Priorities of the People: Hardship in the Fiji Islands
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Priorities of the People HARDSHIP IN THE FIJI ISLANDS September 2003 Asian Development Bank © Asian Development Bank 2003 All rights reserved This publication was prepared by consultants for the Asian Development Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in it do not necessarily repre- sent the views of ADB or those of its member governments. ADB does not guar- antee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequences of their use. Asian Development Bank P.O. Box 789, 0980 Manila, Philippines Website: www.adb.org Contents Introduction 1 Is Hardship Really a Problem in the Fiji Islands? 3 What is Hardship? 4 Who is Facing Hardship? 6 What Causes Hardship? 7 What Can be Done? 13 © Asian Development Bank 2003 All rights reserved This publication was prepared by consultants for the Asian Development Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in it do not necessarily repre- sent the views of ADB or those of its member governments. ADB does not guar- antee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequences of their use. Asian Development Bank P.O. Box 789, 0980 Manila, Philippines Website: www.adb.org Contents Introduction 1 Is Hardship Really a Problem in the Fiji Islands? 3 What is Hardship? 4 Who is Facing Hardship? 6 What Causes Hardship? 7 What Can be Done? 13 Introduction iji has commonly been viewed as a society with deep inequalities, but little absolute poverty. But many F people now believe that poverty—in the form of destitu- tion, homelessness, and hunger—exists in Fiji. It has been esti- One in four mated that in 1991 approximately one in four families had incomes below the national poverty line. Hunger not only exists in families lived Fiji but has been increasing in its extent and severity. The unstable political situation, coupled with a young population, increasing below the migration to the urban centers and overseas, and weak interna- tional markets for sugar and kava, poses serious challenges to im- poverty line in proving basic services, job opportunities, and the standard of living. Despite improvements in literacy, infant mortality, immuni- 1991 zation, and life expectancy, there has been a decline in Fiji’s human development index ranking relative to other nations. The 2002 Human Development Report ranked Fiji 70 th . With a 1999 Hu- man Poverty Index of 8.5, the Fiji Islands was ranked 4 th best in terms of poverty among 12 Pacific developing countries. The presence of poverty in Fiji has generated considerable debate over the past twenty years, leading the government to ana- lyze the extent and nature of poverty in order to strengthen poverty alleviation policies and programs and target the most disadvan- taged people. 1 In 2003, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and Ministry of Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation led a Single Mother, 32 Years Old Discussions “Participatory Assessment on Hardship” to find out the needs, perceptions, and aspirations of the people living throughout the I began my education at St. Mary’s me by the village, churches, and the Primary School in Labasa in 1977 at school. I am receiving F$65 per month were held with country. Twenty communities, representing both urban and rural Class 1 and left at Form 4 in 1987. I from the Department of Social Welfare areas and those with differing levels of income and access to ser- returned to the village to look after my but I hardly get by with this amount. people in 20 vices, were surveyed. Five communities were selected from the grandparents for 12 years until their For other income I go diving for fish Northern, four from the Western, three from the Eastern, and eight death. I stayed on my own until I had three times a fortnight. I sell my fish at communities from the Central Division, including the main urban area of Suva. my first child in 1991. I reared my child the Labasa market and pay F$10 per Individual interviews, group discussions, case studies, and work- alone for 5 years before I had my sec- trip from Kia Island where I live. I have ond child in 1994. I sent both my chil- to prepare about F$150 every two shops were used to survey the poor and disadvantaged, key commu- dren to school here on Kia Island whilst weeks to see to my family’s needs and nity leaders, and government and nongovernment organization raising them alone. I had no proper survival. I work hard keeping my house representatives. source of income, but I managed to see clean and raising my children properly The findings of the assessment give a clearer picture of how my daughter through primary school and hope to do better in the years to people view poverty and hardship and what they believe can be by fishing, gathering seashells, and come. My main concern is that my selling them in Labasa market. children get a better education and done to address their needs. The findings are consistent with the There is no male in my household. I hopefully they will be able to find em- government’s commitment to equitable growth, as highlighted in therefore am finding it very hard to ployment and have a better lifestyle for its Strategic Development Plan (2003-2005) and its international meet all the obligations demanded of themselves. commitments, particularly the implementation of the Millen- Children nium Development Goals. The assessment was funded by the scavenging Asian Development Bank. at the open dump in Vunato Is Hardship Really a Problem in the Fiji All communities Islands? perceived that hardship exists ll ethnic communities (Fijians, Indo-Fijians, non-Fijian Melanesians, and mixed) involved in the assessment A perceived that hardship exists in the country and is characterized by lack of or limited access to basic services such as education, health, good roads, and safe water supply. Hardship, rather than poverty, was the term that most people involved in the assessment used to describe their difficulties.Poverty was said not to exist in Fiji by most people living in the rural areas and some urban residents. However, a majority of the people in the urban areas said that poverty is already occurring in Fiji as evidenced by the number of people begging in the streets of Suva (both Fijians and Indo-Fijians) and depending on others for survival. 2 3 In 2003, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and Ministry of Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation led a Single Mother, 32 Years Old Discussions “Participatory Assessment on Hardship” to find out the needs, perceptions, and aspirations of the people living throughout the I began my education at St. Mary’s me by the village, churches, and the Primary School in Labasa in 1977 at school. I am receiving F$65 per month were held with country. Twenty communities, representing both urban and rural Class 1 and left at Form 4 in 1987. I from the Department of Social Welfare areas and those with differing levels of income and access to ser- returned to the village to look after my but I hardly get by with this amount. people in 20 vices, were surveyed. Five communities were selected from the grandparents for 12 years until their For other income I go diving for fish Northern, four from the Western, three from the Eastern, and eight death. I stayed on my own until I had three times a fortnight. I sell my fish at communities from the Central Division, including the main urban area of Suva. my first child in 1991. I reared my child the Labasa market and pay F$10 per Individual interviews, group discussions, case studies, and work- alone for 5 years before I had my sec- trip from Kia Island where I live. I have ond child in 1994. I sent both my chil- to prepare about F$150 every two shops were used to survey the poor and disadvantaged, key commu- dren to school here on Kia Island whilst weeks to see to my family’s needs and nity leaders, and government and nongovernment organization raising them alone. I had no proper survival. I work hard keeping my house representatives. source of income, but I managed to see clean and raising my children properly The findings of the assessment give a clearer picture of how my daughter through primary school and hope to do better in the years to people view poverty and hardship and what they believe can be by fishing, gathering seashells, and come. My main concern is that my selling them in Labasa market. children get a better education and done to address their needs. The findings are consistent with the There is no male in my household. I hopefully they will be able to find em- government’s commitment to equitable growth, as highlighted in therefore am finding it very hard to ployment and have a better lifestyle for its Strategic Development Plan (2003-2005) and its international meet all the obligations demanded of themselves. commitments, particularly the implementation of the Millen- Children nium Development Goals. The assessment was funded by the scavenging Asian Development Bank. at the open dump in Vunato Is Hardship Really a Problem in the Fiji All communities Islands? perceived that hardship exists ll ethnic communities (Fijians, Indo-Fijians, non-Fijian Melanesians, and mixed) involved in the assessment A perceived that hardship exists in the country and is characterized by lack of or limited access to basic services such as education, health, good roads, and safe water supply.