Fiji Strengthens Support for Ageing Population

Fiji is undertaking a comprehensive review of its support mechanisms for an aging population, recognizing that traditional family and community care alone are insufficient to meet the evolving needs of its seniors. The government is prioritizing the strengthening of formal systems and services to ensure the well-being of its older citizens.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran highlighted the crucial role of Fiji's strong community networks in caring for the elderly. However, she stressed the necessity of bolstering formal support structures to complement these existing networks. The national review is designed to pinpoint the changing requirements of older individuals and to inform future policy development.

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Fiji’s strong community networks have played an important role in caring for older people, but more needs to be done to strengthen formal systems and services.

The review's focus encompasses enhancing health and well-being, reinforcing social protection measures, and creating avenues for older people to remain active and engaged contributors to society. This initiative aligns with Fiji's commitment to the United Nations' ageing agenda, which advocates for the active participation of older persons in development and the establishment of supportive environments throughout the aging process.

Andie Fong Toy, Head of the United Nations ESCAP, emphasized that population aging should be viewed not solely as a social welfare issue but as a demographic shift presenting both opportunities and challenges. She noted the invaluable contributions of older persons to families, communities, economies, and cultural life, while also underscoring the importance of enabling them to remain active and healthy.

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Population ageing brings both opportunities and challenges. Older persons make invaluable contributions to families, communities, economies and cultural life. At the same time, we want older persons to remain active and healthy.