The Prime Minister has mounted a strong defence of Fiji’s human rights record, saying his Government has delivered the biggest human right of all – the right to equality and justice for every citizen.
Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the PM said there had been a fundamental improvement in the human rights of all Fijians arising out of the 2013 Constitution, which he said gave Fijians unprecedented protection.
“The rights of the Fijian people are now entrenched in a way that never occurred under any of the three previous constitutions that governed our country since we gained independence from Britain 45 years ago”, he said.
For the first time – the PM said – Fiji had a Constitution that created a secular state, establishes a common and equal citizenry, reaffirms civil and political rights and also guarantees the Fijian people an unprecedented array of social and economic rights.
“This includes the right to education, the right to adequate health care, adequate food and water, housing, sanitation, economic participation, a just minimum wage, social security and specific rights for people with disabilities and children”, he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted aspects of the Constitution that specifically banned torture or any other form of cruelty and said that in addition to this, Fiji would also soon formally ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture or UNCAT.
“It is currently with the relevant parliamentary committee for scrutiny (and) in the hearings before our Parliament, the Fiji Military Forces and the Fiji Police have both publically committed themselves to the implementation of UNCAT”, the PM said.
The Head of Government called on the global community to consider the merits of what Fiji had achieved given decades of political instability and racial discord before 2006, which, he said, had torn the nation apart.
“The highest standards of justice, fairness, transparency and accountability are now enshrined in our supreme law and are the principles to which we all aspire in our national life. And we are continuing the reform process to strengthen our new democracy and improve our human rights record even further”.
“In a world riven by inequality, injustice and division, Fiji can hold its head high for what we have accomplished in such a short period of time, especially after decades of injustice and dysfunction”, the PM added.