Human Rights, Socio-economic Rights Protected in Budget: Raj

It was not easy, but the Government has done it, says Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director Ashwin Raj, in his response to the 20202021 National Budget.

Mr Raj said the Government had a daunting task to ensure that human rights and socio-economic rights were protected when making the bold budget.

The 2020-2021 National Budget has decreased costs, puts more in the basket of an average Fijian and has removed massive costs incurred in production and importation.

“Sutured by the realisation that the global pandemic has disproportionately impacted on our ability to enjoy social and economic rights, particularly those that are already on the margins of our society and have no access to social mobility,” Mr Raj said. “Government has adopted a pragmatic approach through the 20202021 National Budget that carefully balances between the option of taking harsh austerity measures to arrest economic malaise which can further entrench and exacerbate existing inequalities and the need to spend to revitalise the economy, keep jobs, create incentives through the recalibration of our tax regimes and sustain the

The Government had a daunting task to ensure that human rights and socio-economic rights were protected when making the bold budget. Ashwin Raj Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director

various social protection schemes that our poor heavily rely on.” Mr Raj said the Government was implicit in recognising that there was a no easy tradeoff between the economy, health, right to have rights and inherent human dignity.