The United States Government has given the Fiji Government 11 prioritised recommendations to implement, that includes implementing adequate penalties for convicted human traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms and criminalise all forms of trafficking.
This is stated in the US Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report that was released in Washington last Monday.
Fiji has been told to draft and implement formal standing operating procedures for victim identification and referral to care and train stakeholders on their use.
In addition, Fiji has to proactively identify trafficking victims by screening for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, including individuals in commercial sex, People’s Republic of China (PRC) national workers, migrant workers and child labourers.
“Increase efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including those involving complicit officials and individuals facilitating child sex trafficking on private yachts and in hotels, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms,” the report recommends.
“Institutionalise and expand comprehensive anti-trafficking training for front-line officials, including in the basic recruit training, local police stations, and for officers assigned to the Fiji Police Force’s Human Trafficking Unit (HTU), on the indicators of trafficking, victim-centered and trauma-informed trafficking investigations, available victim protection services, and investigative techniques.”
The report also recommends amending trafficking-related provisions of the 2009 Crimes Act to criminalise all forms of trafficking and amend immigration-related provisions to enable identified foreign victims to work and earn income while assisting with investigations.
“Dedicate funding for victim services and increase the availability and quality of protection services – including renovating the Fiji Immigration Department’s safehouses and providing short-term shelter, long-term housing, counselling and medical care – for all trafficking victims.”
“Increase oversight of working conditions for foreign construction workers and increase investigation of labour violations involving children and migrant workers for forced labour.”
