ELDERS are foundations of the present and remain important for the future.
Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, highlighted this during the National Validation Workshop on Fiji’s Voluntary National Survey for the Fifth Asia-Pacific Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
Kiran said the national report must be evidence-based and reflect the lived experiences of older persons across Fiji, emphasising the growing importance of ensuring older persons remain included, protected, and supported in national development.
While the workshop is underway, existing government support for older persons includes the Social Pension Scheme, transport assistance, access to free general practitioner services, and investment in aged-care facilities.
Work is also progressing on the proposed Older Persons Act to strengthen protection against abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
She stressed that ageing should not be viewed only through the lens of vulnerability, recognising the continued contribution older Fijians make through employment, caregiving, community leadership, volunteering, mentoring, and the sharing of cultural knowledge.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Government, the National Council for Older Persons, HART Homes, non-governmental organisations, and civil society will review and strengthen Fiji’s national survey ahead of its submission for the regional review in 2027 during the workshop.
The process will consider the different experiences of older people in urban, rural, maritime, and island communities, including older women, persons with disabilities, caregivers, and those who have worked mainly in the informal sector.
Fiji’s Draft National Ageing Policy 2026–2035 was developed following consultations with more than 2000 people across 13 provinces and 37 districts.
The policy is built across six core pillars: social protection and financial security, health and aged care, transport and accessibility, digital inclusion, climate-resilient community infrastructure, and legal protection.
The two-day workshop will help finalise Fiji’s national survey and support further development of the National Ageing Policy 2026–2035 and its implementation framework.
There are currently more than 90,000 people aged 60 years and over in Fiji, representing more than one in every 10 Fijians.
