National Strategic Planning Forum to Develop a Joint Roadmap for Fiji as a Pathfinder Country to Achieve SDG Target 8.7

22-23 August 2019Suva, Fiji

INFORMATION BRIEF 1. Background

Over 40 million people globally are victims of forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. In 2016, the ILO estimated that 40.3 million people were in modern slavery, including 24.9 million in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage. One in four victims of modern-day slavery, were identified as children.1 There is little evidence of a reduction in the prevalence of forced labour since the first statistics were gathered in 2005. The IOM estimates that a total of 800,000 people are trafficked annually across international borders to meet the demand for cheap labour, sexual services and criminal activities. 2 Today, 152million children –88 million boys and 64 million girls –are still in child labour; 73 million of them are in hazardous work. Girls are particularly vulnerable to a “double burden” of involvement in child labour outside the home, as well as spending long hours doing domestic work in their own homes.3

According to the 2018 US Trafficking in Persons Report, Fiji is a source, destination and transit country for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. Local women and children are victims of sex trafficking, domestic servitude, forced labour. Migrant women from China, Thailand, East Asia are sex trafficked into brothels, massage parlours, spas, private homes in Fiji and migrant labourers from China, Taiwan, S&E Asia, predominantly male, are trapped in forced labour on farms, factories, construction industry, fishing vessels. Additionally migrant workers from Fiji are vulnerable to forced labour in construction and agriculture industries in Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, the Government investigated six trafficking in persons (TIP) cases involving five trafficked for labour exploitation and one child trafficked for sexual exploitation.

1 ILO; 2017; Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage; https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_575479/lang--en/index.htm 2 International Organization for Migration Counter Trafficking Database http://www.iom.int/cms/countertrafficking 3 Update on the Alliance 8.7 of the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development, ILO Governing Body 335 th Session, Geneva, 14–28 March2019,GB335-INS_INF_4_[GOVER-190115-2]-En.docxhttps://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_670573.pdf

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

ILO child labour research studies4, found children in the worst forms of child labour, in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. In 2015, a recent Rapid Assessment on Child Labour in Fiji found children in the urban and peri-urban areas in the worst forms of child labour, in hazardous work, sexual exploitation including in sex trafficking and in illicit activities. Key drivers include poverty, lack of educational and employment opportunities, family breakdown, insufficient services and poor law enforcement. As most worst forms of child labour occur in the informal sector and are criminal offences, this is a challenge for normal labour inspection.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls upon the international community to respond urgently to these challenges. Under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 on decent work and economic growth, target 8.7, countries are urged to: “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers by 2030, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.”

There is an urgent need for accelerated action on filling data gaps, coordinating research agendas, improving knowledge-sharing arrangements, understanding problems and solutions better, applying innovative solutions and new approaches, using the full potential of technology, securing new and enhanced funding streams and strengthening domestic resource mobilization.

2. Alliance 8.7 and Pathfinder Countries

There are currently over 200 partners, including Fiji, who have formed a global alliance to support or implement initiatives towards achieving the SDG Target 8.75. Alliance 8.7 Action Groups have been established to support country-level implementation by conducting research, disseminating knowledge, developing tools and mobilizing resources, covering four themes- migration, rule of law and governance, conflicts and humanitarian settings, and supply chains.

Global commitments are translated into direct action through a “pathfinder country” strategy. Pathfinder countries are those that commit to going further or faster to achieve target 8.7. They implement new actions, try new approaches and share the learning derived from this. To implement the pathfinder country strategy, national strategic planning workshops have been

4 In 2009, the EU-funded TACKLE project had coordinated five child labour research projects in different sectors with Save the Children Fiji, University of the South Pacific, Foundation of the People of the South Pacific International, Fiji Trades Union Congress, University of the South Pacific, and Live and Learn. These studies were supported by the relevant government ministries (Statistics, Education, Employment, Police, Agriculture, Social Welfare etc.) and civil society organizations. The consolidated report on Fiji can be found at http://www.ilo.org/suva/publications/WCMS_155659/lang--en/index.htm. Other country reports are also accessible at https://www.ilo.org/suva/lang--en/index5 Partnership is open to governments, international and regional organizations, workers’ organizations, employer and business membership organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders and networks.

