addressing climate-related socio-economic challenges, strengthening infrastructure and improving access to health services, especially for persons in vulnerable situations who are more exposed to the risk of climate-induced health impacts. Third, intensify efforts to promote full and effective participation in society and access to justice, education, health care and basic services for persons with disabilities. Fourth, consider adopt adopting gender inclusive legislative and policy framework to eliminate discrimination and violence against LGBTQI+ person and ensure their equal opportunities. We wish Fiji a successful review. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Timor-Leste.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Timor-Leste warmly welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks them for the informative report. We commend Fiji for its significant efforts to promote and protect human rights, including the adoption of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023 until 2028. Timor-Leste also welcomes the enactment of legislative and policy frameworks that address the interconnection between climate change, disaster resilience and human rights. These measures are commendable in ensuring the continued enjoyment of human rights by Fiji's population, even in the face of climate change and natural disasters. In a constructive spirit, Timor-Leste recommends that Fiji: strengthen measures to ensure women's participation in politics, including efforts to address violence against women and create a safer environment for women in political space; two, reinforce efforts to improve declining completion rates in education; and three, undertake necessary review of its law concerning the human rights and anti-discrimination commission to ensure its compliance with the Paris Principles. We wish Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Thank you. Now we have a video message from the representative of Togo.

President Fiji is party to nine fundamental treaties and conventions as well as a number of optional protocols on human rights. Togo, in terms of that progress, is pleased to congratulate the country for its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights. However, Togo, in a spirit of constructive dialogue, formulates the following recommendations. One, ratify the CEDAW convention. Two, sign up to the optional protocol to the convention against torture and other cruel, inhumane, degrading treatment and punishment. Three, adopt comprehensive legislation and an effective strategy to combat all forms of discrimination. Togo finally wishes Fiji a fruitful review. Thank you.

I now invite the representative of Trinidad and Tobago.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President. Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the delegation of Fiji and thanks the delegation for the comprehensive report and robust engagement in this fourth cycle review process. As a fellow small island developing state similarly positioned vis-a-vis converging global crises, we acknowledge the key actions taken by Fiji toward the promotion and protection of human rights since its last review, despite evident challenges and constraints. We highlight efforts relating to building climate resilience and disaster risk reduction through the strengthening of the legislative policy and institutional framework, as well as steps taken to eliminate violence against women and girls. Of particular note are the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the launch of the 2023 National Action Plan to prevent violence against all women and girls. As Fiji continues to pursue policies to improve the implementation of its human rights obligations, And in a constructive spirit, Trinidad and Tobago recommends that Fiji, one, pursue technical cooperation opportunities, including with the OHCHR, to bolster efforts in fulfilling human rights treaty body reporting obligations, and two, continue to strengthen its implementation of legislation and policies relating to the protection of women and girls. We wish the delegation of Fiji a successful review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Turkey.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the Fiji delegation for their initial report and their presentation today.

We commend the continued improvement in human rights and the demonstrated commitment to advancing these efforts as observed by their engagement with the UPR.

We welcome the ratification of violence and harassment convention, the optional protocol on the sale of children,

child prostitution and child *********** and optional protocol on involvement of children in armed conflict. We are encouraged by the Fiji's consideration of developing a national action plan on human rights. We are all aware of the remaining challenges, particularly on human trafficking and the exploitation of migrants. In this context, we recommend Fiji to, one, expedite the adoption of the national action plan on human rights and ensure the allocation of sufficient human and financial resources for its effective implementation. Two, strengthen capacities of the law enforcement authorities and the related institution for the effective prevention of human trafficking and prosecution of offenders.

Three, reinforce the protective measures

for migrant workers in accordance with the International Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President. Ukraine welcomes the delegation of Fiji and appreciates the comprehensive national report presented by the delegation. We acknowledge and commend the efforts of the Government of Fiji in the development of numerous policies and legislation pieces aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. We recognize the achievements made in strengthening the national framework for human rights protection, which includes the ratification of key international human rights agreements. And we appreciate the efforts to address Russia's human rights violations in Ukraine. In the spirit of constructive engagement, Ukraine would like to offer the following recommendations. Bring the juvenile justice system fully into line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child by raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to an internationally accepted level. Accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Accede to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness of 1961. We wish the delegation of Fiji a successful review. Thank you.

