Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran has warned that abuse against older persons will not be tolerated, as Fiji marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
In a statement, Ms Kiran said older persons were entitled to live with dignity, safety and respect.
“Older persons are entitled to live with dignity, safety, and respect. Any violation of these rights will not be tolerated,” she said.
While recent Fiji Police data showed reported crimes against persons aged 60 years and over fell by 13.6 per cent from 1,945 cases in 2024 to 1,680 in 2025, Ms Kiran said serious concerns remained.
The data revealed a shift in the pattern of abuse, with financial exploitation emerging as a growing threat.
Cases involving obtaining a financial advantage by deception increased by 86 per cent, rising from 29 cases in 2024 to 54 in 2025.
The statistics also recorded 159 cases of assault causing actual bodily harm against older persons, along with incidents involving criminal intimidation, trespass, online-related offences and money laundering.
The Western Division recorded the highest number of elderly victims, while the Northern Division experienced an overall increase in cases.
Ms Kiran said these trends highlighted the need for greater vigilance and stronger protections.
“The Ministry is also deeply concerned by reports of older persons being neglected, abandoned, or deprived of the homes and property they worked hard throughout their lives to acquire,” she said.
She said there had been increasing reports of elderly people being left in residential care facilities or abandoned by family members.
“Increasingly, we are seeing older persons being thrown onto the streets or left in residential care facilities by their own children and relatives who have a responsibility to care for them,” she said.
Ms Kiran stressed that families remained the first line of protection for older persons.
“Children and relatives have a duty to ensure that their ageing parents and loved ones are cared for with dignity, compassion, and respect,” she said.
With Fiji’s population continuing to age, Ms Kiran said it was essential to strengthen prevention, reporting and response mechanisms to protect older persons from harm.
She urged members of the public to report suspected cases of elder abuse to the nearest social welfare office or call the Empower Pacific toll-free line 5626.
“Protecting older persons is a shared responsibility. We must ensure they live their later years with dignity, security and respect,” she said.
