Modern slavery
FIJI Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) is the most representative of all the employer organisations in Fiji.
Other organisations represent specific interests or activity groupings of their members.
FCEF’s membership and its affiliates are involved in activities ranging from warehouses, factories and everything in between.
FCEF is a non-profit organisation principally financed by members’ subscriptions.
One of the key focus in 2020 onwards is addressing modern slavery, and exploitation of workers.
What is modern slavery?
Modern slavery is a serious violation of an individual’s dignity and human rights. It involves criminal practices including human trafficking, slavery, servitude (bondage), forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage and the worst forms of child labour. These are all considered modern slavery.
Modern slavery is the exploitation of people who have been forced, deceived, or coerced into a life of labour and servitude for personal or commercial gain. It is a crime hidden from society where victims are subjected to abuse, inhumane and degrading treatment.
Labour exploitation involves subjecting workers to excessive hours without proper remuneration as required by Employment Law, and OH&S Regulation.
Does modern slavery exist in Fiji?
Modern slavery and labour exploitation is said to exist in Fiji.
There is evidence of modern slavery in Fiji with the exploitation of women and children in the sex trade, as well as in the fishing industry as articulated in the Murky Waters report by the Walk Free Foundation.
Labour exploitation is also practiced as seen in some sectors with workers subjected to excessive hours without the proper remuneration including non-payment of overtime, allowances and mandatory safety practises.
The majority of these workers come from marginalised communities and are unlikely to speak up out of fear of losing employment.
What businesses in Fiji need to know?
Certain companies in Fiji are already working towards eradicating modern slavery and exploitation out of their supply chain and partnering only with compliant suppliers.
Some of these companies that have adopted anti modern slavery and anti-worker exploitation practices include ANZ, Asaleo Care, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Unilever, TOTAL and Wormald Fire & Security/Guardforce just to name a few. (sourced from Modern Slavery Registry).
Why this is important for FCEF and its partners to act now?
FCEF's initial objective is to raise awareness on what modern slavery and labour exploitation entails with its member in partnership with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity & Industrial Relations, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Pacific Islands Private Sector Organization (PIPSO).
Recently, FCEF presented as a panellist at the recent UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, in Suva, covering modern slavery and worker exploitation in Fiji.
More needs to be done in bringing to light cases of exploitation in Fiji’s workforce so organisations realise the severity of modern slavery and exploitation in the workforce and how it correlates with society.
This is linked to social issues such as the neglect of families because of long hours, domestic violence, crime, etc.
Kameli Batiweti is the CEO of Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of this newspaper.