Fiji became a member of the ILO in 1974, four years after its independence in 1970. In 1975, the ILO opened its Office in Suva and continues to enjoy a progressive and cordial relationship with its tripartite partners – the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations (MEPIR), the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) and the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC).

Over the last decade, the Ministry of Employment (previously the Ministry of Labour) within its own capacities rolled out its Labour Law and Occupational Health and Safety reforms adapted to its local situation and economic progress. In September 2010, Fiji’s tripartite partners signed its first ever Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) with the ILO for 2010-2012, listing its priorities as follows:

• Priority 1: Review and implementation of the ERP and related legislation;
• Priority 2: Promotion of decent employment opportunities;
• Priority 3: Extending social protection; and
• Priority 4: Capacity building of tripartite partners and strengthening of tripartism.

Since its first 2010 DWCP and the September 2014 elections, Fiji’s priorities have slightly changed and the ILO is assisting with:

1. Maintaining a tripartite social dialogue on employment and labour issues especially that of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining;
2. Drafting a National Employment Policy supported by a data-driven employment projections model and an ADB Country Diagnostic Study;
3. Continuing the EU-funded Child Labour – TACKLE II Project;
4. Conducting a Study on Corporate Social Responsibility using the ILO’s Multi-National Enterprise (MNE) Declaration;
5. Providing further technical support on Occupational Safety and Health with a focus on a new emerging issue in the Pacific Islands i.e. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs); and
6. Building the capacities of the Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations and their affiliates.