Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied: We Must Protect The Girl Child!

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement is deeply concerned with delays within the court system in urgently addressing sexual violence cases involving children to ensure their perpetrators are held accountable.

As stated in a recent Fiji Village news article (7/05/2026), the withdrawal of a court case involving a girl child who waited six years for justice is deeply troubling and highlights systemic failures that allow violence against children to persist and impede survivors’ access to timely, effective justice.

FWRM research indicate that children make up the majority of rape victims and survivors. Our ten-year analysis of rape cases decided in the High Court between 2016 - 2025 found that most victims/survivors were under 18 years old. Infants and very young children were repeatedly recorded as victims, including a 6-month-old in 2018 and a 6-year-old in 2025. The same analysis also established that survivors often waited for two to three years for their cases to be decided. Backlogs of cases in the court would mean an even longer wait. The withdrawal of this case not only denied a young survivor from the resolution she sought but also sends a damaging signal to other victims that the justice system may not be reliable or responsive.

The survivor was just 6 years old when the abuse occurred. Six years later and now 13 years old, she was still waiting for justice. The prolonged delay not only denies timely justice but subjects survivors to prolonged psychological distress by reopening trauma, deepening anxiety, and undermining their sense of safety and dignity.

"When systemic barriers repeatedly fail a child, it is the system itself that must be reformed. Survivors of sexual violence must be able to access support and legal processes in ways that prioritise their safety, dignity, and long-term recovery. This situation should not set a precedent for other women and girls seeking justice and struggling to have their cases heard," FWRM Executive Director, Nalini Singh said.

As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Fiji has an obligation to ensure the safety and protection of all girls in the country. We must affirm that every child’s dignity and rights matter.

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