Mr President, we warmly welcome the delegation and congratulate Fiji on their progress since their last review.

We commend Fiji's repeal of the Media Industry Development Act and the resulting improvements this has made to independent journalism, and we encourage Fiji to continue fostering a pluralistic civic space which protects the rights of peaceful protest and assembly.

We call on

Fiji to increase efforts to tackle domestic violence and to review and strengthen prosecutions and punishment of child abuse offenders, and to continue developing access to justice, ensuring that minorities can access support.

We recommend that Fiji, one, expedites

visits by the UN special rapporteurs on the independence of judges and lawyers, on rights of peaceful assembly and association, on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and on the situation of human rights defenders. Two, enshrines in national legislation the right to education and guarantee at least 12 years of free primary and secondary education with at least nine compulsory years. and three, ensures an open and merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN treaty body elections. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to the representative of Uruguay.

Mr President, Uruguay welcomes the delegation of Fiji. We thank them for introducing their national report. We commend the efforts made by the country, including the ratifications of the Convention on Violence and Harassment, the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child *********** as well as the Optional Protocol on the Participation of Children in Armed Conflict. We constructively recommend strengthen the national mechanism for follow-up to recommendations from the universal human rights system, which provides for standing consultations with civil society. Two, consider adopting legislation and implementing a strategy to combat all forms of discrimination. Three, harmonize the immigration law with the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, including expanding protections against refoulement. Uruguay wishes Fiji success in this fourth review cycle.

Thank you. Now I invite the distinguished representative of Vanuatu.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President. Vanuatu welcomes the delegation of Fiji headed by the Honorable Attorney General, Mr Karem Leon, and thanks the delegation for the presentation of its national report. We congratulate Fiji for the efforts and results achieved in implementing the recommendations of the previous cycle. Vanuatu commends Fiji for its notable accomplishments in the field of human rights and we recognize that as a small island developing state, these events are taking place against the backdrop of multiple challenges, not least the existential threat posed by climate change. We particularly welcome the establishment of a robust legislative and policy framework to building strong and resilient communities to ensure all Fijians continue to enjoy basic human rights and freedoms even in the face of climate change and natural disasters. It is in the spirit of constructive engagement that Vanuatu respectfully recommends Fiji to continue its progressive strategies to ensure an inclusive, systematic, strategic approach to climate adaptation and the building disaster resilience such as building sea walls and relocating communities threatened by rising sea levels. One more thanks to delegation of Fiji success and wishes the delegation successful UPR.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now I will give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Thank you, Vice-President. We'd like to welcome the delegation of Fiji and we congratulate them for their presentation. We value their cooperation with the UPR mechanism and we think that it's voluntary mechanisms, not imposed ones, that yield the best results for human rights. We very much welcome the creation of the human rights task force to prioritise the drafting and submission of pending reports to the treaty bodies, thereby delivering on their international obligations. Similarly, we would highlight the work carried out by the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, which works jointly with various state institutions to promote, protect and ensure enjoyment of human rights of the people. We would make the following recommendations to the delegation: one, bolster the Fiji Human Rights Task Force, giving it sufficient inputs and resources to perform its functions; two, support the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission to continue promotion and protection of human rights of the people, including the right to development; and, as Fiji is a small island developing state, we recommend Also promoting the work of the National Committee on Coordination on Climate Change with a view to facilitating coordination and mobilization of resources to enhance the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures that they consider relevant. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I invite the representative of Vietnam.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Vietnam warmly welcomes the creation of PGE and expresses appreciation for the comprehensive national report. We commend Fiji's significant progress in promoting human rights, notably through the enactment of the Climate Change Act 2021 and the future establishment of the National Adaptation Registry, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to addressing climate impacts and fostering sustainable development. We also recognize Fiji's proactive legislative measures, including the Domestic Violence Act and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, which underscore its dedication to safeguarding vulnerable groups. To further advance these efforts, we recommend that Fiji: First, expand climate resilient programs to better safeguard vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Second, and equitable healthcare system, prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations. We wish Fiji continued success in this UPR process. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. Now I-- I now give the floor to the representative of Armenia.

