UN report warns of post-Covid poverty threat in Fiji

A United Nations report has warned an increase in poverty rates in Fiji could see tens of thousands of locals including children impacted post-Covid-19.

Addressing the Gender and Resilience Roundtable meeting in Suva this week, UN Women's Sandra Bernklau said its socio-economic impact assessment found over 200,000 Fijians could fall below the poverty line.

Bernklau said in a worst-case scenario, the report indicated that 140,000 children were at risk.

"We know of individuals who have lost their jobs and know of families living on reduced or no income. Within those statistics, we also know that women and children are impacted more - we know that women are affected disproportionately by disasters."

She said a programme - called Strengthening Women's Resilience to Disasters by the Women's Ministry, UN Women and funded by the Australian government - was expected to help address the issue.

The resilience of women and girls during disasters was crucial, Bernklau said.

She said Fiji was faced with cyclones each year and building resilience would ensure lives were not lost.

Building resilience would also create sustainable and secure communities, according to the UN official.

"The recent UN socio-economic impact assessment found in Fiji that the national poverty rate is expected to increase."

She said between 50,453 and 82,694 people were expected to fall below the poverty line with a worst-case scenario of over 110,000.

"The number of children in poverty will increase from 98,226 to between 104,310 and 141,147."

Bernklau said the new programme would pave a way forward for women to identify their strengths.

The programme aimed to look at prevention, preparedness and strategies to enable women to withstand natural hazards and recover from disasters, she said.

"This programme looks at the whole experience of women and girls' lives with regards to disasters and at results, building stronger and more resilient communities.

"With five cyclones heading here, how will you ever get back on your feet again in between?

"This programme is critical in looking at that whole cycle and building resilience throughout."

The Fiji Government's Principal Research Officer at the Department of Women, Amelia Nairoba, told the meeting the programme was timely given the current economic situation.

"It will provide a way forward and directions as to how we can design our Women Resilience Programme for Fiji and map out strategic interventions in promoting and mobilizing women's leadership in building resilience in Fiji."

This week's discussions were a lead-up to next month's National Consultation.