The Ministry of Justice is pleased to announce the successful commencement of on-site birth registration services at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital, Fiji’s largest birthing facility—marking a major milestone in strengthening timely and accessible Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) services.
This initiative follows the completion of the Fiji CRVS Project on Addressing Gender Inequities in On-Time Birth Registration and represents the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Fiji begins life with the fundamental right to legal identity.
Within just the first two days of deployment, the presence of Ministry of Justice staff at CWM Hospital has resulted in strong uptake and immediate benefits for families:
27 November:
• 2 Late Birth Registrations
• 5 New Birth Registrations
• 4 Birth Certificate Reprints
As of 10am, 28 November:
• 4 Late Birth Registrations
• 1 New Birth Registration
• 6 Birth Certificate Printings
These early numbers reflect a clear demand from mothers and families for easier, faster access to birth registration services at the point of care. For many, this means avoiding multiple trips, reducing administrative delays, and ensuring their children receive legal recognition without unnecessary hardship.
The on-site service at CWM Hospital is part of broader reforms under the CRVS Committee, supported by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, ESCAP, SPC, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and other partners.
With more than 8,500 births annually at CWM Hospital alone, placing registration officers directly within the facility will:
- improve the timeliness and accuracy of birth registration
- reduce the administrative burden on families
- strengthen data-sharing between health and justice sectors
- ensure that no child leaves the hospital without being recorded and recognised.
The Ministry of Justice reaffirms its commitment to delivering equitable and accessible registration services for all Fijians. The strong community response in the first 48 hours underscores the importance of bringing services closer to where families are and ensuring that birth registration is not a barrier but a right easily accessed.
The Ministry thanks the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, CWM Hospital leadership, development partners, and all frontline officers for their continued collaboration and dedication in advancing Fiji’s CRVS system.