Thank you, Vice-President. Armenia welcomes the participation of the delegation of Fiji at today's UPR and thanks for the presentation of its comprehensive national report. Armenia applauds Fiji's ratification of key international human rights instruments, including the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Armenia also welcomes ratification of the Violence and Harassment Convention. Furthermore, commend Fiji's efforts to incorporate international human rights norms into its national legislation, such as the comprehensive Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution and the adoption of various laws aligned with core human rights treaties. In constructive spirit, Armenia offers the following recommendations: Ensure the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is fully compliant with the Paris Principles by providing it with adequate resources and safeguarding its independence to effectively carry out its mandate. Intensify efforts to address gender-based violence, including by ensuring the comprehensive implementation of the national action plan to prevent violence against all women and girls 2023-28 and guaranteeing access to support services for all victims irrespective of their abilities. We wish Fiji a successful UPR review. I thank you.

Thank you. Now we have a video message from the representative of Canada.

Thank you.

Canada thanks Fiji for participating in this universal periodic review. We commend Fiji for its commitment to implementing recommendations from previous UPRs, including adopting a national action plan to prevent violence against all women and girls. Canada also commends Fiji for ratifying the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child ***********. Canada recommends that Fiji: 1. Fully implement its National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls by the next UPR.

2.

Promote freedom of expression by protecting the right to hold opinions without interference. and three, increase the number of prosecutors and judges and provide training to fairly process pre-trials in order to decrease the percentage of pre-trial detainees held in prison without due process. In conclusion, Canada encourages Fiji to foster a barrier-free society by implementing critical infrastructure and programs through a review of its national policy on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Thank you.

Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bahamas. Madam Ambassador, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Bahamas welcomes the delegation of Fiji and commends the country for its continued dedication to the UPR process. Fiji's leadership on human rights, climate adaptation, and resilience building remains exemplary among small island developing states. We applaud Fiji's significant achievements, including the repeal of the Media Industry Development Act, advancements in disaster preparedness through its Climate Change Act 2021, and the incorporation of a rights-based approach in planned relocation initiatives. The establishment of the Fiji Human Rights Task Force is also noteworthy. As a fellow SIDS, we understand and appreciate that these developments take place against a challenging backdrop of vulnerability to climate change. With a view to encouraging further progress, the Bahamas respectfully recommends that one Fiji continue consider adopting and implementing an anti-discrimination strategy and legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sex, race and disability. Two strengthen infrastructure and policies to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation, particularly for rural and remote informal settlements and communities; and three, prioritize investments in public health care infrastructure, personnel, equipment, and medicines in an effort to broaden access to quality health care services, including psychosocial health care services. We wish Fiji every success in its UPR process. Thank you.

Thank you, Ambassador. Now I invite the representative of Bhutan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Bhutan welcomes the delegation and thanks the delegation for the updates shared today. We commend Fiji for efforts made since its last review to strengthen administration of justice, uphold rule of law, as well as steps taken to improve legal aid services. We note Fiji's commitment to sustainable development, initiatives on mitigation and adaptation, as well as the integration of climate change considerations into national planning and decision-making frameworks. We also note the strong emphasis on disaster risk management and preparedness through the engagement and participation of local communities in the development and implementation of response plans. While noting these concerted efforts, we recommend the following. One, continue to make investments in public health to enhance overall access and quality of healthcare through targeted training and capacity development of healthcare workers. Two, strengthen measures to develop a proactive, responsive and an enabling mental health system. And three, to continue national efforts to ensure access to education with a particular focus on children from rural areas, women and girls. We wish Fiji a successful UPR. Thank you.

Thank you. And last on our list for today is I invite the representative of Brazil, please.

Thank you. Mr. Vice President, Brazil welcomes the delegation of Fiji. We commend Fijian efforts to prevent and combat violence against women and girls. The implementation of the National Action Plan 2023 to 2028 should be a significant step toward promoting gender equality on the island. Brazil also applauds the revocation of the Media Industry Development Act, which aims to enhance freedom of expression. In a constructive spirit, Brazil recommends Fiji, one, to strengthen local resilience by empowering communities with knowledge and skills to effectively coordinate and manage disaster risks, ensuring the protections of human rights in the face of the negative impacts of climate change. and two, to repeal laws and policies unlawfully restricting freedom of association and assembly and amend the Public Order Amendment Act to ensure compliance with the ICCPR. We also encourage Fiji to take further steps to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, particularly creating a more inclusive education system. that better accommodates their needs. Brazil wishes Fiji a successful review.

