Whats causing poverty in Fiji?
Both absolute and relative poverty exist in Fiji. There are households which are absolutely poor and which do not have enough food and clean water, or access to a decent house or to basic education. There are others who live in relative poverty in that they do not have access to the basic needs, which a society may consider to be “normal”. Various studies show that traditional and institutional safety nets for the poor have rapidly eroded and subject to many constriants. Over the past two decades, Fiji has experienced an economic downturn. This has seriously affected marginal households, services for children and communities already on the edge of poverty. While aid agencies largely concentrate upon development-focused approaches to poverty alleviation, the immediate needs of children such as nutrition and access to education remain unattended. Voluntary agencies often struggle to cater for the growing number of children in need of assistance, food, shelter, and education. There are in
