Fiji is a source, transit, and destination country for women trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor. No laws specifically address trafficking in persons, although the Immigration Act of 2003 prohibits transnational labor and sex trafficking, specifically procuring a woman for purposes of prostitution, kidnapping, and bonded labor. Last year there was an increase in persons arriving or transiting the country with false travel documents, but no reports leading to the investigation or prosecution of trafficking.
In 2009, the Trafficking in Persons Report didn't see any improvement with Fiji’s efforts to prevent human trafficking, hence retaining its Tier 3 status. Fiji’s reluctance to properly address its trafficking problem has compelled Shared Hope International’s strong presence in the country to ensure services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Shared Hope International is proud to have partnered with an organization in Fiji since 2005 to provide funding for a Village of Hope in Fiji. This is the largest Village of Hope, capable of housing over 100 young women and children who are victims or are at high risk of sex trafficking. Shared Hope International provides funding to offer plentiful resources to restore survivors of sex trafficking with educational and vocational training, which equip them with tools they need to build a successful future. Furthermore, the Village of Hope offers marriage and relationship counseling to ensure that all women have an understanding of a healthy relationship.
At the Village of Home in Fiji, SHI is the sole funder of the Women’s Investment Network program (WIN). WIN is a successful method of reintegrating victims of sex trafficking into the community. Funded by SHI, the WIN program provides business training and skills and builds equity for the future. Through this structured program, the participant is taught vocational skills including jewelry making, baking, floral arrangement, tending gardens and greenhouses and guest house management.
With support from SHI, the WIN program continues to blossom as a model for current and future WIN programs. Graduates and participants are actively engaged with the managerial logistics within the WIN program, allowing it to successfully operate.
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