I thank you. Thank you. Colleagues, dear colleagues, we exhausted the list of speakers on the interactive dialogue and now I will revert back to the Fijian delegation to answer, to comment and to make their concluding remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Again, I wish in all sincerity, Mr. Vice President, to say that as a delegation, Fiji is encouraged by the positive and constructive contributions and views of the member states, and we have taken note of them with great interest. Just a number of comments. We, Fiji, would welcome a visit by the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. As a result of various political events in the country, particularly since the year 2000, the judiciary has not functioned as effectively as it should. In some quarters there was a perception that the independence of the judiciary had in some respects been compromised. So the invitation to the special rapporteur of the independence of judges and lawyers would be particularly welcome so that there could be outside scrutiny and comments with respect to assisting Fiji with the operations of the judiciary. On cyberbullying, Mr. Vice President, I think I can say without contradiction that in this age of the internet, Facebook, and social media such as Instagram and Twitter, many countries have had to grapple with balancing freedom of expression against irresponsible and often defamatory and toxic comments and commentary on social media. Fiji has an Online Safety Commission Act of 2018, and in light of some well-publicized suicides or one isolated act of suicide earlier or late last year, the government is committed to reviewing that legislation to ensuring that the online commissioner is able to, of his or her own motion, take action against persons who have overextended themselves with respect to the enjoyment of their freedom of expression. So that is a concern. We note that, and we accept that that is an area that we can improve on as a country. So we have done a lot of soul searching on that complex and difficult question, which, as I mentioned, is a problem or issue which many countries have had to grapple with in this age of the Internet. Mr. Vice President, a number of delegations have drawn our attention on the need to strengthen access to justice and legal aid that is pivotal to the enjoyment of full democratic rights of our citizens. We will continue to prioritize access to justice to ensure that all our citizens are able to freely and fully exercise their constitutional rights, whether it's right to a fair trial, legal representation and the timely resolution of cases. We have struggled with the reported delays, civil procedure delays in the resolution of civil cases. Many SIDS will recognize this to be an important but challenging area where the number of cases that need to be disposed of and the judgments that are awaited by litigants before the courts. And the old adage is true, Mr. Vice President, justice delayed is justice denied. With respect to legal aid, Mr. Vice President, I can say that the Legal Aid Commission of Fiji is fully operational. It has a very large complement of lawyers. It's probably the biggest government law office in the country. I think the number of lawyers exceeds 80, if not more. And nationwide, Fiji has 23 offices that have legal aid around the country. And there are eight offices in rural areas and 15 offices of the Legal Aid Commission. are in urban centres. Fiji is an archipelago of 300 islands, and we recognise that it is important that access to justice is also afforded to citizens of the country, Fijians, that live in remote islands and in the rural parts of the country. I would like now, Mr. Vice President, to invite my colleague, the Ambassador Dadivaloo, to take the floor. Thank you.

