Fiji

Promoting opportunities for all

Results 2011–2012

• Helping eliminate gender violence by funding UN Women’s work in Fiji. In 2010 the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre provided counselling services to 3784 women who had been subject to violence.
• In 2011–12 24, schools plus 2 special schools for children with a disability benefitted from infrastructure upgrades.
• Improved access to better learning environments for 1,444 students with disabilities through outreach programs, upgrades to transport, school facilities and boarder accommodation.
• Hearing and vision testing in 72 schools and providing hearing aids and spectacles for 14,585 students.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Target 50 of the most disadvantaged schools, benefitting 9,400 students to improved access to primary education by reducing financial barriers, improving school infrastructure and improving the quality of primary school teaching.
• Equipping five schools with teaching aids, Braille resources and other assistive devices benefiting children with disability.

More information about promoting opportunities for all

Saving lives

Results 2011–2012

• In 2010, with Australian support, Fiji recorded a 95 per cent immunisation rate for key vaccines including tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria and tetanus.
• 620 people received essential training in handling and providing vaccines in 2010.
• In 2010, 90 rural health facilities were fitted with solar panels, ensuring a continuous power supply to safely store vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
• Australian assistance also provided typhoid vaccinations for 64,984 people in high risk areas following the typhoid outbreak in 2010. It was declared a public health emergency and was the worst typhoid outbreak in Fiji in 50 years.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Introduction of a healthy child program by:
  • strengthening infant immunisation and maintaining coverage rates at above 90 per cent
  • improved management of childhood illnesses.
• Deliver a safe motherhood program by:
  • increasing the number of first trimester check ups
  • upgrading sub-divisional hospitals to encourage a higher proportion of hospital deliveries.

More information about saving lives

Sustainable economic development

Results 2011–2012

• The Sariswati Bee Keeping Project has increased incomes for farmers on Viti Levu by up to FJ$65 a week. The project grew from 65 farmers in 2008 to over 800 (67 per cent women) in 2011.
• 390,000 people (42,000 with no previous bank account) now able to send, receive and save money on their mobile phones through Mobile Money technology introduced in 2010.
• Fiji citizens received 40 scholarships to Australia in 2011 and 20 were awarded for study at tertiary institutions in the Pacific.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Assist development of micro-insurance products and help vulnerable communities access banking services.
• Help farmers gain access to export markets, and help female vendors access municipal markets.
• Support to more than 30 civil society organisations to deliver essential services to at least 50 000 people across Fiji by 2015–16.
• Up to 60 scholarships awarded for study in Australia each year and a further 20 scholarships to tertiary institutions in the Pacific.

More information about sustainable economic development

Effective governance

Results 2011–2012

• Following the 2006 coup, Australia has consistently called for Fiji to return to democracy and the rule of law.
• Australia maintained its willingness to support a genuine process for a return to democracy.
• Australia has continued to support the people of Fiji through assistance to civil society organisations to help them deliver services in health, education, water and livelihoods.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Australia remains committed to supporting Fiji’s return to democracy. In response to moves towards credible elections, Australia will continue to provide assistance for an effective elections process, and remains ready to support economic restructuring and institutional reform.

More information about effective governance

Humanitarian and disaster response

Results 2011–2012

• Following the 2009 floods, Loma Nursing Station was reconstructed on higher ground, resuming health services for more than 7,000 people.
• After Cyclone Tomas in 2010, Australia repaired schools, Mualevu Health Centre and Ono-I-Lau Health Clinic and rehabilitated farms.
• 64,984 people in typhoid hotspots were vaccinated after the 2010 typhoid outbreak.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Australia will continue to respond quickly with humanitarian relief and recovery assistance.
• The Fiji Disaster Preparedness Fund will provide:
  • pre-positioned water and sanitation kits
  • awareness raising
  • infrastructure activities
  • independent infrastructure damage assessment
  • disability-inclusive damage assessments and emergency supplies.

More information about humanitarian and disaster response

Official Development Assistance to Fiji

See a larger version of this chart

The graph above shows the Australian Official Development Assistance to Fiji, including AusAID funding and funding by Other Government Departments (OGD).

The exact values are as follows:

• 2001-02: AusAID $16,191,595, OGD $253,860
• 2002-03: AusAID $19,238,367, OGD $1,686,802
• 2003-04: AusAID $19,786,462, OGD $2,155,874
• 2004-05: AusAID $27,054,282, OGD $2,308,035
• 2005-06: AusAID $25,933,245, OGD $2,781,417
• 2006-07: AusAID $26,090,079, OGD $1,952,901
• 2007-08: AusAID $31,005,688, OGD $2,101,041
• 2008-09: AusAID $30,248,032, OGD $1,217,346
• 2009-10: AusAID $40,658,187, OGD $1,806,487
• 2010-11: AusAID $31,867,705, OGD $2,066,657
• 2011-12: AusAID $43,280,968, OGD $2,841,640
• 2012-13: AusAID $51,423,028, OGD $2,334,460

Australian ODA to Fiji by strategic goal, 2009-10 to 2012-13 (%)

View a larger version

The graph above shows Australian Official Development Assistance to Fiji by strategic goal.

