On 21 March, Fiji's interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama made a public announcement sharing the government's revised draft constitution and inviting feedback within a two-week timeframe. Earlier in the year, the government had declared its intention to re-write the independent draft that was delivered to them by the Constitution Commission of Fiji following a public consultation process in 2012. 

Constituent Assembly cancelled

Announcing the government's new draft in a televised address, the Prime Minister stated that the Constituent Assembly, which had been due to commence deliberations early in 2013, would not take place. Instead, the government's final version of its new constitution will be enacted within a week of the closing date for public feedback – a deadline which was subsequently extended to 30 April.

All sections of Fijian society have an equal stake in the stability of our country, so it's disappointing to see that the State's draft doesn't even mention women at all, let alone seek to safeguard their rights.

Fiji Women's Rights Movement

The government's announcement coincided with the midway point in a three-day 'People's Constitutional Forum' workshop, convened in Lami, Suva by two of Conciliation Resources' local partners – The Citizen's Constitutional Forum and the Fiji Women's Rights Movement.

Civil society debate: finding consensus amid diverse opinions

The People’s Forum was an open space for discussion, debate and negotiation on constitutional content, which featured a diverse group of 45 representatives from all over Fiji. Members of the public also participated in the discussions through an open gallery and by interacting with the online live streaming of our discussions and debates. The forum concluded with a statement of outcomes.

The new Government Draft Constitution is an ambiguous document… we trust that the analysis we've provided of its content will contribute to government efforts to revise the draft in the coming weeks, in order to ensure its aspirations that Fiji becomes a ‘true democracy’ founded on ‘respect for, and protection and promotion of, human rights.’

The Citizens' Constitutional Forum

These are challenging times for the people of Fiji. Amid this changing situation, Conciliation Resources continues to support our local Fiji partner organisations in their efforts to engage with the constitutional development process. This includes support for civic education programmes and dialogue activities that seek to bridge the gap between divided sectors.

Find out more about our work with partners in Fiji