To address first some of the recommendations, particularly on torture and the use of force. Since Fiji's ratification of UNCAC in 2016, we have embarked on a first hour procedure project which ensures the provision of legal counsel to every suspect at the police station within one hour of arrest with a protocol guiding the conduct of both police and lawyers in relation to the implementation of that right. There have been reforms of policies and procedures within our police force and particularly the recording of interviews of arrested or detained persons, in addition to the counsel that they have already provided in order to decrease incidents of police brutality during investigations and interrogation of persons. On the themes that have emerged from the various recommendations relating to human rights defenders, and civil society organizations. Fiji's robust bill of rights provisions provide that every person has the right to freedom of speech, expression, thought, opinion, and publication, which includes the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information, the freedom of the press in all forms, and the freedom of imagination and creativity, as well as the academic freedom and scientific research. Fiji indeed recognizes the independence and contribution of human rights defenders. And such organizations are part of national task forces and committees that are chaired at government level and indeed to take on board their voices. There is recognition that because this is These rights of human rights defenders are protected under the Fijian constitution. The policies that have been formulated indeed put those objectives into force. And the civil societies and minority groups participation in national public debates indeed taken on board as necessary and a crucial element to deliberative democracy. Of course, our parliament, through its standing committees, play a vital role by actively engaging through the consultation process on various matters with members of the public, including civil societies. Turning to the recommendations that have been made with respect to climate change, disaster risk management, and the environment, Indeed, as has been mentioned earlier by the Honorable Attorney General, Fiji has a standalone Ministry of Environment and Climate Change with a minister who's been sworn in to oversee and lead that ministry. And national coordination is taken through the National Climate Change Coordination Committee that deals with planning, mitigation, and adaptation efforts. There are legislations that are in place, in particular the Climate Change Act that was promulgated in 2021 and the National Disaster Risk Management Act, which facilitates the work that the government does through the ministry that was implemented last year. And this takes on board the prioritized focus on gender equality, disability and social inclusion in climate actions and planned relocations. the national disaster awareness week is an initiative that allows for members of the public to be engaged and be involved in the promotion of resilience, including the launching of a family safety plan mobile app for households to help them in disaster readiness. And just to comment on the aspect of education, which has emerged from several recommendations. Indeed, our constitution provides for the right to education, that the state must use all measures within its means and resources to achieve the right to free early childhood education, primary, secondary, and further education. And of course, this is realized through several initiatives, and policies in the education sector, particularly the free education grant that facilitates the government's mandatory education for primary, secondary, and early childhood education. The provision of monetary support for back to school assistance, as well as transport assistance to those from low income households.

I will now invite Ms. Tokay to speak to the issue of gender based violence, which arose in a number of recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. In relation to the recommendations on gender-based violence and implementation of the Fiji National Action Plan to prevent violence against all women and girls, Fiji wishes to state that further to this, Fiji is also actively involved in the various initiatives and campaigns to address gender-based violence. For example, under the Fiji's Ministry of Health, a national gender-based violence guidelines for health was launched in 2023 and conducted regional training for trainers followed by a national training of trainers in Fiji. It also facilitated a nationwide rollout of gender-based violence guidelines in the same year, offers expert medical care, treatment and referrals of to gender-based violence victims. It provides clinical management, include forensic investigations in a private and confidential setting, ensures the presence of health staff of the opposite sex for clients below 18 years of age, allows clients above 18 years to provide consent for the presence of additional health staff. And requires the presence of a neutral adult female person welfare officer and female police officer when a medical officer or nurse practitioner or nurse is alone. It collects forensic materials and delivers them to investigation police officers and records all investigations and outcomes to patients folders and registers. Further to these initiatives under Fiji's Ministry of Health, by the Ministry of Health, the Fiji Police Force also runs the Nduavatu Community Policing Awareness Initiative Program whereby they organize community symposium, radio talks and crime stoppers to raise awareness on gender-based violence. or they also implement initiatives like neighborhood watch zone, the blue light program and policing through sports to advocate against gender-based violence and sexual offenses and conducts gender-based violence trainings and awareness programs with government and non-government organization. The Fiji Police Force also has a no-drop policy as the Attorney General had mentioned earlier for a stringent compliant institutional stance of zero tolerance and no reconciliation for any case of gender-based violence, domestic violence and sexual offences complaints. These are some of the initiatives further to the launch of the Fiji National Action Plan to prevent violence against all women and girls. And Fiji does recognize that gender-based violence is a gross violation of human rights, and we are taking steps to minimize and address that. Thank you.

I now invite Mr. Vice President, I now invite Ms. Nainuilevu to have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. In relation to LGBTQ and the recommendations that have been made, as you would have heard, the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji has very robust and progressive bill of rights provisions. It allows that it basically sets out that every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection, treatment, and benefit before the law. A person therefore must not be unfairly discriminated against directly or indirectly on the grounds of, amongst other things, personal person's actual or supposed personal characteristics, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. And to that end, the ministry in the education sector promotes policies to ensure that it is in line with this constitutional provision. The child protection policy is enforced in all schools, which provides an objective to ensure that all children, that no child is discriminated against. The ministry recognizes that LGBTQI children are the most vulnerable in school settings. and bullying, especially in relation to bullying in schools, and there has been significant progress in ensuring safety and reporting cases due to these policies. In the employment front, the Employment Relations Act, which provides for employment, aligns with those constitutional provisions and aligns the fundamental principles and rights of all persons employed in Fiji. which includes the non-discrimination in relation to sex, gender, identity, and expression, amongst other things. The government has continued to engage with non-state actors to foster dialogue on issues of national interest and ensures the rights of minority groups are promoted and protected. Thank you.

