04/04/2026
Joint Statement: Response to Proposals by the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs
Date: 3 April 2026
Issued by: DIVA for Equality FIJI, the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network - PSGDN, ILGA Oceania, Rainbow Pride Foundation 4 LGBTQ Rights and Equality in Fiji, and the Trans Affirmative Action Guild - TAAG
DIVA for Equality, the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network, and ILGA Oceania acknowledge the role of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga/Great Council of Chiefs in Fiji’s history, cultural governance, and systems of leadership. These organisations call for the Bose Levu Vakaturaga to create pathways for communication and peacebuilding of iTaukei people with Fijians of all ethnicities and ages, genders, interest groups and communities.
They express grave concern regarding recent proposals submitted to the Constitution Review Commission that would significantly weaken the constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination that apply to all people in Fiji through principles and protection enshrined in the Constitution of Fiji 2013.
These include:
i. Proposed removal of explicit protection on gender and s*xual orientation under Section 26
(Right to Equality and Freedom from Discrimination).
ii. Redefinition of the term “Fijian” in a manner that excludes non iTaukei people.
iii. Repeal of provisions establishing Fiji as a secular State, and
iv. Changes affecting children’s rights protections under Section 41.
Any such proposed changes to the Constitution directly threaten justice, equity, social
cohesion, and democratic governance in Fiji.
People of diverse genders, s*xual orientations,
gender identities, including iTaukei identities such as Vakasalewalewa, as well as diverse ethnicities are integral to Pacific societies. They contribute every day: working hard, caring for families, supporting communities, serving, leading, and helping build the vibrant Fiji that we all share.
The people of Fiji want to live in a society grounded in justice, inclusion, respect, and equal citizenship reflected in the State, in law, and in practice. Any reforms to the Constitution must strengthen rather than diminish shared national values.
At a time when Fiji faces urgent challenges, including climate change and ecocide, the HIV and STI epidemic, poverty, and economic instability, national efforts must be firmly focused on solutions that unite communities and advance collective progress.
The Constitution affirms that every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Any constitutional reform must strengthen, not diminish, these guarantees.
Key Concerns:
Gender, Human Rights and Constitutional Integrity
Constitutional safeguards that exist to protect all people equally, including women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals, must be preserved to ensure fairness, dignity, and justice. Proposed amendments to equality provisions risk dismantling the integrity of Fiji’s constitutional protections and sanction violence, discrimination, and stigma against vulnerable and
marginalised people. Fiji already endures double the global rates of violence against women and girls. In this time of rising global fascism and violence, we must increase our efforts on gender and human rights; there can be no regression.
Justice, Unity, and Social Cohesion -
We all recognise Fiji’s Indigenous people, the iTaukei. It is a legacy of colonialism that has sown division, and it is time to reclaim Indigenous values of communal care and radical acceptance. Proposals to redefine who is recognised as ‘Fijian’ risk undermining decades of progress toward a shared national identity. Fiji’s strength lies in its diversity.
The best iTaukei leadership arises from compassion, dignity, and recognition of our shared humanity, our colourful diversity, and united under a common national identity, Fijian.
Democratic Governance and Accountability -
Proposals relating to governance structures, including appointments, electoral systems, and
legislative bodies, must be carefully assessed against constitutional principles of:
● Equitable suffrage
● Separation of powers
● Accountability
● Transparency
● Rule of law.
Reforms should enhance democratic participation, not weaken it. Changes to governance structures, including the concentration of authority, must reinforce democratic principles, gender equity, transparency, and inclusive participation in national decision-making. They must strengthen deep democracy, not sow seeds of discontent.
Secularism and Equal Citizenship -
Fiji’s vibrant religious diversity is sustained by its national secular framework. Any departure from this neutrality risks creating a hierarchy of faith that undermines freedom of belief for all. Fiji’s strength lies in its rich religious and cultural diversity, where people of different faiths coexist with a shared sense of community and mutual respect. The secular nature of the State is not a rejection of religion or Christianity; rather, it is a vital safeguard that ensures all people, regardless of belief, are treated equally under the law and are free to practise their faith.
Moving away from these principles’ risks privileging certain beliefs over others, weakening social cohesion and eroding the inclusive foundation upon which Fiji’s democracy is built.
National Priorities and Collective Progress -
The people of Fiji are facing loss and damage from climate change and ecocide. They are facing rising fuel prices and poverty due to the ill-considered conflict in the Middle East, the fastest-growing HIV and AIDS crisis in the world, an illicit drug crisis, and more. The state services and, in particular, the health system are under severe strain.
This is not the time to divert attention from these critical priorities. We must, as a country, focus on the best ways forward and conserve our resources for the decades of struggle to come. This is a time for unity and purpose.
Call to Action -
We call on government leaders, the Constitution Review Commission, Civil Society, Faith Leaders, Traditional Institutions, and all stakeholders to ensure that any constitutional reforms uphold Fiji’s commitments to gender justice, human rights, inclusivity, and democratic principles.
We call for an open, inclusive, and evidence-based national dialogue, one that reflects the voices and aspirations of everyone in Fiji, including women and girls, gender diverse people, and their communities.
Fiji’s strength lies in its diversity. Its future depends on the collective ability to protect access to justice, gender equality, human rights, and the well-being and dignity of every person.
We are stronger together, and the Bose Levu Vakaturaga has a historic opportunity to
model such leadership for the hard decades to come.
“Proposals to redefine who is recognised as ‘Fijian’ risk undermining decades of progress toward a shared national identity. Fiji’s strength lies in its diversity.”
