A significant number of Fijians are not fully enjoying their civil liberties and political freedoms, according to the 2025 Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) report, which gives Fiji an Empowerment score of 6.7 out of 10.
The score reflects how well people in Fiji are able to exercise fundamental freedoms including freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, participation in government, and religious belief.
While Fiji performs around the average for Pacific nations, the data reveals ongoing challenges that affect many communities.
HRMI’s breakdown shows Freedom of assembly and association (6.1), Freedom of opinion and expression (6.6), Participation in government (7.2) and Freedom of religion and belief (8.1)
The lowest score, for assembly and association, points to concerns over restrictions on public protests, civil society activities, and union freedoms.
Meanwhile, the score for opinion and expression suggests that media freedom and open political discourse remain constrained for some.
According to HRMI’s interpretation, a score below 7 means not everyone is free to exercise their rights, and that some groups are likely facing barriers or risks when they try to do so.
