AN international monitoring body has urged the Fiji Government to intensify efforts to progressively eliminate child labour.
It has also warned that a significant number of children remain engaged in work despite existing laws and policy commitments.
In the latest Report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations under the Minimum Age Convention, the committee noted that Fiji ratified the convention in 2003 and has since taken steps to align national legislation.
However, between 2011 and 2024, a total of 267 child labour cases were identified in Fiji, involving 196 boys and 71 girls.
In 2024 alone, five cases were recorded – four boys and one girl.
The committee also cited UNICEF’s 2024 country fact sheet, which estimates that 17 per cent of children aged five to 11 in Fiji are engaged in child labour, with boys more affected than girls.
“The committee requests the Government to strengthen its efforts to ensure the progressive elimination of child labour,” the report stated.
It noted that the National Action Plan 2021–2025 and the National Child Labour Policy are expected to be reactivated for formal adoption and implementation following the ongoing review of the Employment Relations Act (ERA) 2007.
The committee has urged authorities to continue providing updates on the adoption and implementation of these measures, along with detailed statistics on the nature, extent and trends of child labour, disaggregated by age and sex.
It also welcomed confirmation that proposed amendments to the ERA 2007 would raise the minimum working age from 15 to 16 years, expressing hope the revised legislation would be adopted soon.
