December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
Key Messages for the Voluntary National Review - Republic of Fiji
Fiji recognises the transformative and the development ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and considers that the 2030 Agenda, taken together with the Paris Agreement, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, provides a framework for achieving a sustainable, prosperous and peaceful future for the world and its peoples. While the SDGs represent a global response to global challenges, Fiji considers them to be nationally relevant and capable of having a transformative impact on the quality of life of all Fijians.
Fiji’s Approach to Sustainable Development
The sustainable development principles underpinning the SDGs have long been the underlying principles for Fiji’s national development. In implementing the SDGs, Fiji has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach and has utilized national development planning as the primary instrument to drive forward SDGs implementation. In 2017, The Fijian Government launched its 5-Year & 20-Year National Development Plan (NDP) with the vision of transforming Fiji. The NDP is the outcome of a nationwide consultation process that involved the private sector, civil society, community groups, government and the general public reflecting the aspirations of the Fijian people and their Government’s commitment for a transformed Fiji. Mainstreamed and integrated within the various thematic areas of the NDP are the 17 SDGs—15 SDGs explicitly integrated into the corresponding 29 strategic priorities of the NDP while SDG 10 (reduce inequalities), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 13 (climate action) are treated as cross-cutting issues across the NDP. Consequently, the SDG implementation and its monitoring hinge on the NDP processes.
At the sector level, SDGs have already been integrated into sectoral strategic plans and policies in many sectors including but not limited to education, health and agriculture. Fiji also recognises that, while Government holds the important responsibility for achieving the SDGs, it is in everyone’s interest and everyone’s responsibility including private individuals, private enterprises, NGOs and CSOs to advance the sustainable development agenda. Working with these multiple stakeholders, the Fijian Government is helping advance socio-economic development and empowerment of all Fijians.
People
In the quest for creating a transformative Fiji, unprecedented investment has been undertaken in the education sector through introduction of free education, free textbooks and subsidised transportation to school. This is the single most important vehicle to empower young Fijians including the empowerment of the disadvantaged. Maternal and child mortality rates have been reduced, density of health workers has increased, and universal health coverage is the highest among Pacific Island Countries. Non-communicable diseases have become a health pandemic.
Prosperity
The strong and sustained growth momentum experienced over the years, places Fiji in a very opportune space to embrace a new wave of development with shared prosperity and inclusiveness at its heart. The Fijian economy has achieved nine years of consecutive growth –an extraordinary achievement in the country’s post-independence history. This unprecedented economic growth is resulting in declining poverty and inequality and has enabled massive investment in infrastructure allowing access to markets and opportunities.
Planet
Fiji is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and has been vocal about this in the international arena. Fiji’s global leadership on two important SDGs on climate change and oceans has been demonstrated through the co-hosting of the 2017 United Nations Ocean Conference and the Fijian Presidency of COP23. Fiji’s political leadership in these areas will be critical for building momentum on climate and ocean action and for the mobilisation of resources to climate vulnerable countries. Fiji is a signatory to a number of climate change related international agreements, and has integrated climate change into the National Development Plan to bolster climate and ocean action at the local level.
Peace
On a per capita basis, Fiji’s financial commitment towards the expansion of legal aid services ranks Fiji as a world leader in funding access to justice. This gives more low-income earners in Fiji greater opportunity to seek legal advice and enjoy the security, assurance and full protection of the law, creating an equal society.
Partnerships
Successful partnership with private individuals, private enterprises, NGOs and CSOs has been fundamental in delivering critical services in Fiji. These range from large scale infrastructure projects to community-based development initiatives.
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 2005 Status Report
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National Assessment Report on NSDS
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2003 Status Report
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The partnership seeks to establish a culturally relevant and comprehensive set of indicators for use in tracking progress towards achieving sustainable development goals in Melanesia, as well as for use in appropriate policy development at national and sub-regional level.
