Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries

The ILO is currently working to mainstream people with disabilities in its social protection, labour, training and employment projects in the Pacific Island countries. For example, the Walking Out of Poverty Programme in Fiji has set aside ten percent of its training slots for disabled persons and has made separate funding allocations to upgrade the training for disabled persons at the Government-operated Brown Street facility.

In August 2005, the ILO co-sponsored a meeting of Pacific Island countries organized by the Pacific Forum and UN ESCAP, entitled the Pacific Regional Workshop on Disability. The ILO conducted one-day of activities during the four-day, policy-focused meeting. Read the full programme of activities and outcomes statement to learn more. 

The ILO Senior Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation conducted technical assistance missions to Fiji in August 2005 and April 2002, the latter at the request of the Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation. During both missions the ILO provided policy advice on the mainstreaming of people with disabilities, the drafting of industrial relations legislation and the inclusion of provisions related to disabled persons and methods of including disabled persons in policies and strategic planning documents.

Assistance was also provided regarding project formulation and vocational training at mainstream and disability-specific institutions. Disability issues were raised with the Fiji Employers Federation (who has hired a blind receptionist and is supportive of employment initiatives for disabled persons), the Fiji Trade Union Congress, the Fiji National Council of Disabled Persons (FNCDP) and the Fiji Disabled Persons’ Association. The missions resulted in recommendations for new vocational rehabilitation projects, guidance for improving the functioning of the FNCDP and suggested strategies for the integration of people with disabilities in Department of Social Welfare and other Government training, employment, business development and income generation projects.

Fiji was included in ILO’s 14-country study and a good practice from Fiji, related to fostering the inclusion of blind and visually impaired persons in education and training, is featured in the publication Moving Forward. A tripartite Fijian contingent attended the ILO/Japan Technical Consultation on Vocational Training and Employment of People with Disabilities held in Bangkok in January 2003.

For more information about training and employment in Fiji, consult the following:

• Training and Employment of People with Disabilities: Fiji 2002. Part of the AbilityAsia Country Study Series, 2003. (pdf)
• Helping Blind People Access Education in Fiji (pdf)

For more information on disability related laws and policies and country information consult our National laws and Information pages for: Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Cook Islands

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