The launch of two reports this morning in Suva is expected to significantly contribute to the reduction of poverty in the country at a negligible level.
This according to the Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Jiko Luveni who joined members of the World Bank, the Australian High Commission, the diplomatic corps and other agencies at today’s launch.
The first report titled “Assessment of the Social Protection Systems in Fiji and Recommendations for Policy Changes”, and “Poverty Trends, Profiles and Small Area Estimation in Fiji (2003-2009)”, was launched as a result of a Cabinet’s decision on a submission by the Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation on the 27th of September.
The second report titled “Assessment of the Social Protection Systems in Fiji and Recommendations for Policy Changes” features robust qualitative and quantitative analysis of Fiji’s main social welfare program, the Family Assistance Program.; and assessments of various operational aspects of the social welfare system.
Dr Luveni said that because Fiji’s social protection programs dated back to the colonial era, the continued viability of these programs needed to be assessed. According to her, the Fijian government entered into an Aide Memoire in 2009 with the World Bank to undertake an Analytical Study on the Social Protection system in Fiji, with the view of providing solid basis on options for policy changes.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation, had worked with the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics; and the Ministry of Finance to discuss the viability of addressing the recommendations of the report, and had worked out the budgetary implication of the World Bank’s recommendations within the report.
Ms.Sarah Goulding, Consellor for Fiji and Tuvalu from the AusAID, said that the Australian Government is committed to helping the poor of the poorest in Fiji and analysis in the two reports will provide important tools for all development partners and stakeholders to use in developing and implementing their assistance.
She says that this was demonstrated through their current programs in health, education, rural development, market access, community development, social protection, Australian volunteers, disaster response and financial inclusion.
“Taken together these programs amount to an injection of $70 million(Fjd) this year, dedicated to reducing poverty and increasing access to basic services for the ordinary people of Fiji” she said.