Mr. Vice President, as we conclude our review today, My delegation would like to extend its profound appreciation to every Member State which has contributed to this review process. We appreciate the constructive contributions of all delegations. Mr. Vice President, we thank the Member States who have submitted advanced questions and those who have provided constructive recommendations during this interactive dialogue. Your recommendations are feedback, not just a requirement of the process, but they have the potential of strengthening Fiji's human rights journey to achieve progress and furthering equality and justice for all Fijians. Mr. Vice President, we acknowledge that given the time constraints, We have not responded to all the important and relevant views and questions expressed by delegations, but be assured that we will take them on board moving forward. We extend our appreciation to our development partners, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Small States Office of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Pacific community, who have all been instrumental in helping us prepare for this review and in establishing our NMIRF. For small island developing states like Fiji, the resources and expertise offered by our development partners are critical in navigating the complexities of human rights obligations and the reporting requirements. Mr. Vice President, We wish to thank the UPR Secretariat Voluntary Fund for the support provided to Fiji that enabled a member of my delegation to attend and participate in today's review. We also take this opportunity to thank the members of the troika, the People's Republic of China, Romania and Coeur de Bois, in their role in Fiji's review process. and we express our sincere gratitude for their support and their contributions. Mr. Vice President, Fiji also recognizes the efforts and the dedication of the members of our national mechanism for implementation, reporting, and follow-up. Our work here today is the culmination of the collaboration across various government ministries and departments in providing the relevant information for the purpose of the review today, with regard to the progress that Fiji has made since the last UPR cycle. Mr. Vice President, Fiji reiterates its commitment to the universal periodic review process and to the international human rights treaties and conventions of which we are a states party. We recognize that our obligations are not merely a matter of formality, but they reflect our dedication and commitment to the principles of fairness, equity and justice. Mr. Vice President, we acknowledge that there may be delays and there have been delays in the implementation of certain recommendations, but as I mentioned in the interactive dialogue, this is work in progress. This is not due to a lack of commitment by the state. Rather, it underscores the resource and capacity constraints faced by our small island nation. Addressing human rights challenges often requires time, effort, and resources that stretch beyond our current capacities. Mr. Vice President, despite these challenges, Fiji remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing human rights and is continuously striving towards full implementation. Given these challenges, we call and urge our development partners for continued support through resources and technical assistance to aid in the implementation of the recommendations. We consider that such assistance is crucial for small states striving to fulfill their human rights obligations while managing competing priorities. Fiji remains open to engage with international partners to develop customized programs of support that address these gaps and advance our shared commitment to human rights. Again, Mr. Vice President, I extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to each of the member states present here today as we continue to work together to uphold human rights globally. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Excellencies, Ambassador, Attorney General, thank you so much for the dedication and the willingness to go inch by inch, if we talk again like in rugby, with all the comments. Anyway, my personal compliments to the performance you displayed here today. Congratulations for the seriousness displayed by the size of the delegation from Fiji. So the report of the review will be prepared by the members of the troika, as you named them, China, Cote d'Ivoire and Romania. In accordance with the procedure implemented since 2015, the recommendation section of the report is scheduled to hold distribution on Friday, 24 January at 12:30 PM and will be considered for adoption on the same day, Friday, meaning as from 3:30 PM. The full report, including the summary section, will be circulated by e-mail on Friday, 7th of February. This brings us to the end of our meeting. We will reconvene in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with the review for San Marino. I remind you that the speaking time will be two minutes, 20 seconds. Inscribed speakers who wish to withdraw from the list are kindly invited to use the online system event for withdrawals with maximum 30 minutes before the start of the meeting of the review. I hereby close the fifth meeting of the 48th session of the UPR working group and wish you a nice lunch break.