The Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is calling on Parliament to extend the 11-day public submission period for the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026, warning that the timeframe limits meaningful public participation in a process that will shape Fiji’s democratic future.
Commissioner Alefina Vuki says the public needs adequate time and accessible information to understand the proposed amendments and their implications before providing feedback.
The Special Committee reviewing the Bill issued a notice yesterday, setting October 23rd as the deadline for written submissions.
Vuki says this timeframe leaves less than two working weeks for individuals, communities and organisations to examine the proposed changes and prepare informed submissions.
She says the process is particularly challenging because the public would need to understand both the draft Constitution prepared by the Constitution Review Committee and the revised draft containing substantial changes made by the Government.
Vuki says meaningful consultation requires more than publishing a Bill and inviting submissions, as people must understand what is being proposed, why the changes are being sought and how they could affect them.
She says Fiji’s geographical circumstances also present challenges, with people in rural communities, remote villages and maritime islands facing varying levels of access to information, transport and internet connectivity.
She says they are also calling for measures to ensure vulnerable and marginalised groups, including people with disabilities, older persons, women, young people and people living in poverty, can participate in the consultation process.
Vuki says this requires accessible information, translations into relevant languages, reasonable accommodation and proactive community engagement.
The Commission has also raised concerns about the proposed national referendum, saying voters need sufficient time and impartial information to understand the process, the choices they will be asked to make and the consequences of their decisions.
She says comprehensive civic education is necessary to ensure the referendum is an informed exercise rather than simply a voting process.
They also note that Fiji, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has obligations under Article 25 to protect citizens’ rights and opportunities to participate in public affairs without unreasonable restrictions.
They argue that limiting submissions to 11 days while moving towards a proposed referendum on December 9th this year risks undermining that right.