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

organized in pathfinder countries to formulate joint plans of action that serve as Alliance 8.7 road maps in the countries concerned. The successful implementation of the pathfinder strategy will be critical to the overall success of the Alliance 8.7.

To date 15 countries have formally requested to participate as pathfinder countries: Albania, Chile, Fiji, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda and Viet Nam.

3. Fiji’s progress to SDG Target 8.7

Discussions on Alliance 8.7 began in Fiji in 2016, following the launching of the SDGs. In 2017, a Pacific sub-regional Consultation on Alliance 8.7 was held in Nadi and ten broad priority actions for the Pacific to achieve the SDG target 8.7 were identified including (i) Strengthening partnership and collaboration, (ii) Supporting all countries to ratify C182, (iii) Building information, data and statistics, (iv) Improving awareness, advocacy, visibility, (v) Enhancing resources and capacity, (vi) Strengthening legislation, enforcement and monitoring, (vii) Ensuring access to quality education for all children, (viii) Providing employment, decent work and social protection, (ix) Accelerating action and (x) Committing ILO support. At the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in Argentina in November 2017, the Government of Fiji pledged that:

For the years 2018-2022, the Fijian Governments hereby pledges that: We commit to take action in drafting and amending the existing legislation related to Child Labour and Worst Forms of Child Labour in Fiji. The Fijian Government also commits to implement the National Plan on eradication of Child Labour and Worst Forms of Child Labour in Fiji. The Fijian Government also commits to consult with social partners including trade union and employer organization in raising awareness at the District and Divisional levels in all communities around Fiji on the area of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking. The Fijian Government commits to continue funding the Labour Standard Services of the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations which deals with child labour matters. 6

In 2018, the Fiji government volunteered to become a Pathfinder Country, committing to going further or faster to achieve target 8.7, and implementing new actions, trying new approaches and sharing the lessons and knowledge generated. Fiji’s ‘strong’ legislative and institutional enabling environment will assist Fiji’s efforts as a Pathfinder Country to tackle the issues it currently faces to achieve SDG 8.7.

6 Pledge maker: Jone Usamate, Minister of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations http://www.childlabour2017.org/sites/default/files/official_list_of_approved_pledges_during_the_clconf17_0.pdf

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

National Strategic Planning Forum to Develop a Joint Roadmap for Fiji as a Pathfinder Country to Achieve SDG Target 8.7

22-23 August 2019Suva, FijiAGENDA

Objectives

The overall aim of the strategic planning forum is to reinforce national commitment and accelerate actions towards the achievement of SDG Target 8.7, in line with Fiji’s status as a Pathfinder Country for Alliance 8.7. The specific objectives of the forum are to:

(i) Review Fiji’s progress and enabling environment for achieving the SDG Target 8.7 and identify the existing limitations and gaps.

(ii) Provide input into a national roadmap for achieving SDG 8.7, specifying priority focus areas, roles of national working groups, and integrating organisational and institutional strategies.

(iii) Agree to the optimal role of a National Alliance 8.7 coordinating mechanism for achieving SDG 8.7.

Day 1: Thursday 22nd August 2019

Time Session Presenter/ Moderator8:00- 9:00 Registration9:00-9:10 Official Opening Programme

Welcome remarks National anthem

Mr. Vilimone Baledrokadroka, Deputy Secretary, MEPIR

9:10-9:15 Remarks on behalf of the ILO ILO Officer in Charge, Mr. Gagan Rajbhandari

9:15-9:20 Remarks on behalf of the IOM IOM Chief of Mission, Ms. Mahym Orazmuhamedova

9:20-9:30 Keynote address and official opening by the Chief Guest Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Mr. Praveen Bala

9:30-9:40 Group photo Ms. Elina Vuniwau (MEPIR)

9:40-10:20 Morning tea

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

10:20-10:50 Session 1: Overview of the forum and introductions Forum aim and objectives Sessions and forum process Participant Introductions Forum logistics