The exact values are as follows (%):

• 2012-13
  Saving lives: 17.5
  Promoting opportunities for all: 43.7
  Sustainable economic development: 12.7
  Effective governance: 17.9
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 4.5
  Cross cutting: 3.5
• 2011-12
  Saving lives: 12.2
  Promoting opportunities for all: 47.9
  Sustainable economic development: 19.5
  Effective governance: 10
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 7.5
  Cross cutting: 2.9
• 2010-11
  Saving lives: 13.3
  Promoting opportunities for all: 48.3
  Sustainable economic development: 16.6
  Effective governance: 15.7
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 0.4
  Cross cutting: 5.7
• 2009-10
  Saving lives: 18.4
  Promoting opportunities for all: 44.9
  Sustainable economic development: 11.1
  Effective governance: 9.5
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 5.1
  Cross cutting: 11.1

Other ODA in Whole of Government 2010-11 to 2011-12 ($'000)

See a larger version of this chart

The graph above shows the Australian Official Development Assistance to Fiji by Other Government Departments.

The exact values are as follows:

• Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Community:
  2010-11: $118,486. 2011-12: $23,847.
• Industry, Innovation, Science, Research & Tertiary Education:
  2010-11: $5,700. 2011-12: $116,020.
• Health and Ageing:
  2010-11: -. 2011-12: $155,716.
• Education, Employment and Workplace Relations:
  2010-11: $248,043. 2011-12: $102,029.
• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research:
  2010-11: $1,694,428. 2011-12: $2,444,029.
• Attorney-Generals - Customs and Border Protection:
  2010-11: -. 2011-12: -.
• Attorney-Generals - Australian Federal Police
  2010-11: -. 2011-12: -.

Research overview

Good research can lead to positive change for the world’s poorest by enhancing the design and implementation of development policies and programs. That’s why AusAID is committed to an innovative research portfolio and funds research, including through:

• competitive funding mechanisms (such as the AusAID Development Research Awards Scheme)
• research partnerships with different Australian, international and developing country research institutions
• commissioning research to address a specific question or clearly defined research gap
• one-off research grants, when an existing program of research is relevant to the Australian aid program.

For more information on how AusAID funds research generally, please refer to AusAID’s research homepage.

Some AusAID-funded research specifically targets development challenges in the Pacific and Fiji. Two recent examples are presented below.

A new approach to measuring poverty in the Pacific

Poverty trends, profiles and small area estimation (poverty maps) in Republic of Fiji (2003–2009) is the first report to present district-level estimates of poverty nationally for a country in the Pacific region. It is based on a World Bank poverty mapping method that used the national census and expenditure—instead of reported income—to estimate poverty in each district across Fiji.

The resulting poverty maps clearly show poverty pockets to guide anti-poverty programs so they reach the poor. The report aims to inform national debates, policies and plans for Fiji’s development, including consideration of provincial and district-level needs and priorities. It provides evidence to compare resource allocations with poverty trends, and to inform more efficient and effective policies and programs in areas such as education, remittances, pensions and social assistance. In addition to the detailed poverty maps, the report includes tables and charts that show poverty incidence in Fiji according to different household and individual characteristics, and detailed information on what determines and characterises poverty in Fiji.

Click here [external link] to download a copy of this publication.

Update on progress to end violence against women in Melanesia and Timor-Leste

TheViolence against Women in Melanesia and Timor-Leste: Progress made since the 2008 Office of Development Effectiveness Report takes stock of AusAID’s work to end violence against women in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste.

The study highlights noteworthy achievements in developing policies and programs with a human rights and gender focus, expanding the evidence base, and increasing donor funding. Involving men, boys and faith-based groups in prevention has been a major step forward.

The Vanuatu Women’s Centre has published a national study on the prevalence of violence against women and a similar study for Fiji is due to be released in 2012.

Significant advances have been made in expanding women’s access to justice through improved legislation, but implementation of the laws through the judiciary and the police remains weak. Support services for survivors of violence in the region still need improvement.

Click here to download a copy of this publication.

Related research

Stop Violence: Responding to violence against women in Melanesia and East Timor

Violence Against Women in Melanesia and East Timor: Building on Global and Regional Promising Approaches

Vanuatu National Survey on Women’s Lives and Relationships, May 2011

Where is Fiji?

Country statistics

Population: 0.861 million

Gross national income per person: USD $4,624

Percentage population living on less than $2 a day: NA

Net Primary School completion rate: 96.7 %*

Ratio of female to male primary enrolment: 96.7 per 100  (2008)*

Mortality rate of children under 5 (per 1,000): 23.2 per 1,000 live births (2009)*

Maternal mortality (per 100,000): 27.5 per 100,000 live births (2009)*

*2011 Pacific Regional MDGs Tracking Report