Beyond the Stars is a world-first health intervention and education program that uses innovative technology, play-based learning and storytelling mediums to inspire children in the Pacific Islands to adopt healthy living habits, self-educate on subjects from the school curriculum and consider the impact their actions on the environment. In the story, children embark on an exciting adventure to learn about health, nutrition, physical activity, traditional produce, local culture, and more as they combat non-communicable diseases and improve their health. Through this experience, each child...[more]
The IHO capacity building programme seeks to assess and advise on how countries can best meet their international obligations and serve their own best interests by providing appropriate hydrographic and nautical charting services. Such services directly support safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, efficient sea transportation and the wider use of the seas and oceans in a sustainable way, including the protection of the marine environment, coastal zone management, fishing, marine resource exploration and exploitation, maritime boundary delimitation, maritime defence and security, and o...[more]
The objective of the J-PRISM Partnership is two-fold, firstly to strengthen and develop national waste management systems and human capacity in Pacific SIDS through partnership with Pacific SIDS, SPREP and the Government of Japan; and secondly to promote the regional sharing of knowledge and expertise and encourage the eventual uptake of good waste management practices in Pacific SIDS.Good waste management is a vital component of national sustainable development, since poorly managed waste has negative impacts on areas such as public health, environment, and tourism. By strengthening the syste...[more]
Fiji and UNFPA hosted a Pacific regional experts consultation and Health Ministers meeting on strengthening climate change resilience through reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH). Fourteen Pacific SIDS, UN H4+, SPC, PIDF, USP, and HRH Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan, a global advocate for women and children’s health and EWEC leader in humanitarian work, adapted a global strategy, building on the SAMOA Pathway priorities Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Health, and Gender Equality. ‘KAILA! Pacific Voice For Action on Agenda 2030’ is a declaration, fo...[more]
IRENA has developed the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative to support the strategic deployment of renewable energy in SIDS, to bring clarity to policy makers regarding the required steps, and to enable targeted action. As a joint effort of SIDS and development partners, this framework for action will assist in transforming SIDS energy systems through the establishment of the enabling conditions for a renewable energy-based future, by moving away from developing projects in isolation to a holistic approach that considers all relevant elements spanning from policy and market frameworks, through technol...[more]
The Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) is a Pacific-wide programme helping to provide sustainable financial services to low income households. By 2019 PFIP aims to have: - One million low-income people in the Pacific, with at least 50 per cent women, gain access to appropriate/affordable financial services; (600,000 achieved by 2014)- Additional 150,000 previously unbanked people, with at least 50 per cent women, gain access to a formal savings account;- Four additional Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) have national financial inclusion strategies that reflect gender differences and w...[more]
The network enables effective knowledge sharing and advocacy on the practical application of Integrated Water Resources Management approaches to address key water resource, catchment and coastal management challenges in Pacific Island Countries
Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting is a summit-level meeting which has been held every three years since 1997. Leaders openly discuss various issues that Pacific Island Countries(PICs) are facing in order to build close cooperative relationships and forge a bond of friendship between Japan and PICs. The 7th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM7) was held in Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan, on 22 and 23 May, 2015. At this summit, under the slogan of "We are Islanders - Commitment to the Pacific from Iwaki,
The Partnership will support Pacific SIDS in meeting their obligations to implement and effectively enforce global, regional and sub-regional arrangements for the conservation and management of transboundary oceanic fisheries thereby increasing sustainable benefits derived from these fisheries
The Pacific Mangroves Initiative (PMI) is a partnership-based initiative promoting investment and action for sustainable mangrove futures in the Pacific Islands.
The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme (PRRP) is a large-scale risk governance programme in one of the most vulnerable regions to disasters and climate change in the world. The US$16.1 million Pacific Risk Reduction Programme (PRRP) is being delivered through a partnership between the Australian Government Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and international NGOs Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE) and the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Initiative (MORDI). The Programme is helping to build the national and regional ris...[more]
The Pacific Islands Development Forum is partnering with PIDF Member Countries (including Fiji, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) and Solar Head of State to facilitate the installation of solar energy infrastructure to power residences of heads of state of eleven PIDF member countries and the PIDF Headquarters to promote renewable energy in the Pacific This project will be a symbolic statement of intent by the governments, and also a test project to encourage more future grid-connected solar projects on the...[more]
The goal of the Pacific Islands National Priorities Multi-Focal Area ‘Ridge-to-Reef’ (R2R) program is to maintain and enhance Pacific Island countries’ ecosystem goods and services (provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural) through integrated approaches to land, water, forest, biodiversity and coastal resource management that contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. This goal will be achieved through a series of national multi-focal area R2R demonstration projects which will support and address national priorities and development needs whi...[more]
Outcome 1: Child Protection Systems (including Justice and Police, child and family social services, health and education and communities) provide improved quality of and access to services for the prevention of and response to violence, abuse and exploitation of children at all times.Outcome 2 Parents, caregivers, and children demonstrate skills, knowledge and behavior enabling children to grow up in caring homes and communities, including schools that are free from violence, abuse and exploitation.
Fiji and Fijians have a long and close relationship with the sea for food, livelihoods, including tourism, and cultural tradition. Our coastal (or inshore), fisheries resources, in particular, are important to Fijian communities , but yet are facing increasing pressures from both domestic and international markets. Among the most desirable and, hence, valuable of the fish resources are the groupers (Family: Epinephelidae). Groupers are very vulnerable to overfishing because of their biology and, in particular, their predictable annual spawning (breeding) aggregation behavior. These reef fi...[more]
Sea Mercy is a US based 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to "stand in the gap" with service delivery vessels, trained health volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" infrastructures. Due to distance and a lack of service delivery vessels, there is a huge disparity between the services offered on the primary islands, to those available on the remote islands. Working directly with our island nation partner's health ministries and leadership, Sea Mercy provides free Floating Health Care Clinics (FHCC), which also serve ...[more]
The initiative aims to provide national health authorities in SIDS with the political, technical and evidence and financial support to better understand and address the effects of climate change on health. This includes addressing climate change impacts on the main determinants of health (i.e. food, air, water and sanitation); improving the climate-resilience and environmental sustainability of healthcare facilities; and promoting climate change mitigation actions by the most polluting sectors (e.g. transport, energy, food and agriculture) to maximize health co-benefits.
