Over the course of three days, approximately 40 government officials, together with civil society and international partners, discussed trafficking trends, challenges and opportunities for coordinated action. The workshop concluded with practical training delivered by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force on the identification of indicators of trafficking in persons at the border and in the community.

This workshop in Fiji was the result of ongoing engagement between the Government of Fiji and the Bali Process, including the RSO and the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons (co‑chaired by Australia and Indonesia), with Fiji officials having attended a range of dialogues and Working Group meetings over the past 18-24 months.

Building on existing momentum towards strengthening trafficking in persons responses in Fiji – including the recently developed National Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy (2021‑2026) and the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (2021-2026) – the event also served as a platform to take stock of existing measures and identify where additional support for implementation may be required.

During his opening remarks to workshop participants, Mr. Mason Smith, Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs and Immigration, acknowledged the importance of continuing coordinated action to counter trafficking in persons. Notably, he spoke of the importance of partnerships and a ‘whole of society approach’ to ensure that prevention, protection and prosecution efforts remain robust. He also noted the need for effective policies and legislation to be in place, with ongoing capacity building and awareness raising for proper identification at the borders and within communities.

Through expert presentations, practical exercises and group discussions, the workshop covered a range of topics including:

• reflection on existing national legislation related to human trafficking;
• Fiji’s draft National Referral Mechanism and options for implementation;
• pathways to strengthen interagency coordination;
• training resources for frontline officials and mapping future needs;
• identification of community awareness-raising priorities in Fiji; and
• human trafficking indicators, screening and referral processes.

A common theme throughout the workshop was the need for effective coordination and collaboration to counter trafficking in persons. Participants noted that government officials, intergovernmental forums, international organisations, civil society and the private sector all play an important role in delivering an effective, evidence-based response.

“Coordinating efforts across government, civil society, faith-based groups and academia is essential to addressing trafficking in persons,” highlighted Evan Jones, Programme Coordinator at the RSO. “All groups bring unique expertise and insights that can inform our strategies and actions. Coordination and collaboration is key to ensuring we can deliver results.”

The Bali Process RSO and Australian Government agencies look forward to continued cooperation with Fiji to support counter trafficking in persons efforts in the Pacific; together exploring possible further joint initiatives responsive to Fiji and regional needs.