Mr. Vilimone Baledrokadroka, Deputy Secretary, MEPIR

10:50-11:20 Session 2: Presentation on the SDG 8, Target 8.7 and the Alliance 8.7 The global picture of child labour, forced labour,

modern slavery and human trafficking Priorities and challenges for achieving SDG target 8.7 Role of Alliance 8.7 and Pathfinder Countries

Ms. Bharati Pflug, ILO Specialist

11:20-12:20 Session 3: Panel Discussion on child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking in Fiji, challenges and priorities Types of child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and

human trafficking in Fiji. What does your agency have in place to address these

issues and where are the gaps? What are the solutions to achieve the SDG Target 8.7?

Panelists: MEPIR Fiji Police Force National Substance

Abuse Advisory Council

Homes of HopeModerated by Ms. Mahym Orazmuhamedova, IOM

12:20-13:00 Session 4: Panel Discussion on understanding the nexus between human trafficking and migration in Fiji, challenges and priorities Situations of irregular migration and human trafficking in

Fiji. What are the trends and vulnerabilities of migrants and

victims of trafficking? What does your agency have in place to address these

issues and where are the gaps? What are the solutions to achieve the SDG Target 8.7?

Panelists: Department of

Immigration IOM Office of the Director

of Public Prosecutions Pacific Conference of

ChurchesModerated by Ms. Elena Gerasimova, ILO

13:00-14:00 Lunch14:00-14:30 Session 5: Mapping the National Situation

Summary of issues Existing enabling environment

Save the Children/ ECPAT International

Ms. Marie Fatiaki (ILO Consultant)

14:30-15:30 Session 6: Exercise- Identification of National Priorities What is there? What is missing? What should be the way forward to achieve SDG Target

8.7?

Facilitated group exercise: MEPIR & ILO/ IOM

15:30-16:00 Afternoon tea16:00-17:00 Session 7: Presentation of Priorities Facilitated group exercise:

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

MEPIR & ILO/ IOMDay 2: Friday 23rd August 2019

Time Session Presenter/ Moderator8:00- 9:00 Registration

9:00- 9:40 Session 8: Global Progress and Good Practices of Alliance 8.7 Alliance 8.7 Good Practices Example National Coordinating Mechanisms The ILO's Global Business Network on Forced Labour

and the Child Labour Platform

Ms. Bharati Pflug, ILO Specialist

9:40- 10:40 Session 9: Panel Discussion on Establishing a National Alliance 8.7 Mechanism What should be the role of a National Alliance 8.7? Who should be the focal point for the National Alliance

8.7 and what should be the role of the focal point? How should the National Alliance 8.7 be coordinated?

Panelists: Ministry of Women

and Children Ministry of Education Fiji Commerce and

Employers Federation Fiji Trades Union

CongressModerated by Ms. Pflug

10:40-11:10 Morning tea11:10-13:00 Session 10: Drafting of the SDG Target 8.7 Road Map

Present a summary of key priorities identified Draft a road map for achieving SDG Target 8.7 in

thematic groups:- Link priorities to actions, results, and existing

organisational strategies and national action plans - Identify role of stakeholders and national work

groups and resources required Group presentations, Q & A

Presentation of summary of key priorities, Ms. Marie Fatiaki, ILO

Facilitated group exercise: Mr. Atish Kumar, MEPIR & ILO/ IOM

13:00-14:00 Lunch14:00-15:00 Session 11: Developing Short Term Work Plans

Select one action per priority/ thematic group and develop a short term work plan using existing resources

Group presentations, Q & A

Facilitated group exercise: Mr. Atish Kumar, MEPIR & ILO/ IOM

15:00-15:30 Session 12: Overall summary Brief overview of the results of the national strategic

planning forum and next steps

Mr. Vilimone Baledrokadroka, Deputy Secretary, MEPIR

15:30-16:00 Closing remarks PS, Ministry of Women & Children TBC

16:00-16:30 Afternoon tea

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Fiji Trades Union Congress, andFiji Employers Federation.